A MAJOR cog in Grimsby Town Centre’s transformation wheel is taking shape as work continues to remodel St James’ House into a thriving business hub.
On seeing progress on the E-Factor owned building, which sits next to Grimsby Minster, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, was full of praise for the work.
Shown around by E-Factor Group Managing Director Mark Webb, Cllr Jackson said: “This vision and ambition is exactly what we need for our town centre and shows how our council’s ambition to work with our partners to achieve such regeneration is becoming a reality.
“Our vision is to see a town centre that is vibrant, and attracts a diverse range of business, retail, leisure and community activities. We see around us now a whole host of schemes that will do just that, and with plans now being finalised for our Freshney Place Market Hall and Leisure Scheme, there is a positive future to look forward to,” added Cllr Jackson.
North East Lincolnshire Council supported E-Factor’s application for a £1.5m Towns Fund grant towards the £2.5m complete renovation of the empty building. This has enabled the purchase of the building by E-Factor and for the work to go-ahead.
Once the two-phase scheme is complete the new E-Factor Business Hub will stretch across three floors. In time there is also an ambition to remodel the roof space, which has wonderful views onto St James’ Square, the Minster, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, and the Humber Bank.
Phase one includes redevelopment of the ‘arches’ space along the ground floor – to be let – with a separate reception area and space for the E-Factor’s 15 staff. More than 23 business units will also be created on the second floor as part of phase one.
Phase two works on the remaining floors is the next step with the first-floor plan being a new Business Hive HQ, with facilities such as a business lounge and boardroom for the 300-plus local businesses, as well as a modern conference room for businesses, exhibitions, conferences, and other events – bringing even more people into the town centre.
Mark Webb said: “This building has such potential and I can only endorse what Cllr Jackson has said. We all want what’s right for Grimsby Town Centre and if we can bring in such a variety of businesses, we can play a part in turning this town centre into something incredible. We are not only investing in this building, but we are investing in the whole of Grimsby.”
With phase one due for completion early next year, the new hub sits in the rejuvenated St James’ Square. When it is open, it will add to the number of businesses and people in the town centre.
Just a short walk away from the Square, the council-owned Cartergate building is home to Wilkin Chapman Solicitors and LHP, (Lincolnshire Housing Partnership), and the authority itself has successfully brought its children’s services team into New Oxford House. The majority of the authority’s staff are now housed in the town centre.
Added to the above, are the thousands more people who will be attracted to the town centre thanks to the new Onside Horizon Youth Zone, the housing scheme planned for Alexandra Dock, the Freshney Place scheme, and the new Community Diagnostic Centre, (CDC) in the shopping centre.
About the Town’s Fund: In March 2021 Government announced a funding offer to Grimsby of £20.9 million of Towns Fund to deliver a number of projects set out in the Grimsby Town Investment Programme (TIP), with the expectation that this funding will deliver transformational economic, social and cultural benefits for the town.
One approved scheme was to bring St James’ House back into use as a multi-functional venue for businesses and creatives to attract more people into the town centre and to complement the regeneration works recently completed in St James’ Quarter.
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