Bermondsey Landmark to Become Cultural Venue

An iconic landmark in the Bermondsey area of London is set to be transformed into a new high street cultural venue. Really Local Group is working with Southwark Council to redevelop The Blue building into a community hub featuring a three-screen cinema, coffee shop, a café, bar, informal co-working spaces and a food and craft hall featuring local artisans and vendors.The building has lain vacant for over a year, with this project expected to bring life to the marketplace using funds from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund.Serving as a link between the historic centre of Bermondsey and Bermondsey Street, the repurposed space will provide a platform for local businesses and community members to engage with the craft heritage of the area. Aiming to increase footfall to 5,000 people on weekends, the venue will aid towards revitalising the local economy and its traders. Really Local Group will also collaborate with local talent to showcase comedy and music performances alongside educational opportunities, with a community run creative school. The venue will also provide a collaborative space for community groups to develop their own program of events. The lettings strategy for the Blue agreed in 2016 created a bespoke approach to lettings on the Bermondsey high street, with Southwark Council considering the impact their choice of retail tenants makes to the vibrancy and affordability of shopping on high streets, local parades and estates. The local residents’ opinion has had a big impact on the shape of the high street too, with the Commonplace survey with locals carried out influencing the delivery of Bermondsey Uprising, Bermondsey Community Kitchen, Big Local Works, and a number of private commercial lets at the Blue. Southwark has also already taken steps to update their letting policy, reversing the dominance of payday lenders and betting shops on the high street to cultivate a community destination.This proposal is subject to approval by the Council’s Cabinet members, and planning approva