Fargate

A reimagined civic spine for a greener, cultural Sheffield

Fargate — long known as one of Sheffield’s most recognisable city‑centre streets — is undergoing a bold transformation into a vibrant, modern destination that blends culture, social spaces, greenery and independent enterprise. Backed by £15.8 million of government funding through the Future High Streets Fund, the redevelopment is reshaping Fargate into a welcoming hub connecting Heart of the City with the emerging Castlegate quarter. 

At its core is Event Central, a major new cultural anchor set to open in 2026, designed as a flexible home for exhibitions, performance, co‑working, talks, workshops and community programming. The six‑storey venue at 20–26 Fargate will become a showcase for Sheffield’s creative talent and a catalyst for street‑level activity from day to night. 

Along the street itself, extensive public‑realm work is bringing Fargate firmly into the future: new paving, green planting, pocket parks, seating, feature lighting and sustainable urban drainage systems inspired by the award‑winning Grey to Green scheme. These interventions introduce biodiversity, support climate resilience, and create calmer, greener places to pause, meet and enjoy city life.

Businesses are already feeling the impact. A £14.4m transformation has helped drive footfall up by more than a third, with new arrivals such as Boots Opticians and alternative fashion brand Blue Banana, alongside long‑standing favourites like Hotel Chocolat reporting a markedly improved atmosphere and customer experience. A £1m redevelopment has also brought a new Thornbridge Brewery pub - The Fargate - to the former Yorkshire Bank building, adding further life to the street. 

Looking ahead, Fargate is set to reclaim its status as one of Sheffield’s key civic and cultural corridors: a place not just to shop, but to gather, create, experience and connect — an inclusive, future‑focused street at the heart of a changing city centre.