Ambitious plans to develop a hotel at the site of a former department store are still in motion.

City architect Nick Carroll said it is still in the pre-planning stage but they were still going ahead with the transformation of the former Debenhams.

The former department store at 67-71 High Street was set to become a food hall but it fell through before Nick Carroll Architects revealed plans for an exciting new hotel project in February 2024.

In a statement in February, Nick Carroll Architects - who represent the building's freeholders - said: "We are pleased to announce that we have been instructed to submit ambitious plans for a hotel on the upper levels of 67/71 High Street, Worcester, which will also explore the options of extending the existing building upward.

"We are excited to be progressing the transformation of this iconic city centre building which we firmly believe will support and regenerate the vitality of this core location.

"We are aware that commercial occupiers are being sort for the ground and basement floors with marketing materials to be circulated shortly."

An artist's impression provided by the architecture firm shows the potential for the building's exterior to be transformed with a gold/yellow façade and an upwards extension.

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However, signs for the building's previous project, Artisan Food Hall, are still on the building's ground floor level.

There is still old signage for the Artisan Food Hall, a project which fell through by the start of 2024.There is still old signage for the Artisan Food Hall, a project which fell through by the start of 2024. (Image: Newsquest)

The site's original occupier, Debenhams, shut its doors in 2021 and plans for the food hall were released by April 2021 with a view to a grand opening in spring 2022.

Work had begun inside the building but by January 2024, official County Enforcement notices had appeared outside the site instructing its tenants, a company called BLOC71 Limited who were formerly known as Artisan Food Hall Worcester Limited, to remove all assets from the building.

One notice read: "Pursuant to clause 32 of your lease dated February 23, 2021, we as authorised agents of the landlord have this day re-entered the premises demised by the said lease and the said lease is thereby determined absolutely.

"Proceedings civil and/or criminal will be taken against any party who has entered or attempts to enter the premises without our prior consent in writing."

Nick Carroll Architects confirmed in February this year that a pre-planning application for the site's new hotel plans was "in-motion".