This month’s catch up from Mel our CEO, talking about our hopes for a new community cafe in Lockleaze.
You might have seen on our socials and on our website that we’re fundraising to fit out a new Lockleaze Community Cafe on the site of the old Cameron Centre on Gainsborough Square.
We are hoping that the whole community can get behind this big dream for Lockleaze, and make sure that we build community alongside the new housing development going up all over the place.
Why are we doing this? As everyone in Lockleaze knows, in October 2024 our beloved Cameron Centre (Lockleaze’s longstanding community centre) was knocked down to make way for the new social housing being built right now by Bristol City Council (BCC) on the site on Cameron Walk.
Because we lost our community centre, BCC were legally bound to replace the Cameron Centre like for like. So they’ve created a brand new community centre (plan below) on the ground floor of the Cameron Walk development. Like for like means we get a brand new, fully fitted out community hall and community kitchen, and a new reception area, public loos and two small offices. We can’t wait to share the space with everyone next summer.
And alongside the new community centre, there is also an empty space on the end of the building overlooking Gainsborough Square. It was originally going to be a
commercial unit but BCC have offered it to LNT as a community space.
Our community has long been asking for more places to meet and connect, via many community conversations and most recently in Our Lockleaze Community Plan 2026-30. People in Lockleaze feel that we need to build community infrastructure – GPs, community spaces, shops, cafes – alongside all the new houses going up, so that Lockleaze feels like a complete neighbourhood.
So after a lot of community conversations, LNT are planning to fit out this new empty space as a new Lockleaze community cafe.
Not only will it be open throughout the week – selling hot and cold drinks, healthy affordable food and yes, cake – but it will also be a community space for groups to meet, people to come together in the evening, and community events to happen. This is not a money-spinner for LNT – we’ll be lucky to break even. We are doing this because it’s what the community wants, and because we all need to dream big for Lockleaze.
So please help us make the dream come true, and make Lockleaze a complete neighbourhood – donate to the cafe fund today.
THANK YOU!!
PS… What about the library that was in Cameron Centre? Why isn’t that being replaced by the Council too?
Yes, Bristol Libraries used to rent a room in the old Cameron Centre from LNT, to house Lockleaze Library (2018-24). Since that library closed, LNT has maintained a pick-up/ drop- off service in the Hub, which is very well used. But it’s not a real library.
But we know from our current Lockleaze Community Plan and numerous community conversations that people really want to see a proper library service return to Lockleaze.
The great news is that pressure from our community has been heard, and LNT are working with Bristol Libraries to bring our library back. We think that it could be located in the new cafe, with Bristol Libraries providing the books and other services, and local volunteers helping us run the library. We’ll see. Watch this space and please share you comments in our Virtual Suggestion Box on this page.