Brimscombe Mill's community hub charities, including The Long Table, have secured a new home in Gloucestershire, with work nearing completion at its site in Cirencester.
The Stroud-based community kitchen is set to open its brand-new venue this November 2024 inside the old House of Fraser building, which has been vacant since 2019.
Having been running for six years, The Long Table started at Brimscombe Mill, serving up lunch and dinner, as well as coffee and cake, to those in need of a good meal and some good company — and it's set to continue its mission from Friday 1 November 2024.
The Long Table's soft opening days consist of weekly lunch services on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with dinner services on Saturdays.
A lifeline for many, the organisation runs on a pay-as-you-can basis, meaning the food provided is accessible to everyone, regardless of means.
Its Stroud site also hosts Kids Stuff, Stroud Furniture Bank and the Grace Network, and their futures were called into question when the Brimscombe Mill was sold in February 2024.
Co-founder of The Long Table, Tom Herbert, said: 'It feels very close to our heart and we can't wait to get open here. Amazing things happen when we eat together.'
The Bike Drop is also confirmed to be moving to the new House of Fraser site, with its workshop manager, Jason Howarth, adding: 'Half of our business is refurbishing donated bikes, so that we can get people on bikes that aren't disgustingly expensive.
'It's not just about the charitable efforts we go to, it's also ensuring that people around here have somewhere to go for a good workshop.'
The Brimscombe Mill site is still open to the public, for now, with events planned into the autumn.
