The ribbon was cut at the beautifully restored Dewsbury Arcade at 10am this morning (Saturday) by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi to officially mark its first day back in business since its closure in 2016.
The Grade II-listed building, which was built in 1899, became one of the first major projects to form part of the Dewsbury Blueprint.
Working in collaboration with the Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board and the Arcade Group, the historic building has undergone intense restoration works to preserve its architecture.
And it looks absolutely stunning, with a huge crowd turning up in Market Place to witness the celebration.
Before cutting the ribbon, Dewsbury-born Baroness Warsi told the audience:
“I can’t not take this opportunity to talk about how Dewsbury made me, and I hope, in some ways, I made a part of it.
“I was born and raised in this town, it is where I was educated, it is where I brought up my family, it’s where I built a business and it’s where, as a child, I remember walking through this phenomenal arcade and it felt magical.
“And that magic has been restored. In the end, our town, Dewsbury, is magical. It is made up of stories of the past. We have a proud history. We have a wonderful future and it is my absolute privilege to be part of both its past and its future.
“Thank you all so much for coming.”
Residents and shoppers were then allowed into the Arcade to browse around the number of small businesses and meet the traders.
The Arcade features 16 small shop units and four larger ones, as well as six upstairs studios which could be used by artists, as office spaces or for events.
Take a look at these fabulous photos from today’s grand re-opening of the Dewsbury Arcade.
The Reporter will also have follow-up articles with some of the traders and shoppers who were in town to mark the historic occasion, as well as with Jackie Ramsay, chair of The Arcade Group.
