McFaddens
Drighlington 0113 285 3996
VERTICAL BLINDS
3 FOR
£89 SALE 046 1502
VIEW ALL OUR STOCK
Tel: 0800
McFaddenscarsales.co.uk
01274 305 410
ONE PAPER ... ALL THE NEWS from Dewsbury, Batley, Ossett, Mirfield, Liversedge, Birstall, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton & Spen Valley
Friday March 6, 2015
Jade’s got a secret
Teen teams top at tech!
p13
PORTRAIT OF A TOWN Dewsbury shops snapshot reveals how retail landscape is changing
12 MONTHS GUARANTEE
No. 675
50p
p5
Legal highs are not hard to find
By Danny Lockwood and David Miller THE FACE of Dewsbury town centre is evolving – but more than a third of properties are still vacant.
A Press survey this week found 84 empty and 192 occupied premises and only two businesses left in The Arcade. Formerly the ‘jewel’ of the town centre, 16 of its once sought-after units stand empty and forlorn. Blackburn-based property firm the Adhan Group have a picture of The Arcade bustling with shoppers on their website. It boasts of offering “flexible” leases for rent and gives details of other town centre premises they own. A spokesman for the company said they had no-one available to comment on Dewsbury. But Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dewsbury East) revealed talks are ongoing about the building’s future. He said: “A Victorian arcade such as this in any other town would be seen as an extremely attractive proposition. “We’re aware of issues to do with
SPACE TO FILL: The Arcade in central Dewsbury is still largely empty rent and rateable value. Our negotiations are continuing.” Coun Kane added an idea might see units made available to Kirklees College students for business startups. Meanwhile, Pioneer House, despite a multi-million pound council investment, still has 10 ground-floor retail units boarded up.
The former Bailey’s Cafe was sold recently at auction in Leeds for £95,000, but there is no news of plans for the property. Westgate, the Princess of Wales Precinct and South Street, by the bus station, buck the trend. WHSmith’s, Boots, Argos, New Look, Peacocks have all stayed and
Continues on page two
A PROBE was launched after a Press investigation revealed ‘legal high’ drugs are on sale in Dewsbury town centre. The Big Discount Store, housed in the former McDonalds premises on Church Street, was found to have alkyl nitrate ‘Liquid Gold’ readily available on the front counter. Coun Paul Kane promised an investigation after being told yesterday (Thurs) of our findings. The former regeneration board chairman (Lab, Dewbury East) said: “I will be talking to our compliance officers within the hour.” The party drug, known colloquially as poppers, is often sold as a ‘room odouriser’ – as it is at the Big Discount Store. Chamber of Trade president Trish Makepeace was shocked when told by The Press and asked: “Do the police know?” She added: “It’s certainly not what we want. Dewsbury’s had enough bad publicity as it is.” Details confirmed by The Press originally came after a tip from a shopper. The source said: “The store, which is frequented by children, is openly displaying poppers. “These are on open display on the counter. This stuff may be legal, but the shop owners have a moral responsibility to remove this stuff from sale.” The Press was unable to reach the owners for comment.