The former JR Taylor department store in St Annes Square is being transformed into The Sanctuary, a proposed luxury spa, restaurant and rooftop bar development. Occupying a prominent position beside Garden Street, the building represents more than a century of the town’s shopping history. Its conversion marks a change from traditional department-store retailing towards leisure, dining and wellbeing.
Founded in 1901, JR Taylor became an established part of St Annes town centre, serving generations of customers before closing on 17 January 2015. The closure followed trading difficulties and resulted in the loss of around 60 jobs. It left a substantial vacancy in the heart of the town, raising questions about the future of premises long associated with its commercial life.
A new use emerged through proposals by Corbenyah Properties. By November 2021, permission had been secured to convert the approximately 20,000-square-foot property into a spa, restaurant and boutique accommodation, with a rooftop bar. Blackpool-based WBD Architectural Consultants developed plans that acknowledged the character of the late Victorian and Edwardian frontages while introducing contemporary glazing and alterations suited to the building’s new purpose.
The project subsequently expanded to incorporate the neighbouring former HSBC bank. Proposals reported in April 2023 included using the bank building as the principal entrance and replacing the four previously approved accommodation suites with a VIP bar. These revisions reflected the development’s evolving design, bringing adjoining commercial premises together within a larger hospitality scheme.
Under The Sanctuary name, the planned facilities include a basement spa, treatment spaces, dining areas and a rooftop bar. Interior designers Nanu Group also described immersive spa experiences and a private cinema as part of the intended transformation. Work began in 2023 but later paused. On 24 April 2026, it was reported that construction had resumed, although Corbenyah could not provide a completion date at that time. The five-star description expressed the project’s intended standard rather than a verified rating for an operating venue.
The Sanctuary’s significance extends beyond its proposed facilities. Its redevelopment offers a new purpose for a familiar town-centre building while retaining a connection with the architectural setting in which JR Taylor traded. Where generations once visited a department store, the scheme seeks to establish a different destination, reflecting the changing role of St Annes Square in the life of the town.
Images by © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
