Fundraising bid to save ‘historic gem’ building
AFUNDRAISING campaign has been launched by the organisation behind the revival of one of Newcastle’s best loved historic buildings in a bid to help keep it open.
The Common Room project saw the restoration of the old North of England Mining Institute, close to Newcastle’s Central Station, painstakingly restoring the 19th Century building to create a heritage venue which could inspire future generations of innovators and engineers by highlighting the region’s history.
The building was once home to the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, which was formed in the 1800s to make advancements in mining and thereby reduce the number of accidents and deaths within the industry. Following years of decline, mirroring the decimation of the North East’s mining industry, the Heritage Lottery Fund backed the project to regenerate the building.
The beautifully-restored building has provided a unique venue for a number of public and corporate events, but its ability to commercially trade as a hospitality venue has been hampered, having launched into a post-pandemic cost-ofliving crisis.
As a result, CEO Liz Mayes has revealed in January how the ‘clock is ticking’ on the building’s ability to remain open. A call was initially launched to the North East business community amid moves to bring in consistent funding, regular partnerships and regular bookings for business events.
Now the organisation has widened the appeal for funds, by launching a public fundraiser to give the thousands of local supporters and people who have visited the building the chance to become involved in securing its future. The fundraiser has just been launched through Just Giving, with a target of £20,000.
Ms Mayes says the Common Room has secured a grant from Trust and Foundation for its programme work, as well as sponsorship for its Face of Engineering Festival, a three-day event starting on April 7, but she warned that there is “still more to do”.
She said: “At The Common Room we’re custodians of a historic gem. Founded in 1852, the walls of our grand library and wood panelled lecture theatre seem to echo with the hustle and bustle of mining and industrial history.
“We’re working tirelessly to give this historic building and its vast archive back to the region that built it, using this heritage to catalyse change today through our charity work with schools, artists, local businesses and people across the region. The Common Room is fast becoming a vital asset to our region. However its continued existence hangs in the balance.
“We stand at a pivotal moment where the threat of closure is not just a threat to our community, it’s a setback to the very essence of innovation and progress that defines us in the North East.
“Support from the public, no matter the size, can make a difference in overcoming financial hurdles and preserving this invaluable resource.”