Training and conference facility in Longton has been re-launched as an office building for new businesses. The Centre for Refurbishment Excellence faced an uncertain future when training provider CoRE Ltd ceased trading, just four years after its launch. The building, which was converted from the derelict Enson Works and includes the old bottle kilns, has been converted into an enterprise centre by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
CoRE Ltd. was set up as a partnership between the Stoke-on-Trent City council, the Building Research Establishment and private industry to provide courses in eco-friendly retrofit techniques. After the closure a number of proposals were evaluated and it was decided to that conversion to an Enterprise Centre would be the best outcome.
Deputy council leader Abi Brown said using the building as an enterprise centre was the best solution.
She said: “When we started marketing the space we found that quite a lot of businesses were interested in moving in. I think it is quite a unique buildings. Not many office buildings have rooms that have been converted from former bottle kilns. It is quite different.
“There is still a big room that can be used for conferences. But around 80 per cent of the office space is now occupied. I think this is a good way to ensure this building is used.”
CoRE is the seventh business enterprise centre, and the fourth in Longton, operated by the city council.
For more information on CoRE Enterprise Centre and other Enterprise Centres in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire try our Enterprise Centre page