Brimscombe Mill in Stroud has announced that an unnamed investor has secured the sale of its beloved community building, giving long-term security back to the businesses and organisations that call the mill home.
After its shock sale in March 2024, tenants of the mill, which include charities The Long Table, Kids Stuff, Stroud Furniture Bank, The Bike Drop and the Grace Network, were given just five months by its new owners to find alternative premises.
Huge public outcry followed, raising the profile of the mill to national level, with multiple media outlets around the country reporting on its closure and the eviction of the charities.
Tom Herbert, director of Brimscombe Mill and founder of The Long Table, said: 'Words can't describe how happy we are to announce that Brimscombe Mill is now our forever home! That means we can start to invest in the space; we can start to really make it our home.'
The team at Brimscombe Mill posted on Instagram that 'thanks to the generous support of an investor, a new sale has been completed and we now have a long-term lease.
'This means we can continue to see our community grow and thrive in the place we love. This incredible outcome is the result of massive goodwill from all sides: our previous landlord, our supportive community and, of course, the generosity of the investor.
'To say we are excited, thankful, and hugely relieved is an understatement — this incredible work to save Brimscombe Mill wouldn’t be possible without this epic community.'
Some of the mill-based charities had begun plans to move into new premises, with The Long Table and The Bike Drop both announcing in September 2024 that they'd be taking over the old House of Fraser building in Cirencester, with plans to open this November.
Whether the opening of these second sites will go ahead is yet to be announced, but the mill has hinted that it has some exciting plans for the future in the works.
To celebrate the news, Brimscombe Mill is hosting a community 'We Can Stay' party at the mill on Saturday 26 October from 5pm and everyone is welcome.
