Stroud community hub given months to find new home

The Long Table opened in 2018 and faces closure this summer

A "beacon of community spirit" has been given less than six months to find a new home.

Brimscombe Mill, home to The Long Table, is being sold to a new landlord who has "no interest" in keeping the site's current use, with 53 jobs at risk.

21,500 people ate at The Long Table, which encourages diners to pay what they can, last financial year.

The news has been described as "devastating".

Community enterprise ventures Stroud District Kids Stuff, Furniture Bank and Bike Drop are also based at Brimscombe Mill.

William North, director of The Long Table, said members of the community have been coming in to "share their love, anger and happiness with what we do" following the news.

Mr North said the organisations at Brimscombe Mill have brought together "an amazing group of people"

"The real community is what happens when people sit at that table and offer something up," Mr North said.

"We hear anecdotally how people make friends, they fall out around these tables.

"Life happens here and life will continue whether we're here or not. But we hope that we can be a place for life for many more years."

The new landlord wants to turn Brimscombe Mill into warehousing, with the community enterprise organisations that currently call it home given until 25 August to find somewhere else to go.

The Long Table moved to Brimscombe Mill in 2021 after its former Brimscombe Port site was demolished to make way for houses.

Brad Green of Stroud District Furniture Bank said the news was "pretty devastating" but "expected".

Mr Green is hopeful for the future

"The lease here was only quite short," Mr Green said.

"There's a lot of emotion going around at the moment.

"People are sad - they've put a lot of hours and a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into this place.

"I'm sure we can find somewhere even better."

The Brimscombe Mill businesses have asked for members of the community to support them by "coming in for a meal, buying furniture, getting your bike repaired and buying some kids stuff".