Prentice Centre: West Granton community hub to close as charity hit by soaring costs

A crucial community hub in Edinburgh is set to close, with all activities coming to an end this week.

The Prentice Centre will close this week.

The Prentice Centre, in West Granton, made the shock announcement that despite successful fundraising efforts, increases in overheads have meant that the centre will close.

The announcement comes after a meeting by the West Granton Community Trust Management Committee on Monday, at which the decision was taken to close.

In a statement released today, the centre said that the decision was “reached with great regret”, following a review of the trust’s finances, and the hub manager paid tribute to all members who have supported the centre over the years.

The committee found that the centre was facing a substantial shortfall in its funding for the current financial year and would no longer be viable.

The centre has hosted a range of activities and services over the years, such as art courses, health and fitness classes, support groups and social events.

Management at the Prentice Centre, which is located on Granton Mains Avenue, said that it has proven impossible to raise money for core costs such as staffing and other overheads, including electricity, for which charges have more than doubled in recent months.

The long-standing staff at the Prentice Centre are said to be devastated at the planned closure, which will lead to the loss of a valued community resource.

“All avenues for accessing alternative funding have been explored, but there is just no money out there”, said Community Hub Manager, Moira Fenning.

“We deeply regret that we will no longer be able to serve the West Granton community in which we sit. We thank all our members for their support over the years”.

All activities within the Prentice Centre will stop at the end of this week, on Friday, July 1, 2022.

The loss of the community hub will undoubtedly come as a blow to the area, with the loss of a number of services and social support networks.

The centre has previously fought successfully to stay open, after a funding battle in 2016 following a cut in funding by Edinburgh City Council.