A COMMUNITY interest company has revealed it has purchased a historic town building and plans to equip it for commuinty use.

The Redruth Former Library CIC has purchased the Passmore Edwards building in Redruth and plans to launch 'The Ladder' on May 27, 2023.

Following a grant of £168,000 from Historic England as part of the Redruth High Street Heritage Action Zone project, the former Redruth Library has been awarded another £430,000 to repair the building under The Ladder’s ownership. This is part of the Devolution Deal negotiations between the government and Cornwall Council.  

The Architectural Heritage Fund’s (AHF) Transforming Places through Heritage programme, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has awarded its final grants that will contribute to high streets and town centres in Cornwall, Cumbria and Norfolk. An AHF Project Development Grant, awarded as part of this final batch of Transforming Places grants, will “help progress the architectural and wider development work” of the project in the former Redruth Library, now The Ladder. 

The Redruth Library CIC says it plans to use the funds to provide early years education centre, rehearsal, co-working, and performance spaces, and a community garden, alongside resourcing the library for the whole community and creating a cultural and arts hub.

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The Ladder will reportedly create up to 60 jobs paying the living wage and look to enhance the skills, education, and opportunities of the people of Redruth. 

Regional Director at Historic England, Rebecca Barrett said: “We’re delighted that High Street Heritage Action Zone funding has helped secure the building and act as a catalyst for this further significant investment. It’s wonderful news for Passmore Edward’s library and for Redruth.” 

Raised In Cornwall will open late August 2023 in The Ladder. They are a social enterprise dedicated to first-rate nursery care whilst supporting community organisations.

Originally based in Bristol, Raised In are excited to be involved in a new project to support a new community space.

A spokesperson for the group said: “When we set up Raised In Bristol back in 2017, it was always designed to be replicated, and now that The Ladder has invited us to share the space in the PE former library, I’m glad we can be part of the entrepreneurial spirit of Redruth and of my family history.”