Skateboarders are giving new life to a massive abandoned department store.
The ground floor of the 1957-opened building that used to house Debenhams in Bristol, southwest England, has been transformed — albeit only temporarily — into Shredenhams, an indoor skate park and creative hub.
Long-forgotten shelving units, timbers and a whole host of other materials that were abandoned and destined for the trash have been rescued and repurposed.
“The bottom half of the old escalators got turned into quarter pipes,” Tim Noakes, of the not-for-profit Campus Skateparks, which is running the venue, told HuffPost. “It’s probably the best metaphor for this whole project — taking something built for consumerism and turning it into something playful and expressive.”
The Shredenhams skate park in Bristol, England.
Tom Sparey
The store closed its doors in May 2021 after Debenhams entered administration, a process similar to going into Chapter 11 in the U.S.
It lay empty as controversial plans to raze and replace the building with a 28-story tower block — including 500 apartments and business premises — moved forward. Those were approved in April 2024.
Campus was approached by the developer soon after with the idea of filling the space with a so-called “meanwhile use” project, to keep it in use until the demolition crews move in, Noakes explained.
“The landlord would have been under significant pressure to have the space occupied and open to the community. … So the relationship worked on both sides,” Noakes said. “We got the chance to bring our vision to the high street, and they got an active, community-focused use for a space that might’ve otherwise sat dormant. It became a proper partnership.”
Work began in December last year. The building, untouched since its closure, was a cold, dark shell without water, electricity or heating. “Honestly, to say it was worse than a car park is an understatement. At least car parks have lighting,” Noakes recalled.
Campus’ small crew in just six weeks transformed what was “a blank concrete box full of leftover retail fittings and dust” into “something full of energy, life and movement,” reusing whatever they found in the abandoned building, saving money while also retaining elements of the store and the city’s history.
“Recycling wasn’t just a cost-saver — it became part of the design language. Everything has a story,” he said.
The Bristol branch of Debenhams after the chain was placed into administration.
Ben Birchall – PA Images via Getty Images
Campus’ previous projects in the city, at a swimming pool and youth center, were tucked away. Shredenhams, in stark contrast, is in the city center. Pingpong, football and pool tables, pinball machines and a café bar make it the most socially integrated space they’ve created, said Noakes.
June’s launch event drew 300 skaters and was “absolutely wild,” he recalled. “It felt like we’d cracked the code,