Stormont to fund purchase of Austins building

A former department store in Londonderry that traded for more than 180 years before its closure is to be bought and redeveloped with more than £1m of government funding.

Austins closed in 2016 after going into liquidation.

The business began in 1830 when Thomas Austin came to Derry, opening a drapery shop in the corner of the Diamond.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said a grant of £1.2m from his department would allow Derry's Inner City Trust to complete the purchase of the building.

"The investment of £1.2m is the first step in the regeneration of this iconic building located at the heart of the Historic Conservation Area," Lyons said.

The future of the 188-year-old building has been the focus of much debate since its closure.

In November 2014 the listed building was sold to the City Hotel Group. The receiver then sold the trading side of the business.

More than 50 workers lost their jobs when it closed in 2016.

In 2023 a taskforce was set up by Derry City and Strabane District Council to work with the owners to safeguard the buildings future.

The Inner City Trust works to inject commercial and social life into Derry's city centre.

Rev Robert Miller, chair of the trust, said the funding announcement marked a significant step forward in the rescue and revitalisation of one of the city's most iconic buildings.

"This restoration will not only breathe new life into an important historic building but will also strengthen the Department for Communities' Public Realm Scheme and the transformative ambitions of the Derry City and Strabane District Council's City Deal," he said.

"It sends a clear message of confidence to other investors that our city is a place of progress, innovation and opportunity."

Derry's built heritage, the trust chair said, was "a cornerstone of our identity".

SDLP councillor John Boyle, a member of the council's taskforce, said: "It will be an enormous undertaking to breathe life back into the Austin's building, but I am confident that the Inner City Trust, with their track record, are well placed to take the next steps to achieve that goal."

Former BBC Radio Ulster presenter Wendy Austin told Evening Extra that her family were "lucky enough to build the beautiful old building".

"It's a bit like one of those expensive watches, you don't really own them just a curator for the next generation perhaps."

Alongside the rest of her family, she said she "could not have been more delighted" with the news of the investment.

"The worry was something really awful would happen to it," she said.

"It dominates the Diamond.. and it will contribute to bringing that part of Derry up which will be super."

Foyle assembly member Gary Middleton said the investment represented a "significant step towards restoring the vibrancy of the city centre".

"This will not only restore a crucial piece of Londonderry's heritage but also provide a tangible opportunity for further investment in the area", he added.