Partial street closure blamed for footfall decline

A letting agent has said it has become almost impossible to let empty shops on a street in Derby after one end was closed off for building works.

Albion Street was previously a busy thoroughfare leading to an entrance to the Derbion shopping centre, but the entrance was closed in November 2025 to allow for work to build a new Primark store.

Oliver Marshall, from Cited Property, said a number of his tenants had moved out after what he described as a "catastrophic" drop in footfall, adding that he is struggling to find new tenants.

Derbion has apologised for the disruption caused by the works.

Sam Stone, the owner of Critical Hit, which sells collectables including trading cards, said: "We've lost our footfall completely so we're not really gaining many new customers except for more people we reach on social media and online.

"If anybody does know Derby, this walkway has always been the main walkway for anybody coming from the Market Hall, bus station or council building direction."

Another shop manager, who did not want to be named, said her footfall had dropped significantly and it was only the anticipation of Primark opening, planned for 2027, that made staying open worthwhile.

Marshall said recent electrical work on the street, which resulted in paving stones being lifted, also deterred potential new traders.

"It's not an attractive proposition for a retailer to take a unit here, so then the landlord is left bearing the cost of business rates," he said.

"There's no doubt that the Primark will be a massive boost and I think everyone can see the positives that it will bring, but at the same time, in the next two years you could end up losing every single tenant on this street."

A Derbion spokesperson said: "We understand that some retailers and shoppers have been impacted by the closure of the entrance to Derbion on Albion Street, and we apologise for the disruption caused.

"The temporary closure is a required step to safely prepare for the arrival of Primark, and we'd like to thank retailers and shoppers for their patience as work progresses.

"While the work is under way, the next closest entrance to the centre is on East Street, which remains open as usual.

"We will continue to work with Derby City Council and the local BIDs [business improvement districts] to keep shoppers and the community updated as the work progresses."

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said the authority had "no control over the decision to close the Albion Street entrance to the Derbion".

They added: "We are absolutely committed to building a vibrant Derby to be proud of and we are actively driving footfall into the city centre through a packed calendar of major events where we recently celebrated the 50:50 celebrations.

"Our Vacant to Vibrant project is specifically designed to support small businesses by providing crucial grant funding for the reactivation of empty units in the city centre, which is also helping small businesses to grow."

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