Grant Breathes New Life into Kington Building

A grant to a Kington-based company has not only allowed it to expand its operation in the town, it has also breathed new life into an empty town centre building.

Thanks to the Redundant Building Grant administered by Herefordshire Council, Clubsport, a company providing sport and promotional clothing, has expanded into the refurbished premises on Church Street.

The new premises provide an expanded manufacturing and distribution base for outlets in Hereford, Ross, Ludlow, Leominster and Newtown. 

Programme Manager, Dorothy Coleman, said: “It is very satisfying to see the end results of these projects which can take a lot of time from the ideas stage to completion, and to know that the scheme is helping to create and safeguard jobs.”

A total of 15 of these grants have now been awarded towards a wide range of conversion projects including a chapel, an old tinsmith’s building, a range of farm buildings and a former garage.

The most recent grant to be approved is for the conversion of the former ballroom at the Burton Hotel at Kington.

This project is part of a major development on the site which will become the hub of a new health and fitness centre, swimming pool and holiday accommodation.

The new facility will provide leisure facilities which will be available to the general public as well as guests staying at the hotel.

A grant was also recently awarded towards the conversion of an old building for additional office accommodation at Hergest Croft.

The Redundant Building Grant Scheme is administered by Herefordshire Council’s Economic Investment & Development Team and funded through the Rural Regeneration Zone Programme by Advantage West Midlands.

Grants can contribute up to 25% of conversion costs, up to a maximum of £62,500 for suitable projects within eligible parts of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

This funding can make all the difference in making a project commercially viable.

The scheme is particularly focused on the sympathetic conversion of historic buildings and workspace in priority industrial sectors including creative industries, environmental technologies, interactive media, food and drink and tourism and leisure.

For more information on the scheme, contact Dorothy Coleman, Programme Manager on (01432) 260662 or email rbgscheme@herefordshire.gov.uk