A  vacant commercial building that had fallen into a state of disrepair has been fully restored and given a new lease of life with the help of a grant of almost £63,000 from Goole Town Deal’s Property Activation Fund.

RBLC Gladstone Ltd applied for match-funding towards the cost of transforming what it described as a ‘dilapidated’ property at 24 to 28 Carlisle Street in the town. However, the total spend on the project was in the region of £300,000, with the remainder of the money coming from RBLC Gladstone Ltd in just one of a series of recent examples of businesses choosing to locate and invest in Goole.

Having received an extensive makeover, the ground floor of the building now houses a brand new wellness centre called Equilibrium and there are two smart, modern two-bedroom apartments on the first floor. Equilibrium has brought a number of wellness treatments to Goole that were not previously available in the local area, from breath work classes to specialised ice baths. As well as securing the future of the building, its opening has also created three new full-time jobs.

Before work on the project began, the building was plagued by rising damp; its windows were cracked and, in some cases, boarded up; and its roof was missing tiles, exposing the worn out beams underneath. 

A spokesperson for RBLC Gladstone Ltd described it as a ‘sad sight’ and explained how it had to be stripped back to its original brick shell, adding: “From taking it back to its brick shell, it was then like a new build process. We wanted to create an outstanding space that not only meets building regulations but also the new build warranty standards of excellence.”

He added: “Our goal was to renovate an otherwise derelict and run down building, improving kerb appeal on the street. We hope that, alongside the work of Goole Town Deal, we will play our part in encouraging other businesses to invest in the area, and capitalise on the increased visitor numbers and footfall that this will create.

“It’s amazing how a little restoration can breathe new life into a town and bring about positive change for everyone involved!”

Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “It’s wonderful to see yet another business making a sizeable investment in the town and I’m delighted that the Property Activation Fund has helped to facilitate this by providing funding towards the cost of the project. 

“Not only has another large, prominent town centre building been restored and brought back into use, but this project has brought a totally new and unique business offering to Goole, which will undoubtedly help to boost footfall and visitor spend in the town centre, as well as creating new jobs.”

One of eight strategic projects that form part of the Goole Town Deal regeneration programme, the Property Activation Fund aims to encourage property owners, developers and tenants to carry out improvements to buildings in Goole town centre and bring empty or under-used sites back into use. It will make the town centre a more attractive and appealing place to invest in and do business by restoring, refurbishing and, ultimately, reinventing buildings that are empty, under used or in a poor state of repair.