Local Success Stories: The Story of Leatherhead Community Hub

Tucked away in North Leatherhead, a once-overlooked building has become a thriving focal point for local residents. What was previously an underused and tired community centre has been transformed into the Leatherhead Community Hub—a vibrant, welcoming space offering everything from advice clinics and preschool education to community meals and film nights.

A Community in Need

North Leatherhead has long been one of the more economically mixed areas in Surrey’s Mole Valley District. While many households in the wider area enjoy relative affluence, parts of North Leatherhead face social and economic challenges—higher rates of deprivation, fewer local services, and limited community facilities.

Since the closure of the local children’s centre in 2019, families, young people, and older residents had few accessible places to meet, learn, or seek support. Charities and public services struggled to find suitable, affordable spaces to work from.

Local residents and District Councillors recognised this gap—and decided to do something about it.

The Lease That Sparked a Transformation

In 2020, a group of community members formed The Leatherhead Community Hub (TLCH), with a clear vision: to transform the former North Leatherhead Community Centre into a multi-use, community-led facility. That same year, they secured a five-year internal repairing lease from Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) for part of the building known as The Bar.

Their efforts quickly gained traction. Recognising the group’s impact, MVDC proposed a 25-year lease for the entire building in 2021, enabling TLCH to take full control of the site. The longer lease would open doors to funding and give TLCH the long-term security it needed to invest in major improvements.

Bringing the Building Back to Life

With the keys in hand, the team set to work. Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, community donations, and grants from MVDC, the building underwent a dramatic makeover.

The outdated interior was reimagined with a new café area, kitchen, cloakroom, and a warm, inviting reception space. Volunteers repainted walls, fixed fixtures, and helped build furniture. Upgrades to heating and cooling systems followed, funded in part through MVDC’s support and match-funding via the Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) programme.

The result was not just a refurbished building—it was a rebirth.

What Happens at the Hub?

Since opening in March 2022, the Leatherhead Community Hub has quickly become a cornerstone of life in North Leatherhead.

• The Old Schoolhouse Café, run by local volunteers, welcomes over 2,500 visitors every month—offering affordable lunches, hot drinks, and a place to chat.
• A growing number of events and activities are hosted regularly, including family meals, film nights, afternoon teas, soft play for children, and seasonal celebrations.
• The hub also provides a home base for essential local services, such as:
  • The local foodbank and community fridge
  • Monthly Councillor drop-in sessions
  • Citizens Advice Mole Valley through its weekly Advice Café
  • Preschool education via All Saints Preschool and St Giles Nursery
  • Local GP support from The Molebridge Practice
  • Mental health services provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust
  • Youth-focused services like Links2030 and The Hive
• Job-seekers and young people can attend drop-in sessions hosted by MVDC’s Employment & Skills Hub.
• A Wellbeing Garden to promote mental and physical health

In 2023, thanks to funding from the National Lottery and further support from MVDC, the Hub was able to recruit a Community Development Worker and a caretaker/assistant manager—two key roles supporting day-to-day operations and long-term planning.

Grants and Support from Mole Valley District Council

MVDC has played a significant role in the Hub’s success, offering both strategic and financial support. This includes:

• Proposing and negotiating a 25-year lease (pending final agreement)
• Supporting refurbishment with Neighbourhood Fund and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) grants
• Helping the Hub secure LoCASE environmental funding
• Collaborating on employment services and public health programmes

These grants have allowed the Hub to move from stopgap efforts to sustainable, long-term community development.

Beyond the bricks and mortar, it’s the stories from residents that reveal the true impact. Isolated parents have found connection. Older adults now have somewhere warm and welcoming to meet. Young people have access to supportive, structured activities. As one volunteer put it, “This isn’t just a building anymore—it’s a lifeline.”