Charity to close after premises put on the market

A range of wheelchairs, scooters and walkers outside the red brick Harborough Shopmobility
Image caption,

Harborough Shopmobility lends wheelchairs and mobility scooters to help people to access shops and leisure facilities in the town

  • Published

A mobility scooter service charity is set to close after its premises were put up for sale by Leicestershire County Council.

ShopMobility has worked out of Roman Way Community Centre in Market Harborough since 2017, but the council told tenants in April last year it would have to vacate by 31 October.

The charity has now said in a statement it would close for the last time on 4 February "with much sadness".

A county council spokesperson said it had provided support to identify possible alternative locations, but "unfortunately these efforts did not prove successful".

A statement posted on social media by Shopmobility on Tuesday said: "Since being served notice to vacate Roman Way Community Centre by LCC we have been unable to find suitable and affordable premises to move to.

"We had hoped that Harborough & Bowdens Charity would be successful in their bid to buy the centre but unfortunately this was not to be and they are not the preferred bidder."

Roman Way was registered as an asset of community value by the county council, which meant any potential buyers based in the community were given an opportunity to buy the building.

However, no community bidders came forward and ShopMobility did not have the funds to buy the premises.

Image caption,

Amanda Ball, scheme co-ordinator at Harborough Shopmobility, told the BBC in September that it did not look likely the charity would find alternative premises

The county council said the decision to sell Roman Way was because the building was "declared surplus to requirements".

A spokesperson said: "A preferred bidder has been provisionally selected for Roman Way Day Centre.

"However, the final position will only be confirmed after the period of moratorium ends on 6 February.

"After making occupiers aware in May 2024 of the council's decision to dispose of the property and the requirement for them to vacate, we provided support to identify a number of possible alternative locations, but unfortunately these efforts did not prove successful."

Amanda Ball, scheme co-ordinator at Harborough Shopmobility, previously said although the authority suggested places to move into, they did not meet the charity's needs.

"We haven't got anywhere else to go," she added.

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