Youth services at community centre in Warmley partially restored
South Gloucestershire Council is to partially reopen The Batch Community Centre as the search continues for a new long-term operator
Youth services have been partially restored at a community centre in South Gloucestershire while the search continues for a new long-term operator.
The Batch Community Centre in Warmley is once again opening its doors to allow Creative Youth Network to run services for young people.
While the centre is open, a formal Expression of Interest (EOI) process will be underway to secure a new long-term operator for the venue.
The centre, which is owned by the council, was forced to close after the previous operator, the Banjo Island Community and Sports Association (BICSA), handed back the keys in October last year.
Since then, the council has undertaken repair work to the building and held discussions with select partner organisations who've indicated an interest in running the site, which is a vital pillar for the community - hosting a café and a space for the Creative Youth Network's Youth Club to run.
Jack Fitzsimmons, Youth Work Manager for Creative Youth Network, said: “We are really pleased to be able to restore essential services for young people and keen to continue them as an important part of our work with the community when a new operator is found. During the temporary closure, we maintained some youth work in the community and offered some 1:2:1 support, but young people really miss their safe space at The Batch youth club.”
South Gloucestershire Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children and Young People, Cllr Samuel Bromiley, said: “I am really pleased that, having done the much-needed work to restore and improve The Batch, we are now able to get Creative Youth Network back in to deliver activities for young people. We know how much they are valued by young people in the area.
“The next step is to find the right operator for the future, which will be able to offer stable management and put The Batch back at the heart of the community. This building is so much more than a café; it is a place to meet and a hub for many local sports teams and other groups. We are running a formal and transparent process to make sure we secure the right operators to help deliver these facilities.”
The formal Expression of Interest process is now underway.
The council will scrutinise potential operators’ business plans to ensure they can provide stable management for the benefit of the local community.
It is expected that a decision on the new operator will be taken in the coming months.