By Dan Ball
A Market Harborough charity which helps disabled and elderly people get out and about in the town has announced it will close next week after a supportive bid to buy a community centre failed.
Shopmobility supports the local community by hiring out mobility scooters and wheelchairs on both short-term and long-term bases.
It enables disabled and elderly people to continue to access shopping and leisure facilities in Market Harborough.
It has been operating out of Roman Way Community Centre since 2017, a building previously owned by Leicestershire County Council, which is now selling the building because it says it is underused.
Amanda Ball, the lead trustee at Shopmobility said: “It was down to bad management as they could have rented out every single room twice over due to Harborough being a growing community, but they haven’t done that.”
The charity has been unable to find anywhere else to go. The council was tasked by Harborough MP Neil O’Brien to find somewhere else, its only suggestions being commercial properties in which the rent wasn’t affordable.
“There’s no point being a charity and paying commercial rent because you end up not doing your charitable purpose by charging more to cover it,” added Amanda.
Shopmobility had been given notice to vacate the premises by October 30 last year which, after pressure and appearances on BBC East Midlands Today, was extended to February 5 whilst bidding for new ownership took place.
The Market Harborough & The Bowdens Charity made a bid to buy the community centre, seeing the potential for a multi-purpose community hub, and would have allowed Shopmobility to stay.
That bid was unsuccessful It is unknown who the successful bidder is,.
“I’m just absolutely gutted it’s not Harborough and Bowdens, absolutely gutted,” said Amanda.
She and colleagues fear the successful bidders are developers with plans to demolish the community centre to build housing.
The charity has not been able to find an alternative base of operation and as a result, announced on its website it will close on Tuesday next week (February 4).
The announcement said: “Since being served notice to vacate Roman Way Community Centre by Leicestershire County Council, we have been unable to find suitable AND affordable premises to move to. We had hoped that Harborough and Bowdens Charity would be successful in their bid to buy the centre, but unfortunately this was not to be and they are not the preferred bidder.”
