53 jobs at risk as community hub forced out of home

More than 50 jobs are at risk after the tenants in a community hub were told they must leave by August after the building was sold.

The hub at Briscombe Mills in Stroud is run by the Grace Network and is home to a number of organisations including not-for-profit restaurant The Long Table, clothes shop Kidstuff, social enterprise the Furniture Bank, and repair business Bike Drop.

In a statement the organisations said the decision came as a “shock” after they had been in trying to engage with their former landlord about purchasing the building or extending their lease.

“We have spoken to the new landlord, but he has no interest in letting us stay on site,” they said.

“As a team we are exploring other options for a home but as yet we haven’t found anything viable, putting the social enterprises and 53 jobs at risk. The Brimscombe Mill community is at risk of being lost to become warehousing.

“It doesn’t feel transparent, fair or right and we now face extinction. This new community economic model is at risk of being broken apart.”