Community centre ballroom reopens after 18 months
BBCA community hub in Nottingham has reopened after 18 months of fundraising and negotiation.
The Marcus Garvey Ballroom, part of the historic Marcus Garvey Centre in Lenton, closed in December 2024 due to health and safety fears.
Since the closure, members of the centre committee and local supporters have worked to secure the future of the building and raised over £50,000 to complete all the renovations and upgrades.
Having hosted its first event on Friday, the committee said they are focused on creating a sustainable hub which serves the widest possible community.
The Grade II listed Howitt Building on Lenton Boulevard was originally built for the Raleigh bicycle company.
After being sold to the city council in the 1980s it became a community centre providing day care services for the elderly, and its 600-person capacity ballroom hosts music and events.
Buildings at the rear became the Lenton Business Centre, home to about 70 local firms.
But problems over fire safety led to these facilities being shut down at short notice, and organisers were left waiting for promises of remedial work to be fulfilled.
John Taylor, chair of the Marcus Garvey Community Interest Company, said: "We decided we no longer wanted to be dependent on the council and we'd do it ourselves, so we raised well over £50,000.
"We had a lot of people come and do work for us for free or reduced prices because they understood the importance of this centre in the community and I'm delighted.
"Having jumped through every hoop and over every hurdle that was thrown in our way, we managed to open last Friday with a complete clean bill of health."
Taylor said one of their priorities was to put the centre on a sustainable business footing and not rely on short-term grants.
"I'm pleased to say we're now on a really good terms with the council about this. We're going forward together.
"They've offered us a new lease, not just for here, the ballroom and the day centre below, but also the 33 small office units which make up the whole of this Howitt building.
"We've said we'll have discussions with them about the workshops at the back as well - what they call the Lenton Business Centre - but we will be taking over the whole of the building," he said.
Tyron Brown, who has been on the committee since it was set up, said: "I was absolutely shocked the amount of people that came to us and said this place cannot be closed, it's too important to us.
"I give you examples of people turning up and saying I met my husband here, I met my girlfriend here, we met in the car park and we're still married 30 years now, that kind of stuff. So we knew we couldn't just let people down."
City council leader, Neghat Khan, said: "I welcome the positive progress that has enabled the Ballroom to reopen, and I want to pay tribute to the incredible determination of the Committee and everyone who fought to protect this important part of Nottingham's heritage.
"Their hard work and commitment have made this possible."
Future ambitions include reopening additional facilities, such as a day centre and lunch club for older residents.
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