City council leader's warning to Debenhams owners

The leader of Nottingham City Council has called on the owners of a landmark building "to take their responsibilities seriously" as measures to secure the site are set to be extended.

A closure order on the former Debenhams building in Long Row is now expected to be extended past 20 November, after one was first issued by magistrates in December 2025.

The department store closed in May 2021, and has been prone to break-ins by youths and so-called urban explorers, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Neghat Khan said: "Nottingham deserves better than an empty, unsafe building at the heart of its city centre."

Longmead Capital, which manages the building on behalf of Long Row Properties, said it had invested in security at the site and would continue to work with the council and police.

The latest incident at the building happened on 2 November when two boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested after bricks were thrown from the roof.

Long Row Properties, based in Jersey, first acquired the building back in 2017, and it is now managed on their behalf by Longmead Capital.

The LDRS said Long Row Properties had been approached for comment.

Khan issued her message to the owners of Debenhams at a full council meeting on Monday.

"It is a privately-owned building," she said.

"The responsibility to secure it rests first and foremost with its owner. The council has taken action, working with Nottinghamshire Police. We have secured a closure order in December 2025, that order has been extended several times and currently runs until November 20.

"I can assure everyone it will be extended. We have also supported police investigations through our CCTV, and the Norfolk Place alleyway has been closed as an access route.

"Longmead Capital has told us it has introduced 24-hour security patrols, upgraded CCTV and additional measures to prevent access.

"But I want to make this point very clearly: It is not acceptable for a landmark building in the heart of Nottingham to remain derelict indefinitely.

"Long Row Properties and Longmead Capital must take their responsibilities seriously. We will continue to press them to secure the building properly and bring forward a credible plan for its future.

"If they are unwilling or unable to develop it, then they should do the right thing and sell it to someone who can. I am willing to meet them to discuss how we move this forward.

"Nottingham deserves better than an empty, unsafe building at the heart of its city centre."

The closure order means anyone entering the empty property is deemed to be committing a serious offence and will likely face prosecution and a significant fine.

It is understood some trespassers may be accessing the building via the roof of neighbouring properties.

A spokesperson for Longmead Capital said: "We welcome the council leader's offer to meet and will be in touch to arrange this.

"We share the ambition to see this important listed building brought back into use, and we continue to actively explore options for its future, including redevelopment for a mix of uses.

"We're grateful for the support of the council and Nottinghamshire Police, including the closure order. Alongside the significant investment we've made in security at the site, we'll continue to work closely with them.

"As people have been reaching the roof from adjoining buildings, we've also called for a meeting with neighbouring owners and occupiers so we can tackle this together."

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