Empty town centre building to be repurposed as community space

Previously, 14 Market Place traded as ‘The Little Tea Pot’ café and sits in a prominent location right in the heart of Newark.

Plans for the refurbishment, which the District Council owns, will see the entire property given a revamp with the ground floor and basement converted into a Community Information Hub with the upper floors renovated into a residential apartment.

Newark College, supported by Newark and Sherwood Community Voluntary service have been identified to take tenancy in developing and activating the ground floor for community use to provide a diverse range of community group programmes. The District Council could also use and animate the space, as can community groups.

The District Council is investing in refurbishing its own building in Newark Town Centre in its bid to ensure, where possible, properties are not left unused and town centre opportunities are maximised.

Councillor Claire Penny, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development, said: "We are actively supporting our town centre by investing in a key building to bring it back into use. We hope its refurbishment will add further value to the town centre."

“Although we own few units in the town centre, where we do, such as the Buttermarket and former Robin Hood Hotel development, we have secured tenants like Tambo Lounge, Specsavers, Kutchenhaus and Stokes Tea & Coffee.

"We encourage other building owners in town to find ways to repurpose unused buildings instead of leaving them empty. Investing in these properties can increase their value for potential business owners and for the town as a whole."