Chester Civic Trust presents Okells Hoole with the 2025 Judges Special Award

The Chester Civic Trust has presented its Judges Special Award 2025 to Okells Hoole, for their work restoring and bringing to life the former Co-op building in Walker Street.

The awards which this year celebrate the Chester Civic Trust’s 65th year, recognise the best changes to the Chester property and civic scene and encourage higher standards of design and maintenance in Chester’s public realm.

The Co-op in Walker Street opened in 1906 and included a grocer and butcher together with a shoe and clothing store on the upper floor. Latterly it became a convenience store and also accommodated Co-op Funeralcare. The store closed in July 2017 ending 110 years of the Co-op on this site. The empty building started to become dilapidated and run down. 

The judges said:

“It is great to see that Okells has refurbished the building to provide a new shop selling plants, homeware and gifts together with a café. This is a really good addition to the vibrant Hoole local shopping quarter.”

George Okell, Okells Director added:

“We're really pleased to have received the Civic Trust award and we’re grateful to everyone who put their hard work into this renovation. With the building always having been there to serve the community around it, we wanted to do just that, bringing it back into use by offering our mix of home, garden and gift products along with fresh food and drink in a neighbourhood cafe. Having worked on the space over nearly two years, it’s amazing to see it being used and we look forward to seeing it evolve.”

More information about Okells Hoole at: 

https://okellsgardencentre.co.uk/

The Civic Trust is a registered charity set up to promote high standards of architecture in Chester, as well as helping to secure the preservation and protection of features of historic or public interest in the City of Chester.

Chester Civic Trust’s annual Good, Bad and Ugly Awards are based on nominations members and aim to recognise the best changes to the Chester property and civic scene in the past year, encouraging higher standards of design and maintenance in Chester’s public realm.

The panel of Judges were Peter Hadfield (Chair), Chloe Sheward, Paul Fielding, Steve Wright, and Philip Harrison.

The inaugural meeting of Chester Civic Trust was held on the 7th January 1960 in the Blossoms Hotel. A group of concerned local residents had held a series of informal meetings during 1959 to discuss the major changes that were proposed for Chester. These included the construction of the Inner Ring Road, the demolition of the 1862 Market Hall, the development of the Grosvenor Precinct and the disrepair of many historic buildings in Lower Bridge Street and King Street.

Over the ensuing 65 years, the Trust has continued to be an influential voice in Chester with over 300 individual members and 21 corporate sponsors lobbying for high standards of design in new developments, the protection of both the natural and built environment and the preservation and sympathetic re-use of historic buildings.

Pictured - Christine Russell Chair of Chester Civic Trust presents their Judges Award for 2025 to Okells Hoole. L to R: Fern Thomas, Operations, Mabli, Front of House, Christine Russell, Chair of Chester Civic Trust, Jordan, Retail Assistant and George Okell, General Manager at Okells Hoole.