Myself and Jason Sheppard are aiming to do some kind of work making use of empty shops and other properties in Chester and surrounding areas. In an effort to work out what we are doing we did a quick survey of some of the empty places, took some photos and worked out that in one street there were 6 shops empty out of 20. It did seem though that shops which had become empty were starting to fill up again. Maybe the Chester renaissance is getting somewhere in this respect. Below are the images we took of the empty shops we found.
Car showroom window Kite Shop
Lower Bridge street Lesley Simon Kids clothes Shop
Ornaments marc newspapershop
black window smashed window white window
white box shutter thomas williams
cake shop Gallery Reeds
Gallery sign usc
smile white window2 car shop door
     

St Olav Church

Currently owned by Chester City Council. The building has recently been the home to several events by Chester Performs. Its use is currently under review.

On July 31st 2010 there will be a walk from Neston to St Olafs Church. St Olav is a Norwegian Saint and viking. The church is over 1,000 years old built soon after 1030.

Notes

Ex car showroom

Lower Bridge Street

City centre motor dealership premises to let in whole or parts, suitable for retail or leisure uses with on site parking.
Property is a 1960's concrete frame multi-storey building with extensive frontage to Lower Bridge Street and return frontage to Duke Street.
It is an existing car dealership with extensive showroom accommodation at ground level.
First floor includes a service repair workshop, service reception, parts store and office.
The upper floor roof level provides designated parking for approximately 70 vehicles.
Overall Site Area: 0.24 hectare (0.59 acre).

Ex Kite shop

Lower Bridge Street

Kites aloft has now moved to Broughton. Owner Howard Harrison moved out of Chester due to high rent and rates. Prior to this he was asked to take down an advertising banner. Is there a way to draw attention to the shops on the rows and what they offer which doesn't disrupt the look of the city?

Ex Sport Max

50 Bridge Street.Estate agent Legat Owen Dan Oliver on 0844 6682767.

List price £87, 500 per annum

3 old arches

Ex Lesley Simon fashion shop

63 Bridge Street Row

Ex Children's Clothes Shop

Bridge Street Rows

If this one is number 61 it used to be junior by Marc ?????

Ornament Shop ( Does anybody remember its name?)

Bridge Street Rows

Ex Marc Clothes Shop

17 Bridge Street Rows

Ex ? ( can anybody remember what this shop was)

Bridge Street Rows

Shop display Cabinets

Bridge Street Rows

How did people get the posters into here? Did they go in before the shop was closed or did somebody gain access after? Do the cabinets come with the letting of the shop? Who has the keys?

White display cabinet

Bridge Street Rows

This one still have displays from the closed shop.

 

Ex Marc Clothes Shop shutter

Bridge Street Rows

What was it like the during the last act of pulling this shutter down?

 

Ex Thomas William Kitcheware shop

27 Bridge Street Row

Thomas williams shop before closure

Arrows pointing to the relocated shop, this could be interesting as an idea.

Ex Cakelicious Shop

71 Watergate Street Row South

Watergate Street Rows

Ex Reeds Rains Estate Agents

Watergate Street Rows

Ex Silverbirch Gallery Sign

Watergae Street

The sign reads:

Galleries Sliverbirch

Pictures

Art

Ceramics

Accessories

Silver

Estate Agents Sign on Bridge Street Rows

 

Ex USC Clothes Shop

13 Northgate Street

Usc When it was open

Signs in Clothes shop doorway

Eastgate Street

The signs read:

"No place like Chester"

"Smile Chester Style"

"Warning cctv camera in constant operation"

White Cabinet

Bridge Street Rows

Spikes along the top to stop the birds.

Ex Car Show Room Door

Lower Bridge Street

I seem to remember that this was an early shop to close and it seemed like a bit of a shock.

Ex Mobile Phone Shop

Eastgate Street

Ex Viyella Clothes Shop

27 Eastgate Street

Ex Sartori shirt Shop now relocated to Grosvenor precinct

35 Bridge Street

home

Links:http://www.virtualchester.org/

Chester property Map

Business case for the project

 

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Empty Shops