Sheffield Retro: Cambridge Street then-and-now showing how Heart of the City development has changed the town

Alastair Ulke
·3-min read
Side by side showing the corner of Wellington Street and Cambridge Street. Left is it currently empty in present day and right is Henry's Cafe Restaurant in 1999.
Side by side showing the corner of Wellington Street and Cambridge Street. Left is it currently empty in present day and right is Henry's Cafe Restaurant in 1999.

Now many of the hoardings have come down, Cambridge Street and the £480m Heart of the City development have begun to truly take shape.

Newcomers to Sheffield might see the pedestrianised routes, the ceiling-to-floor glass-fronted shops, and the many new high-rise buildings - and not think of the journey it's taken to get here.

But not so long ago, Cambridge Street was home to a completely different set of shops, cafes and brutalist concrete buildings - nearly all of which were cleared away in 2017.

Side by side of the shop on the corner of Cambridge Street and Pinstone Street. Left is in 2005, right is during its ongoing redevelopment in 2023.
Side by side of the shop on the corner of Cambridge Street and Pinstone Street. Left is in 2005, right is during its ongoing redevelopment in 2023.

Even as the area is now home to the HSBC building, Marmaduke's, and newcomer Sostrene Green - and even as fancy new hotels, food halls and live music venues are only a year from completion - it's shocking to look back at old photos of Cambridge Street and see how far it's come.

Below, The Star has delved into its archives for photos of Cambridge Street in its heydey, before the bulldozers arrived.

To help bring them to life, we've done our best to take fresh photos while standing in the same spot as the old ones so they can truly be appreciated side by side.

Keep an eye out for long-gone businesses like Pepe's, Chubby's, Grosvenor House Hotel, and - yes - even the lights still on at Cole Brothers.

The corner of Pinstone Street and Cambridge Street in 2005. While the TY banner on the right may be the most time indicative proof of the era, this image was between developments before it opened as a MoneyStore, which also closed in 2008. In around 2011 it opened as a framing shop before that shut in 2017 for Heart of the City.
The corner of Pinstone Street and Cambridge Street in 2005. While the TY banner on the right may be the most time indicative proof of the era, this image was between developments before it opened as a MoneyStore, which also closed in 2008. In around 2011 it opened as a framing shop before that shut in 2017 for Heart of the City.

Keep these in mind as new projects like Leah's Yard, the Cambridge Street Collective and the Radisson Blu Hotel approach their completion date and think on how much Sheffield has changed in the past 20 years.

Corner of Pinstone Street and Cambridge Street. The renovations will bring it back into use for the first time in over seven years.
Corner of Pinstone Street and Cambridge Street. The renovations will bring it back into use for the first time in over seven years.
A side by side of the view up Cambridge Street; left is modern day, and right is December 2000 with a is a glimpse of the former shop row of shops, which was demolished for renovated for the HSBC building and new shops.
A side by side of the view up Cambridge Street; left is modern day, and right is December 2000 with a is a glimpse of the former shop row of shops, which was demolished for renovated for the HSBC building and new shops.
The old Cambridge Street shops in 2001. The shops were demolished in 2016, but stores seen here include Pepe's and Adecco.
The old Cambridge Street shops in 2001. The shops were demolished in 2016, but stores seen here include Pepe's and Adecco.
The pedestrianised Cambridge Street in 2023, where the shops were demolished to make way for the HSBC building and the new row of shops there now.
The pedestrianised Cambridge Street in 2023, where the shops were demolished to make way for the HSBC building and the new row of shops there now.
Corner of Wellington Street and Cambridge Street in September 2023. It is currently empty but is one of the visibly completed pieces of the Heart of the City development.
Corner of Wellington Street and Cambridge Street in September 2023. It is currently empty but is one of the visibly completed pieces of the Heart of the City development.
Henry's Cafe Bar in 2005. The popular Sheffield diner closed in 2015.
Henry's Cafe Bar in 2005. The popular Sheffield diner closed in 2015.
Cambridge Street, 2001. Visible is the former The Sportsman pub, Chubbys takeaway, and even 'taps' department of Cole Brothers, which was separate from the main building nearby. Towering in the back is the Grosvenor House Hotel.
Cambridge Street, 2001. Visible is the former The Sportsman pub, Chubbys takeaway, and even 'taps' department of Cole Brothers, which was separate from the main building nearby. Towering in the back is the Grosvenor House Hotel.
View of renovations in Cambridge Street, 2023. Plans include to create the Cambridge Street Collective, revamping the old shop fronts into a food hall .
View of renovations in Cambridge Street, 2023. Plans include to create the Cambridge Street Collective, revamping the old shop fronts into a food hall .
Cambridge Street, 2001, showing the Cole Brothers department store in full strength and Henry's Cafe Bar on the left.
Cambridge Street, 2001, showing the Cole Brothers department store in full strength and Henry's Cafe Bar on the left.
Cambridge Street, 2023, when both Cole Brothers and Henry's Cafe Bar are both gone - but plans are in place to bring them back into use.
Cambridge Street, 2023, when both Cole Brothers and Henry's Cafe Bar are both gone - but plans are in place to bring them back into use.
Cambridge Street in 2001, with the lights still on in Cole Brothers and ASK Italian to the right.
Cambridge Street in 2001, with the lights still on in Cole Brothers and ASK Italian to the right.
Cambridge Street in 2023, with ASK Italian still there - but Cole Brothers/John Lewis long gone.
Cambridge Street in 2023, with ASK Italian still there - but Cole Brothers/John Lewis long gone.