Historic stables become new hub for businesses

Credit: Baily Garner

A ceremony at what used to be a complex of disused stables will see Erewash Borough Council’s Mayor formally handed the keys to a major new asset for the borough – a swish business hub where firms can set up home and create jobs.

The historic buildings right next to Long Eaton Town Hall have undergone a huge revamp to give them a new lease of life as high-spec offices and studios. They are already being advertised on Rightmove ahead of the official opening on Friday 23rd January.

The former stables are Grade II* listed like the town hall itself – which was built in 1778 as a private residence for a gentleman farmer called Henry Howitt. They were more recently used as a vehicle workshop, then later for storage.

Their £2.5million transformation is thanks to the Town Deal that Erewash Borough Council secured for Long Eaton. It has led to a total of £25million pouring into the town in the form of Government regeneration funding. The council will be handed the keys to the Old Stables Business Centre by the Long Eaton Town Deal Board – with the Mayor of Erewash, Councillor Harry Atkinson accepting them on behalf of the authority.

Prospective tenants are being invited to attend an open day a week later on Friday 30th January from 1pm to 3pm. A whole new look for the centre of Long Eaton is among a string of other projects that the Town Deal is funding.

Work on upgrading the High Street at a cost of £10million will begin this year. The town will also get two new bridges spanning the Erewash Canal. Meanwhile Derby Road’s derelict Galaxy cinema has been demolished to make way for a new commercial centre that will include affordable homes. Local businessman Richard Ledger, who chairs the Long Eaton Town Deal Board, said he was thrilled that townsfolk were beginning to see results after six years of intense planning work behind the scenes to make best use of the £25million boost.

An entire new waterfront, including an events space, will be constructed alongside the new footbridge that will be built at Broad Street. Richard told the BBC: “You look at what’s happened in Birmingham, in London, for canalside environments – it was time we did something like that in Long Eaton. If we get more people who can come down here and actually appreciate it and experience it, it’s got to be a good thing,”

Councillor Curtis Howard, who is Lead Member for Town Centres, Regeneration and Planning at Erewash Borough Council, said of transforming the former stables: “There is real demand for modern office space in Long Eaton catering to small, local, and start-up businesses. This project creates jobs and brings new people into the town centre every single day. Perhaps they’ll go out and buy their lunch, maybe they’ll all go for drinks after work – all fuelling our local economy.”

To find out more about the new business hub click here.