Volunteers are transforming a historic Otley building into a community owned hub for the town.

A small group of volunteers have been working tirelessly to transform Otley Methodist Church into Otley Common, a cultural, entrepreneurial and social space for the community to meet, work and play.

The group united, with a shared concern over the ongoing loss of community assets within the area, notably witnessing the decline of Otley Civic Centre which has fallen into such a state of decline it is now on the National Heritage ‘at risk’ register.

Volunteers transform building into community hub for Otley Volunteers transform building into community hub for Otley (Image: UGC)

Otley Common will be run by the community for the community providing space for community groups and classes, small studios for artists and business start ups, a community café, co-working space, a dedicated youth area, large spaces for music, comedy and art, and private and professional functions.

After recently securing a £300,000 grant from the government’s Community Ownership Fund, the group are now looking to raise an additional £571,700 to purchase and renovate the building, through a Community Share Offer by Sunday, September 1.

The Community Share Offer, gives the community the opportunity to invest in an Otley-based project, run by the community for the community.

In return, investors will become members of Friends of the Wesley Otley Limited (FOTWOL), the Community Benefit Society (CBS) that has been set up to run Otley Common. All members will get to vote on decisions around how the society is run, regardless of how much they have invested.

Investors will also get the option to receive interest on their investment as Otley Common becomes commercially successful.

Since 2012 over £200 million has been raised in community shares across the UK, supporting over 500 co-operative and community businesses including shops, pubs, housing projects and community hubs like Otley Common.

These kind of share offers are becoming an increasingly popular way for communities to take ownership of key assets in their neighbourhoods.

The group behind Otley Common aim to create positive change and a lasting impact for Otley and the surrounding areas with five core themes embedded throughout their plans:

  • Arts and heritage - providing access to high quality, affordable, and inclusive opportunities in the arts, cultural services, heritage and sports.
  • Employment, training and education - providing access to training opportunities, so individuals can develop new skills and create lifelong learning opportunities.
  • Mental Health and wellbeing - providing opportunities to engage in meaningful and fulfilling activities, creating a sense of purpose, emotional resilience, confidence and aspirations for the future.
  • Citizenship and community - We want everyone in Otley to have a positive perception of their community and area, feeling happy and proud of where they live.
  • Sustainability and regeneration - Creating local economic growth, spending and investment, whilst also reducing our carbon footprint, promoting energy efficiency, and preserving and enhancing local biodiversity.