Skip to content 
The Grafton Center is to be partially demolished to make way for offices and laboratory space
A Cambridge street that once led to one of the city’s shopping destinations has been branded “depressing” as businesses await redevelopment plans. A petition was started by a lifelong Cambridge resident after he took a walk down Fitzroy Street and was shocked by what the city had become.
Wayne Nightingale asked Cambridge City Council for a full review of transport, planning and major developments in the city and for residents to have more of a say. Shoppers and traders on the high street agreed it has changed – with many shops waiting for the Grafton regeneration scheme to complete.
Margie Anderson said the street had changed massively when she first came to Cambridge in 1976, before the Grafton Center even opened.
The 75-year-old said: “It just feels depressing – there are no shops, look at it. People buy online now – I don’t want to be the type that goes, let’s go back, I don’t think there’s any way you can bring high streets back like that.”
Plans to transform the Grafton Center were approved in 2024, but the first phase is not expected to be completed until 2029, as reported by the BBC. The shopping centre, which used to house a Debenhams, cinema and Mothercare, is being partly demolished to make way for laboratory space, offices and a new hotel.
Lovemore Gonese, who works at Aromi, said businesses in the area are “just waiting” for the renovation to be completed.
Be the first to hear the latest news, exclusives and must-read content across Cambridgeshire by making us a preferred source on Google by clicking here and ticking the box.
The 24-year-old said: “It’s been a few years now and sales for us are a lot lower than they were. Everyone is just kind of waiting for the construction to finish and the businesses are doing what they can, especially in the winter months.
“I think [the redevelopment] will help but I haven’t seen what other places have done. We are better than other businesses because we are very popular in the area, but I dread to think about their finances.
Sonny Lawson said that the renovation “affects everything” in the area, which no longer sees the same footfall as before.
The 45-year-old said: “It’s not like it used to be – this place is quieter at the moment, it used to be quite busy, but people don’t come here anymore. They should have more things to attract people to the shops, things like education and that – Cambridge is more known for the university, so we need more students to come.
John O’Shea, the center manager, said: “Abbeygate House has been demolished, and the project team has been working this year to strengthen the designs to ensure the final development is as flexible and sustainable as possible.
