1. The History
Located in the Kelham Island district of Sheffield, the City Centre Clutch were a former car repair centre. They started trading circa 2001, offering clutch and brake work, MOT tests and other general automobile services. The site had previously housed industrial properties since Victorian times, with an old O/S Map dating back to 1850 showing a steel and iron wire factory called Pilot Works to be incumbent at the location. Over the coming years, sections were added and removed from the works in the first half of the 1900s. Today, a small section that dates back to 1890 is still incumbent to the south of the complex.
The building was also co-utilized by other businesses, including as Shed Shed Shed, a double-glazing showroom located upstairs and for general storage. When Shed Shed Shed vacated the premises in 2010, the clutch centre took over the space and continued operating until their closure in 2022. The garage was well regarded by its customers and boasted a Google Star rating of four-and-a-half out of five.
With land adjacent already developed, it was only a matter of time before this site was vacated and sold, in preparation for demolition and redevelopment. Last year, plans to demolish the existing buildings and build two tower blocks (one of five storeys and one of seven storeys and containing 118 homes in total) were at the consideration stage. These plans, as of February 2025, have now been approved despite a number of objections from local residents over the issue of “loss of light”. Hence demolition work is expected to start later in the year.
2. The Explore
Explored this place back in Autumn last year. It was nothing special but was going to do a report then @tarkovsky posted his excellent report (see HERE) so put it on the back-burner. Given the lack of subsequent reports and impending demolition, thought I’d get my act together. The place is relatively underwhelming, but there has been little in the way of industrial stuff to explore in Sheffield. Entry was easy and it meant for a relaxed explore.
3. The Photographs
Nothing too pretty from the outside:
The cluttered former yard:
Upstairs in the old bit is pretty underwhelming:
Empty factory space:
And on to the main part of the garage:
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The main space at the north of the site was a bit surreal. It has clearly been used for the storage of various household fittings:
Including lighting:
That’s pretty much it from here:
Located in the Kelham Island district of Sheffield, the City Centre Clutch were a former car repair centre. They started trading circa 2001, offering clutch and brake work, MOT tests and other general automobile services. The site had previously housed industrial properties since Victorian times, with an old O/S Map dating back to 1850 showing a steel and iron wire factory called Pilot Works to be incumbent at the location. Over the coming years, sections were added and removed from the works in the first half of the 1900s. Today, a small section that dates back to 1890 is still incumbent to the south of the complex.
The building was also co-utilized by other businesses, including as Shed Shed Shed, a double-glazing showroom located upstairs and for general storage. When Shed Shed Shed vacated the premises in 2010, the clutch centre took over the space and continued operating until their closure in 2022. The garage was well regarded by its customers and boasted a Google Star rating of four-and-a-half out of five.
With land adjacent already developed, it was only a matter of time before this site was vacated and sold, in preparation for demolition and redevelopment. Last year, plans to demolish the existing buildings and build two tower blocks (one of five storeys and one of seven storeys and containing 118 homes in total) were at the consideration stage. These plans, as of February 2025, have now been approved despite a number of objections from local residents over the issue of “loss of light”. Hence demolition work is expected to start later in the year.
2. The Explore
Explored this place back in Autumn last year. It was nothing special but was going to do a report then @tarkovsky posted his excellent report (see HERE) so put it on the back-burner. Given the lack of subsequent reports and impending demolition, thought I’d get my act together. The place is relatively underwhelming, but there has been little in the way of industrial stuff to explore in Sheffield. Entry was easy and it meant for a relaxed explore.
3. The Photographs
Nothing too pretty from the outside:
The cluttered former yard:
Upstairs in the old bit is pretty underwhelming:
Empty factory space:
And on to the main part of the garage:
The main space at the north of the site was a bit surreal. It has clearly been used for the storage of various household fittings:
Including lighting:
That’s pretty much it from here:
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