12-04-2025
Businesses delighted as high street reopens after devastating fire
Business owners in Dorchester are hoping trade will get back to normal in time for Easter after South Street was reopened following a devastating fire.
Part of the street opened up yesterday afternoon - and shop owners and councillors celebrated the revival of the part of the high street.
Part of the street has been boarded up since last December after a fire at the Gorge Café.
While work is still ongoing to clear and stabilise the site, a walkway now safely reconnects both sides of the street. Shoppers can now also get to South Street via Hardye Arcade, with Scrivens, Specsavers, and Amplifon now accessible.
The building owner's private contractors (Jordan and Faber Ltd) will continue works within the new cordon boundaries.
Dorset Council said its Building Control Team will continue to closely monitor progress, and the authority will provide updates 'when appropriate'.
(Image: Dorchester Town Council)
(Image: Dorchester Town Council)
As the walkway opened in time for the influx of tourists for the holidays, traders said they were hoping to return to normal after what has been a very difficult winter for businesses.
Jana Pahlow, who owns Simply Stylish in Hardye Arcade, said: 'I was there (Friday) and I was part of the reopening. They opened it up around 2.30pm and people have gone back to walking up and down the walkway.'
(Image: Alfie Lumb)
Mrs Pahlow said most businesses in the arcade have been affected by the decline in people walking in the area, which majorly helps with profits.
She said: "We lost all our footfall. People would just have to walk the other way. It has had a huge impact on our business. We know it has affected us and we're now hoping to get back to normal.'
As previously reported, the Gorge café was devasted by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday December 9, partially destroying the building and seriously affecting surrounding properties.
(Image: Chloe Boden)
The café was a much loved by locals and was deep rooted in Dorchester history, as the place where Thomas Hardy trained as an architect.
The building was made secure in February after contractors were assigned to start the big clean up job after being assessed by Dorset Council's Building Control Team.
David James, owner of Wise Owl Toys in the Hardye Arcade, in response to the reopening said: 'We are very pleased, it's been four months since it happened and hopefully now we will see a lot more visitors.
(Image: Alfie Lumb)
As a toy shop, Mr James said South Street opening by Easter has been fantastic news, as it's a business that greatly profits from passing trade.
He said: 'Being a toy shop it is always good to find new customers who don't come from the town.
'[The closure] didn't help but we were very fortunate that we have been here a long time so locals knew we were here. But we do rely on passing trade as well. It wasn't quite the same.'
Cllr Richard Biggs, representing Dorchester Poundbury, said: 'It wasn't open first thing. But it's fantastic news and long awaited. The high street has been struggling with traders burdened with national insurance [increases]. So, it's really welcome news.
'Everyone is really concerned and worried and the bid is there to support them directly and anything Dorset Council can do is on the small business part of the website. We need to pull together and use our little shops.'
Cllr Andy Canning, from the West Dorchester ward, agreed that local shops need more support than ever before.
He said: 'The important thing is to get the people who live in Dorchester rally round and support our shops as they were badly hit by no fault of their own. And residents of the town benefit by rediscovering the local stores.'
