Council targets Rugby Central buyout to unlock town’s transformation

A report to Monday’s (1 December) meeting of cabinet details the council’s work to date this year to bring forward empty and derelict sites within the town centre.

The council has engaged with the owners of the Rugby Central shopping centre to either acquire the centre outright, work as part of a joint venture or to use its new rental auction powers and compulsory purchase procedures to address the decline in the town’s shopping centre.

The council has also worked with the owners of the Brotherhood House site to come to an agreement to bring the site forward – more than a decade after it has been closed.

The Brotherhood House site forms part of a proposed Cultural Quarter and could be redeveloped into a creative hub and activity space, repurposing a derelict building and revitalising the surrounding area. 

Cllr Michael Moran, Leader of Rugby Borough Council, said: “The pace of work on the town centre’s regeneration has ramped up considerably since we took over the council last summer, and now, working cross party with the Liberal Democrats, that hard work is starting to pay off.”

“We have to do something with Rugby Central, we cannot stand by and watch it continue to decline in front of our eyes. We have investment partners to work with to bring about much needed change to this centre for the long-term benefit of the town – including new retailers, an NHS hub in the former Wilkos unit and demolition of the empty Northway Mall to transform that end of town.

“Our focus on the town centre is first about removing the empty buildings and then it’s about giving Rugby a chance to thrive again with new attractions;  all that means we will have to make big decisions on key development sites that will unlock the town’s potential. 

“We are ambitious about transforming the town centre and boosting footfall, and that requires us to take control of the strategic sites such as the Rugby Central shopping centre so that we can unlock the site and bring in partners to deliver the investment that it needs.”

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, said: “It is time to take back control of some of the most important shopping space within the town centre. The current owners who have no interest in Rugby or in developing this site and are running it into the ground. They have had planning permission for years for the northern section but have chosen to do nothing with it.

“We have served notices to start using the High Street Auctions process within Rugby Central to get it occupied again. Ultimately, if the owners do not wish to work with us, we will initiate a compulsory purchase of the site in order to unlock the site and let Rugby take back control.”

The report also shows progress on the High Street Rental Auctions scheme, which lets the council auction leases for long-term empty shops. Rugby Borough Council was one of the first in the country to use these new powers, and they have already helped bring several empty units back into use.

Town centre events such as the Love Rugby Festival, outdoor cinema and the town centre beach have helped increase footfall by ten per cent. The council has also given major financial support of £150,000 to events, including Bikefest, Diwali and the Spring Food and Drink Festival. The events offered for Christmas include Christmas markets, the Fire and Ice light display and a lantern procession.

Other work has focused on making the town centre look better and feel more welcoming in order to make the town an inviting place to visit. These include new entrances and lighting at Caldecott Park, refurbished lamp posts, updated information boards, and a planned refresh of the area around of St Andrew’s Church, which should be finished in Spring 2026.  Further works are also planned to provide upgraded benches and floral arrangements in time for the summer.

Support for the town centre has also included a business rates relief scheme to help retail and hospitality businesses during the government’s changes at a national level and a shop front design policy that has already improved shop fronts. A second phase of council backed grants to assist business and landlords to make improvements will follow soon.

Cllr Moran said: “Our work to support the town centre is about fixing areas that put people off visiting and increasing footfall, so that businesses have the best chance to succeed. We cannot work miracles but Rugby deserves an awful lot better than this. 

“I am pleased that we can now share more about the work happening behind the scenes to prepare for the next phase of redevelopment, to demonstrate our commitment and pride in the town and to secure further investment, so we can do more. 

“In the meantime, I want to continue working with the existing businesses in the town as well as make changes that help create a more pleasant place for people to visit and spend time.”

To view the report to cabinet see https://www.rugby.gov.uk/l/60878724 or for more information on town centre regeneration visit https://www.rugby.gov.uk/town-centre-regeneration1.