Fancy a fixer-upper challenge? A handful of unused Manchester train station rooms are looking for new occupiers to transform them into brand new community led spaces. Four rooms are currently available in Altrincham Station, Broadbottom Station, Heaton Chapel Station and Trafford Park Station, with the Greater Manchester Rail Stations Alliance currently accepting applications from community organisations, social enterprise groups or charities looking to bring them back to life.

Each room varies in shape and size but the plan is to fit them out with a core shell model, providing new ceilings and walls and basic services like drainage, water and electricity. The end result will be four blank canvases ready to house whatever organisation or outlet is successful in their application.

Perhaps Altrincham’s Station’s room could become your new favourite neighbourhood coffee spot – or maybe Trafford Park’s cosy venue could house a quaint indie-homeware store? Heaton Chapel’s space could make a great mini pop-up art gallery – while Broadbottom Station comes with its own micro-pub that’s just begging to become the next hipster drinking haunt.

Interested parties are encouraged to email details of their organisation, relationship to the local area, ideas for the space and potential contributions they can make towards the refurbishment process to the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations team. Find out more by visiting their website.

Words:
Simon Bland
Published on:
Tue 23 Mar 2021