Bassetlaw District Council has officially opened its new business hub in Worksop town centre that provides facilities and support for up to 30 small and micro businesses.

Middletons Yard, which saw a number of buildings with historical significance sympathetically regenerated into a modern and contemporary business hub, was officially opened by the Council’s Chair, Cllr Deborah Merryweather, along with other dignitaries and partners who were integral to the project.

After welcoming its first tenants in December 2022, it has since become a base for 22 businesses. This includes companies in a diverse number of sectors including finance, transport, green technology and fostering services. In addition to an independent café called Secret Garden.

Cllr Deborah Merryweather, Chair of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “It was wonderful to be able to officially open this building and speak with many of the people who now base their businesses here. I would also like to thank all of the partners who were involved in this project and helped to make it all possible.

“We know that in order to support our towns and our independent businesses, places like Middleton’s Yard need to be created so that small and micro businesses have the opportunity to get started and grow to their full potential. This is reflected in the Council’s recently adopted Vision 2040 strategy and our ambition for Bassetlaw to be a great place to do business.”

Match-funding of £1.8 million was provided by D2N2 and Midlands Engine through the ‘Unlocking Growth in N2 Town Centres’ programme.

Richard Kirkland, Employment and Skills Manager at D2N2 LEP, said: “Small to medium size employers (SMEs) are the lifeblood of the local economy with more people employed by an SME than any other sector. SMEs are more productive, with greater value added to the local economy, and we need to give our businesses the best chance to survive, grow and prosper. This is where this facility is ideally placed to support this challenge.”

Additional funding of £108,000 was provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Glyn Morgan, Midlands and East Committee Member at The National Lottery Heritage Fund added: “This is a fantastic renovation project that we were delighted to be able to be part of. The National Lottery is the biggest funder of heritage and we know the power and support that funding can provide.

“I look forward to the ongoing work that this project will deliver and I’d like to say a special thank you to everyone who plays the National Lottery, it’s your support that makes it possible to support projects like this.”

Middletons Yard provides managed office space over two floors in its main building, three floors in second building, and additional self-contained offices in the historic Brewers Yard section. The buildings have been designed to offer flexible spaces and include two dedicated meeting rooms and break-out areas to encourage networking between businesses. The hub also accommodates a co-working space and virtual tenancies, for start-ups and micro businesses.

In addition to office space, the Council’s Economic Development Team provide occupants with a wrap-around business support service that includes access to start-up Enterprise Grants, pre-start up advice and training, links to supply chains, and skills and recruitment support.

In addition to supporting local businesses, Middleton’s Yard is also supporting the high street by bringing additional footfall to Worksop Town centre. Public spaces are an integral part of the site to increase accessibility in the town centre and provide easy access to the high street and public transport hubs.

With such strong links to local businesses and the high street, the official opening also saw Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy, Jonathan Reynolds MP invited by Cllr Jo White to support the opening of the building.

Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Business and Skills, Cllr Jo White, said: “I was delighted to invite Jonathan Reynolds MP to jointly open Middletons Yard because Bassetlaw District Council’s model of supporting local businesses is a standard that many other authorities view with envy.

“It is important that we share achievements and initiatives, like Middletons Yard with senior politicians like Jonathan, who was very impressed with what he saw, supporting local business whilst bringing a derelict site back to life.”

The event was also attended and supported by representatives of all partners involved in the project, including architects Anotherkind Architects, construction partners Messenger.