A VITAL community hub supporting residents and groups in Southend High Street will close its doors on Sunday after struggling to cope with rent and business rates.
The Ironworks opened back in 2022 and has been praised for creating a space in the High Street where all residents are welcome, can relax and pick up a coffee, as well as hosting a number of community groups.
However, sisters Ami and Natalie Solomons have struggled to keep the centre afloat and narrowly avoided closing in February when a series of fundraisers and a new subscription model helped them raise thousands to stay open.
Five months later they have announced they will close in the High Street venue on Sunday but remain hopeful they can find a new home and are hoping to re-open in September.
Natalie said: “With rent, business rates and all the utilities we have to find an incredible amount of money each month and that’s even before we pay staff invoices, stock and supplies.
“We just can not continue at 90 High Street.
“We have created an amazing community venue, where people dwell in their abundance, however this just doesn’t cover the enormous overheads.
“We love 90 High Street however, we didn’t choose the location, it was chosen for us by Southend Council and it is probably one of the most expensive units in the whole city centre.
“We are however in talks with Southend Council to see if there is an alternative, more affordable venue for us to move to.”
Ami added that the High Street location has been difficult for them and an inability to access the top two floors has made it hard to fully utilise the space.
“The absence of a lift has further compounded our challenges, limiting our ability to maximise the revenue potential of the other floors in the building”, she said.
“Despite the successful launch of a membership scheme earlier this year, generating £1,800 per month, it is insufficient to bridge the financial chasm we face at our current location.”
The venue has frozen all of their memberships and is now looking to relocate over the summer for a September opening, though there is no guarantee as to where yet.
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