How Spellow Hub on County Road had become a beacon of hope for the community

Spellow Hub located in Walton, Liverpool, has long been a cornerstone of the community.

Spellow Hub, originally known as Spellow Library, was once open only three days a week and suffered from poor accessibility and limited services as you would expect from a 1960s building.

However, following a community-led makeover, Spellow Hub transformed into the first facility of its kind in the North of England, offering an extensive “education to employment” service for people of all abilities.

Spellow Hub’s Transformation

The transformation was driven by a commitment to improve accessibility and service offerings.

The County Road building featured a new ramped entrance, a platform lift, and an induction loop for hearing aid users.

Also a Changing Place provision was installed, providing a wheelchair-accessible toilet, ceiling hoist, and adjustable changing bed.

These improvements made sure that everyone, regardless of physical ability, could access the hub’s resources.

Spellow Hub Services

Spellow Hub was open six days a week, from Monday to Saturday, providing a wide range of services:

• Library Services: Full digital access, including free use of tablets, with self-service available on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• Enterprise Business Service: Support for entrepreneurs.
• Training and Skills Programs: Tailored for the long-term unemployed.
• Smart Classrooms: Free to use and bookable online for various learning activities, such as coding workshops and parent & toddler groups.
• One Stop Shop: Access to Council services from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.00pm.
• Art Gallery: Celebrating local creativity with rotating exhibits.

The refurbishment, funded by Mayor Steve Rotheram’s Liverpool City Region Town Centre Fund, unlocked more than a fifth of the building previously used for storage, making it available for community use.

This redevelopment was seen as a vital step in the regeneration of an area ranked as the third most deprived ward in the UK, which is also set to be impacted by Everton FC’s move away from nearby Goodison Park.

Violent disorder on August 3

On the evening of August 3, a violent disorder erupted on County Road, involving approximately 300 people.

The group, intent on committing serious violence, caused significant damage to community facilities, including Spellow Hub. The ground floor of the hub suffered severe damage due to a fire. When firefighters arrived, the group attempted to prevent them from extinguishing the fire, even throwing a missile at the fire engine.

Rebuilding and Moving Forward

In the wake of this devastating incident, Spellow Hub is now focused on rebuilding and restoring its services to the community.

Mark and Debbie, staff members at the hub, were “absolutely devastated” by the events but have begun salvaging what they can from the damage.

Debbie said that it is the community that “will be most affected” by the destruction, and they are “determined to rebuild” for their sake.

Liverpool City Council leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:

“We won’t let the actions of a mindless minority win.”

The resilience of Spellow Hub and its commitment to serving the Walton community remains unwavering.

Plans for community engagement and support looks set to continue, aiming to restore the hub as a safe and welcoming space for all residents, with more updates to follow.

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