Contractor selected for cultural community hub on Fargate

Plans to turn a building in Sheffield city centre into a mixed-use cultural community hub have moved forward with the appointment of the lead contractor.

Event Central is a regeneration project commissioned by Sheffield City Council and funded through the Future High Street Fund, which will see the refurbishment of the existing vacant building at 20-26 Fargate.

Once the work has been completed, the venue will create a useful community and commercial space – showcasing Sheffield’s diverse talent with events, shows, exhibitions, workshops and talks all under one roof.

As part of the process, Sheffield City Council has appointed Willmott Dixon as the lead contractor to deliver Event Central, which could include a café/juice bar and a standing music venue.

Event Central is funded in part by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund with the Council securing £15.8million for the project.

Pre-construction activity has already started on the project with contractors expected to be on site in January 2025, once activity on the adjacent public realm works on Fargate has been completed.

Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee said: “Event Central is going to be a fantastic and vibrant cultural hub for Sheffield and will offer a truly unique space for the city. We know that Sheffield is packed with talent, and this will be the perfect place to showcase it, attracting thousands of visitors a year.

“The transformation will also be a crucial part of our vision for Fargate, which is currently undergoing a transformation as part of a huge regeneration of the city centre. Once complete, Event Central will be able to take its place alongside the other fantastic venues we have in Sheffield, and we’re really excited with what it will bring to the people of the city. This and the wider development on Fargate is yet another example that Sheffield city centre is on the up”