The Holbeck has recently received a blue plaque for being the oldest continuously operating social club in the country, having been established in 1871. The Club is still in the ownership of its members but the premises are now managed by Slung Low, a theatre company who are uncompromising in their belief that culture can change our world for the better. Aside from running the traditional members’ bar and utilising the rest of the building as space for the arts, they also run the Cultural Community College where adults learn new cultural skills which are provided on a Pay What You Decide basis. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Holbeck has become the centre for the food bank and other referrals, serving 7500 households.
Currently the building is inaccessible to many people. There are no compliant accessible WCs and facilities are lost in a maze of spaces and the mechanical and electrical installations leave a lot to be desired. We carried out a feasibility study to understand the existing access arrangements and seek ways that these can be improved in a cost effective yet practical manner. A masterplan has been drawn up which has been split into phases to allow for funding. Phase 1 is currently on site and consists of a new ramp and entrance doors. The building is also getting a face lift via repainting and a new canopy, thereby instilling a renewed sense of pride in the Club.
We are working closely with Arup who have designed a full mechanical and electrical proposal as part of their Community Engagement Programme. This, amongst other things, has included new Covid appropriate ventilation systems, removal of redundant services and proposals for green energy. They have also carried out a MatterPort scan so that there is a record of the Club as it currently is – a moment in time – as well as being able to use the scan to project themselves into.
Images © Simon K. Allen