New community hub, arts space and café for Swindon town centre

An innovative new community hub with café will open soon in Swindon Town Centre. Swindon Hub will provide a welcoming café and community arts space, plus meeting and event spaces for community groups and small businesses to hire.

The Hub is planned to open at the start of October but organisers are opening the doors for a special viewing and Big Clean-up Party this Saturday, 18 September. Everyone is invited to come along between 10am and 3pm, to get inspired and share ideas - and help with a spot of cleaning if they can. Donations of cleaning products are being requested too.

“This will be a great chance for Swindon residents to get a sneak preview inside the new Hub” said Ed Colton, one of the organisers. “We’re planning the Big Clean-up Party so people can meet each other and have some fun, whilst helping with the important work of getting the building ready” Ed added.

“We want the local community to be at the heart of deciding what happens at the Hub. The Clean-up event will be a nice chance to get together and start planning” said Natalie North, another of the volunteers behind the project. 

The new cultural hub is situated in the heart of the Town Centre, making use of the empty River Island shop in The Parade. An inclusive social enterprise powered by volunteers, the Hub is supported by more than twenty of Swindon’s community groups. It aims to be a welcoming, accessible, affordable and sustainable place for everyone in Swindon.

The project hopes to support the regeneration of Swindon’s town centre, targeting the problem of empty shops and the need for a community space where groups and individuals can interact, exchange ideas, and share resources in a sustainable, low cost venue. 

The Hub has a strong environmental ethos and will be run in a sustainable and ethical way with involvement from local environmental organisations and upcycled furniture provided by Renew Men’s Shed. 

As well as providing a social space where people can meet, eat, learn and create, the Hub provides spaces where small businesses and community and cultural organisations can be based, run events and share ideas and resources. The arts space will host a busy programme of exhibitions, workshops and events.

“There is so much energy and potential in Swindon - the Hub will be a place where people can connect and make things happen” said Jol Rose, another of the volunteers involved. “We are really keen to involve anyone interested in building a positive community in Swindon.”

People can find more information about Swindon Hub on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (@hubswindon) or at  www.swindonhub.org.uk