Trust running three newcastle community centres ceases trading

CMMUNITY HUBS IN BLAKELAW, FAWDON, AND COWGATE WILL STAY OPEN DESPITE THE NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY ASSET TRUST ENTERING INSOLVENCY, BUT THE FUTURE OF THE BLAKELAW POST OFFICE IS UNCLEAR 16:58, 30

May 2025 A trust which runs three community centres in Newcastle is shutting down. The Newcastle Community Asset Trust (NCAT) was responsible for looking after community hubs in Fawdon,

Cowgate, and Blakelaw, the latter of which also houses a Post Office. But it was confirmed on Friday that the charity is to cease trading – with rising costs, reduced funding, and the

long-term impact of the Covid pandemic blamed for its demise. The trust entering insolvency will see control of the public buildings pass back to Newcastle City Council, which had previously

transferred them into the hands of the trust in the hope of securing their future at a time of budget cuts. While the three facilities remained open to the public on Friday, the Blakelaw

Post Office was closed and it is not yet known whether it will be able to reopen. A Post Office spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Blakelaw Post Office has closed

today [Friday] because of circumstances beyond our control. It is not known yet whether the premises will re-open for use by Blakelaw Post Office. "We apologise for any inconvenience

caused by this unplanned closure. Alternative branches in the area include Druridge Drive, which is 0.56 miles away and Westerhope and Two Ball Lonnen, which are both just over a mile away.”

The Blakelaw community centre in Binswood Avenue was transferred to the trust in March 2016, followed by the Cowgate centre in May 2018, and Fawdon in May 2019. Those hubs have housed

services including libraries, nurseries, youth projects, school holiday clubs, coffee mornings, and food pantries and are said to have welcomed more than 200,000 visitors a year combined.

NCAT’s most recent accounts showed a deficit of £59,636 as of March 31, 2024. A spokesperson for the trust said on Friday: “After weeks of careful consideration the trustees have taken the

painful decision to close the charity. In recent years, it has endured rising operational costs, reduced funding opportunities, and the lasting impacts of the pandemic. Despite implementing

cost-saving measures and seeking additional sources of income, we have been unable to reverse the long-term decline in our finances. “We appreciate this is very upsetting and not what anyone

would want to hear, however we are working closely with Newcastle City Council to try to ensure continuity for the buildings and their users. We hope that the council’s commitment to the

ongoing operation of the buildings will provide some stability for the community. We are thankful to the council for its support. “As part of the transition, the Post Office within Blakelaw

building will need to temporarily close. We would like to thank all of our tenants for believing in the value of these community spaces and wish them well for the future.” Article continues

below Newcastle City Council confirmed that all three centres “will remain open and accessible to tenants and residents as normal”. A spokesperson added: “Our officers are assisting NCAT by

working with their insolvency practitioners to try and minimise any disruption. “It is our current intention that tenants who occupy dedicated spaces will be offered a Tenancy at Will and

those who run classes within the buildings will be offered a room or a licence agreement. “We appreciate the importance of these buildings to local communities. We would like to reassure

them we are doing everything we can to minimise disruption in the short term until the future of the buildings can be resolved.”