The history of the 180-year-old former Debenhams building - with its future yet to be secured
The historic Griffin and Spalding building has been based in Long Row for more than 180 years, with the shop closing its doors back in May 2021 after Debenhams entered administration. It's not yet known what the building will next be used for - it has remained vacant ever since shutting its doors to the public last year.
In April 2022, the building secured grade II listed status, giving it added protection as it is viewed as being of national importance
Hilary Silvester, vice chair of the Nottingham Civic Society, said at the time: "It's important because Nottingham is a city that has character, it's not so far become totally overpowered by tall buildings like cities such as Brmingham, Sheffield and Manchester. This character goes back to medieval times - we have a great big square in the middle of our city, which people use to meet up with one another.
"Buildings like this one are a distinctive feature of the square - which I think is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. It has got a long and proud history and a character of its own, a character that it's important we keep and one that the people of Nottingham have got used to. Hopefully, they can find a use which is respectful of the building's history."
The history of the building
It dates back to entrepreneurs Mr W Griffin and J.T Spalding, who purchased a draper's shop on the corner of Market Street back in 1878 and renamed it after themselves. Over the years Griffin and Spalding acquired several neighbouring buildings in order to expand, including the Mikado Café, which was kept as a separate enterprise until around 1960 - when it was then incorporated into the store.
However, some of its decorative mouldings remain on the east side of the building. The business was sold to Debenhams in 1944 and the name was retained until 1973 when Debenhams embarked on a national re-branding scheme. Griffin and Spalding and the Mikado Café were well-known, long-standing institutions in the city of Nottingham, which contributed to the city as a provincial and regional destination for shopping and socialising.
By 1978, it had 37 trading floors and was one of the largest department stores in England. It was often ahead of its time in terms of ‘retail theatre’, holding in-store fashion shows and with marketing from the 1950s encouraging shoppers to make a day of a store visit by booking into the hairdressers and lunching in the restaurant.
The 240-year-old retailer went into liquidation in 2019, before a move to online-only eventually meant the closure of Nottingham's store in May 2021.
What comes next?
It was reported in January this year that the building is 'safe and secure' - but that plans for it were still months away.
Longmead Capital, the company which has been in talks with Nottingham City Council over the building's future, insist it is being kept safe and secure after concerns were raised about its condition. Longmead took on the building on behalf of Long Row Properties Limited, a Jersey-based company which first acquired the Debenhams building in 2017.
In April, urban explorers revealed what the inside of the building looks like now, with eerie pictures indicating that much has been left behind.
There were several empty shelving units and computers still visible. The empty payment counters, abandoned cafe and stationary escalators are among the elements of the store seen in the pictures.
The urban explorer, posting from the page 'Urbex No Limits', released the pictures to Nottinghamshire Live to show what the inside of the historic, listed building looks like in 2024.