Remember the Hammonds of Hull Building? Here's the Amazing Thing Happening Inside

Ever walk past a huge, old empty shop and wonder what on earth is going to happen to it? You know the ones. They’re landmarks, places our parents and grandparents shopped, but now they just sit there, quiet. That was the story for the iconic Hammonds of Hull building after House of Fraser closed its doors. It left a proper big hole in the city.

But, something really brilliant has been going on inside, and it’s a top story about bringing old places back to life, creating a load of jobs, and what happens when a local company gets a bit of a helping hand from the Hull City Council. This isn't just about one building; it’s about a spark of economic renewal for Hull.

What's the big idea?

So, let's rewind a bit. Back in November 2021, the government gave Hull a pot of cash – £19.5 million, to be exact. This government funding was for 'levelling up,' which is just a way of saying it’s to help make the city centre better, support businesses, and get things moving again. A big part of that was a plan for regeneration works to tackle all the empty shops and offices we see.

The council had a smart idea. They took some of that money and created a grant scheme. The mission was simple: find businesses that could take over these vacant buildings, or even just empty floors, and turn them into something useful that would create jobs for people in Hull. This is where ResQ comes in. They’re an outsourcing solutions business (basically, they’re the friendly and professional people other big companies hire to handle their customer service). They had big plans for an expansion project and the grant award was exactly what they needed.

A famous building gets a second chance

ResQ moved into the enormous Hammonds of Hull building back in August 2021. It’s a proper heritage building, steeped in local history. But, as you can imagine, a building that size needed a lot of work to get it up to scratch for a modern business. They knew what they wanted to do, but big projects need big money.

Nic Marshall, the executive chairman of ResQ, put it like this:

“We moved into Hammonds of Hull, an iconic building in the city centre, in August 2021 and straight away recognised that a lot of work was needed to bring it up to standard. We had an idea of how we wanted to do that, however we had a slight shortfall in our own capital to make it happen at the pace we would have liked. The council’s grant scheme was there, so we put our case forward and thankfully we were successful. Without the council’s grant, we wouldn’t have been able to progress as quickly as we have in recent years.”

And thank goodness they were successful. In spring 2023, the Hull City Council awarded ResQ a massive £750,000 grant. This money was the key to unlocking a much bigger £3 million investment from ResQ themselves. It was the boost they needed to get the ball rolling, and fast. This is the kind of progress you want to see, a perfect example of how a grant award can kickstart something amazing.

From empty floors to hundreds of jobs

So, what did they do with the cash? They got straight to work on a massive refurbishment of the second floor. We're talking a complete makeover: new offices, reception areas, walls, doors, and even high-tech stuff like fob-controlled entry. Plus all the essential plumbing and heating to make it a comfy place to work. The initial plan was to create up to 300 jobs and bring over 3,200 square metres of empty space back to life.

But the story gets even better. The ResQ progress didn’t just meet expectations; it smashed them. They didn't stop at the second floor. Gill Marchbank, the CEO at ResQ, said:

“We’re now onto the third and fourth floors, with the fourth floor being a full training area and a mezzanine for staff to take their lunch and breaks. We’ve employed around 600 new people at ResQ since receiving the grant funding from the council. We’ve been able to implement careers training as well, meaning career progression is now an option for our staff and our turnover rate is much lower compared to others in our sector.”

Did you catch that? Six hundred new jobs! That's double what they first hoped for. And it's not just about the numbers. They've created proper careers, with training and chances for people to move up. It’s no wonder their staff are sticking around. It shows what can happen when private investment is supported by the public sector.

The ripple effect on Hull

This isn't just a win for ResQ and its new employees. It's a huge win for the whole of Hull. When the massive House of Fraser store closed, it was a blow for the city centre. But now, thanks to this project, hundreds more people are coming into town every day, grabbing a coffee, buying their lunch, and doing a bit of shopping after work. It all helps the local economy tick over.

Cllr Paul Drake-Davis from the council, who looks after economic renewal, summed it up perfectly:

“ResQ is a fantastic example of the potential which this grant scheme can unlock. When House of Fraser vacated the Hammonds of Hull building, it left the city centre with a huge void to fill. ResQ’s investment has created hundreds of jobs and had a secondary impact on the city centre with additional footfall, boosting the economy.”

And ResQ is just one part of a bigger picture of successful regeneration works. Check out what the council's grant scheme has achieved in total:

• Over £8 million given in grants
• Sparked around £13 million in private investment
• Created almost 900 new jobs
• Brought over 18,000 square metres of vacant buildings back into use
• Restored 19 run-down buildings, 14 of which were heritage sites

So, what does this all mean?

This whole story, which we heard about on 16 July 2025 from a council media officer, is more than just numbers on a page. It's about seeing a beloved building buzzing with life again. It's a real-world example of how a plan from the Hull City Council can lead to real, positive change.

This isn't some corporate story you'd find next to some boring company clipart; it's about real people getting real jobs in a city that's getting a new lease of life. It’s a positive news story you definitely wouldn’t want to unsubscribe from, proving what’s possible when a council and businesses team up. It's a brilliant chapter in the ongoing story of the Hammonds of Hull building and a massive step forward for the city.