Local community centre faces eviction threat

Bath Place Community Venture once again faces homelessness after being served a 28-day notice to leave its current location in Leamington Spa.

The organisation has been based at the old library in Avenue Road since a fire destroyed their original premises in 2010, but have not being paying rent to Warwickshire College who own the grade-two listed building. The college is reportedly negotiating with developers in order to sell the land and have claimed that the premises have always been a temporary arrangement for Bath Place.

Bath Place currently provides many services to the local community such as mental health services, job guidance, art activities and healthy meals, as well as playing host to many University of Warwick society events such as Go Green Week, Warwick Amnesty and the Warwick Law Society.

Bath Place site supervisor Clayton Denwood said: “The building itself is currently home to over 30 community groups who use the facilities on a regular basis with a focus on creativity, well being, employment and mental health.

““The situation we find ourselves in is complex but the Board & Staff would like to express gratitude for all the support, concern and the many offers of assistance from we have received in the past weeks from students.”

Second-year Sociology student Kate Arnold described her anger at the potential eviction: “Bath place is an amazing venture, and does so much good in the community. It’s known as a safe, vibrant place, and its potential is still only partly tapped. With funding and support it could be even bigger and better.

“As students, we should be doing everything we can to support our local communities.”

There is currently an e-petition running for people to voice their support of the venture. Students’ Union Welfare Officer Izzy John encouraged Warwick students to sign the petition, observing that ‘‘Bath Place has been very good at supporting student activity and its closure would prove a massive blow to Leamington and the student population who live in the town”.