I personally work across the road to this interesting building and see it on a daily basis. I wish someone would purchase it and bring it back to life, as the building itself looks solid. Currently a house for pigeons, It could be made to look rather nice, as either flats or another department store. (Come on John Lewis!!)
Delving into the history books, the actual company has a far greater history that precedes this particular site.
The original store was established in Hull's Market Place in 1840 and expanded to both sides of the street. It was re-fronted in 1910, but during World War I it was bombed by a Zeppelin and the building was completely destroyed.
The original store on Market Place / South Church Street Corner
A new store was constructed on Bond Street in the 1920's, but not in the place you see now. It was built on the corner of Bond Street and Albion Street and was bombed during the II World War.
The store we see today was constructed around 1952 and remained open until 1978. Revived during the 1990's as an Amusement Arcade called "2 The Point" and then Evolution Nightclub.
In its hayday
Closure in 1978
August 3rd 2016
August 3rd 2016
Evolution club nights had such DJ appearance by the legendary Carl Cox and also held "Dreamscape 5" on the 18th December 1992 - check out this review of the night here. Playing mostly Rave and Acid House it was closed down due to numerous drug busts as have been closed ever since.
Hollybrook Ltd who previous owned the store did submit plans to build apartments and parking spaces but it never came to be. It was then put on the market in 2010 to the tune of £1.5 million (OMG!!) In February of 2015, Hull City Council issued a legal notice, asking the current owners (Alpha Properties) to carry out repairs but we have yet to establish if any were done. It is currently being advertised by Garness Jones for £1 Million.
Recent speculation has implied they could be an Ice Arena built on the site and an Olympic sized swimming pool, however the latest news is that they are revisiting plans to use the site for accommodation for the up coming 2017 City of Culture.
Photos courtesy of Hull Daily Mail, & L. Abel
The Hull City Council, informed owners of abandoned/empty buildings, that as there was a new government policy that if they didn't do anything to them, such as refurbish them or put them back on the market, before a set date, that buildings would be taken of them and so the owners of Edwin Davis store on Bond Street, put it back on the market!
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