Former bank to become charity community hub

The former RBS bank in Victoria Street closed in 2018

A former bank in Grimsby is to be transformed into a community centre.

The old RBS premises on Victoria Street has stood empty since 2018.

Local charity CARE, which provides support to people facing financial hardship, said it planned to convert it into a multi-purpose hub.

The organisation has raised more than £800,000 towards the cost of the conversion.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the building will have an extension added which will increase its size by a third.

When completed it will house a public living room, meeting rooms, offices and more space for the housing and crisis support team.

Last year CARE said it provided support to 268 individuals, while its crisis drop-in assisted 2,240 people. It offers housing help, food vouchers and recycled furniture.

The charity's chief executive Anne Bickerstaff said she was "thrilled" that planning permission had been granted and hoped the hub would open early next year.

"We still need to raise more funds to build the extension, so it will be all hands on deck in the next few months," she added.

The charity's chief executive Anne Bickerstaff, left, said she was "thrilled" by the new hub

According to the planning document the new centre would employ 23 people, with 15 full-time posts.

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