What Do You Do With A “Dead” Department Store? Rethinking the High Street

The Heritage Network hosts a day of talks, tours, and experts insight to help towns and cities rethink their historic high street landmarks.
About this Event

About This Event

Across the UK, former department stores sit empty at the heart of our towns and cities. Once anchors of high street life, these vast buildings now represent one of the biggest regeneration challenges — and also opportunities — facing places today.

Yet the story doesn't need to end with vacancy. Pioneering projects are already demonstrating how former retail giants can be successfully repurposed as mixed-use destinations, cultural venues, workplaces, homes, education hubs and community assets. At the same time, new funding streams, public-private partnerships and investment models are helping unlock revitalised town and city centres.

This event brings together local authorities, funders, placemakers, community-led regeneration experts, and heritage practitioners to explore how redundant retail space can be reimagined for a new era. Through case studies, expert insights, and practical discussion, we'll examine how redundant department stores can become catalysts for high street renewal, town centre regeneration, and sustainable economic growth.

Our Programme

10:00- Welcomes and Introductions

10:15: Debenhams Oxford: Reimagining a Department Store- Daniel Parker, Science and Technology Practice Lead, Perkins & Will

10:45: Sparks Bristol: Reinventing Retail- Benjamin Stephenson, Bas Consultancy

11:15: Break

11:45: What Happens when High Streets Work?: Retail, Regeneration and the Future of Town Cetnres- Graham Soult, Canny Insights

12:05: Turning Ideas into Reality: AHF Practical Support and Funding Opportunities:-Josephine Brwon, AHF Grants Officer, South West

12:25 Lunch and Networking

13:25: Department Stores Since the 1870s: Taking the Long View- Johanna Roethe, Historic England Architectural Investigator

13:45: Panel Session: The Wider Context of High Street Landscapes- Graham Soult, Benjamin Stephenson, Josephine Brown, Oxford City Council (rep TBC), and Harriet Pillman- Donald Insall Associates

14:24: Oxford City Council: Setting the Scene- Andrew Humpherson, Oxford City Council Regeneration Manager

14:40: Guided City Centre Tour/ Market Redevelopment (1-1.5 hrs)

16:00: Event Close

Who Should Attend

• Local authority officers and elected members involved in regeneration, heritage, planning, and town centre renewal.

• Community organisations and social enterprises interested in bringing new uses to vacant high street buildings.

• Developers, investors, placemakers, and built environment professionals, looking to connect with others working on town and city centre regeneration.

What will you take away?

• Practical insights from successful department store redevelopment projects and lessons learned from across the UK.

• New ideas for funding mechanisms, investment models, and partnership approaches that can help unlock challenging regeneration schemes.

• Behind-the-scenes insights from those leading the way in heritage regeneration projects that deliver economic growth, community wellbeing, and long-term town centre resilience.

• Opportunities to connect with peers, experts, and potential partners working on high street renewal and place-based regeneration.

Funders

Thank you to our funders, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and to National Lottery players.

Discounted tickets

Network, Partner and Supporter members can book half price tickets, saving £60. You should have received an email with a code to access the discounted tickets. Click the red 'Get tickets' button and enter your code in the box that says 'Promo Code'. The discounted ticket options will be revealed.

If you did not get the code please email [email protected].

If you would like to join the Heritage Network and receive discounted ticket prices alongside lots of other membership benefits please go online to find out more information. Annual membership starts from just £75 for individuals, £125 for not-for-profit organisations, £300 for businesses. Heritage Network is the UK's umbrella organisation for not-for-profit organisations that are rescuing, restoring and managing historic buildings and places. Join us today.

Code of conduct

We aim for all of our events to be inclusive, safe spaces where everyone's views and experiences are respected. Please read our code of conduct for more information.