Background

The Trust formed in 2013 to act on priorities identified in a Community Action Plan. Among these were to celebrate heritage and find a new purpose for a vacant Bakery, once the industrial powerhouse of one of Scotland’s original co-ops. Alongside other projects, the Trust aims to transform the Bakery into an inclusive Discovery Centre – the home for co-operative heritage in Scotland.

Need for Support

Developing a heritage asset of this scale is a long, complex process. Community Enterprise were brought in first to understand what local needs the building could meet. As the concept for the Scottish Cooperative Discovery Centre developed, the scale of investment needed also became clear. The Trust needed consultants with a clear understanding of the project and its aims to work with them on a long-term basis to develop a solid business plan and suitable governance structure and support their capital fundraising campaign.

What we did

In 2014, Community Enterprise helped the Trust to begin working towards community ownership of the Bakery, exploring options such as asset transfer. This then led to a 2017 feasibility study and options appraisal. Consultation with over 440 people showed demand for heritage visitor attractions and family-friendly spaces.

By 2021, the Trust owned the building, and trial activities had revealed significant interest in the story of the co-op movement, which lent itself to engaging people who are often excluded from heritage spaces. Through Just Enterprise, we revisited previous research and created an outline plan for what had now become the Scottish Co-operative Discovery Centre.

During the 2022-23 Development Phase, Community Enterprise worked with the project team to refine the business model for the Discovery Centre, drawing on the work of specialists and further market research. The resulting Business Plan formed the basis for further funding towards the Delivery Phase.

Outcomes

The Scottish Co-operative Discovery Centre project has secured over £5M to date from UK, Scottish and local government sources alongside various charitable funders, notably the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which contributed £220 at Development Phase and has awarded £1.9M for the Delivery Phase, now underway.