Community centre reopens after £3m restoration

A community centre in West Yorkshire has reopened following a £3m restoration.

The Kirkgate Centre, in Shipley, has become the Sustainable Community Hub and will be a base for charities Hive and the Kirkgate Community Centre.

They will offer services and activities to tackle social isolation, promote wellbeing, provide activities for people of all ages.

Bradford councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said there will also be opportunities for training, work experience and volunteering to people in the area who are looking for work.

He said: “This has been an incredible project and it has been a privilege to see this incredible space take shape.

“It is a great opportunity for Hive and the Kirkgate Community Centre to work together to offer increased services and enable them to support even more local people.”

The project was funded with £2.51m from the government-funded Shipley Towns Fund, as well as grants from the Community Ownership Fund, BD25, Mayor’s Climate Change Grant and the Architectural Heritage Fund.

Some of the original features including windows and fireplaces have been exposed and restored.

Nathan Tanswell, chair of the Kirkgate Community Centre, added: “We now have a new lift which is also important for accessibility and creates a flow around the building.

“The building itself means a lot to local people. It needed significant repairs to make it safe, comfortable and sustainable, and we have done this while respecting the heritage and integrity of the building.

“The place now feels light and welcoming, as well as being as impressive as it was originally built to be.”

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