A brand-new teaching, learning and community space has opened, bringing Keele University into Newcastle-under-Lyme ‘s town centre for the first time in its history.
Keele in Town will be a gateway where residents, community groups and businesses can collaborate with the university and benefit from new learning and support opportunities.
Professor Trevor McMillan OBE, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, said: “Keele’s civic role within the community is one we’ve always been enormously proud of, and Keele in Town marks an exciting new chapter in that relationship between our university and the communities we serve, bringing us into the town centre for the first time to create opportunities for local people, businesses, our staff and students, and our partners.”
The project was part funded by money from the Newcastle Town Deal: a successful bid by partners including the University, and led by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, to central Government for funding in Newcastle and Kidsgrove – to improve residents’ quality of life and boost economic regeneration.
The new facility offers space where:
- Newcastle-under-Lyme residents and eligible businesses will be able to access a range of free digital support opportunities;
- Community events, such as art exhibitions, can be held;
- Keele students and staff can work flexibly;
- People and businesses can access free legal advice on certain areas of law from Keele’s Legal Advice Clinics;
- Small groups and businesses can meet and stage presentations.
Partners will also make use of the space, with Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group using the facility throughout the year to connect with the community and deliver a wide range of entry-level adult courses including English and maths, introductory digital, health and social care, and teaching assistant courses.
Councillor Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, added: “The council is proud of its strong links with Keele University. Having a world-class higher education establishment on our doorstep already brings many economic and social benefits so I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact that Keele in Town will have in Newcastle town centre.
“As well as transforming an attractive building on the Ironmarket into a mixed-use facility, Keele in Town will drive productivity and increase skill levels in Newcastle-under-Lyme – leading to growth and improved quality of life for residents – while bringing different groups of people into the town centre.”
Better late than never. Don’t forget there is a uniquely competent community based organisation locally which has done the heavy lifting to date. I for one want to know how and why there is now an hotel on what was excellent food producing land at Keele. What is that all about. What is the occupancy on all those buildings concreting over the countryside? And why didn’t you bother to invite the local M. P. who represents all of us and is a member of the party currently in government. That government which gave the money to do this. Seems a bit of a diplomatic misstep.