Bridges Centre – What’s Happening and Why It Matters

Bridges Centre – What’s Happening and Why It Matters

The Issue:
Monmouthshire County Council has offered Bridges a new 30-year lease.

• Old rent: £1 per year
• New rent: £97,000 per year

That’s a 9,699,900% increase — from a peppercorn rent to a commercial rate.

Council’s Offer

• Lease term: 30 years, “fully repairing” (meaning Bridges is responsible for all upkeep and repairs, inside and out).
• Council grant to help with rent for the first 3 years:
  • Year 1: covers 90% of the rent
  • Years 2 & 3: covers 85% of the rent
• Grant reviewed every three years — the Council could alter or withdraw it at any review point.

The Problem with the Offer

1. Uncertainty = Financial Risk
   • If the grant is removed, Bridges could suddenly face the full £97,000 annual rent.
   • If the trustees sign the proposed lease in it’s current form they would be accepting the liability of the rent going to £97,000 at any point.
   • That would make it impossible to keep the Centre open in its current form.
2. Block on Funding Opportunities
   • To apply for large grants (e.g. Heritage Lottery Fund), we must have a secure lease without grant reviews or “break clauses.”
   • The Council’s proposed lease does have these — meaning we would not qualify for essential funding to maintain and improve the building.
3. Why the £97,000 figure is unfair
   • The Council set the rent based on the fact that we sub-let some rooms to help small businesses and independent therapists.
   • We only do this to help cover the £50,000+ annual cost of running and maintaining the building in order to provide services for the community .
   • This income does not represent profit — it’s the only way to keep the building open for the community. We are a not for profit charity.

What’s at Stake

• Bridges is a lifeline for local people: community groups, charities, social support services, and events all operate here.
• If the Centre closes or is forced to drastically cut back, these services could disappear.
• Without a fair, secure lease, Bridges cannot plan for the future or invest in the building.

What We Need

• A lease that reflects Bridges’ role as a community service, not a commercial business.
• Security of tenure without 3 yearly grant reviews.
• A rent level that allows us to keep the building open and continue serving the community.

This is about more than rent – it’s about the future of a community hub that thousands of people rely on.

Let’s Not Forget

The project to restore Drybridge House (Bridges Centre) began in the autumn of 2001. The building was in a dilapidated state, there were weeds growing from many of the floors.

The local community and beyond came together to fundraise the £1.6 million cost of restoration.

The work was finished in the summer of 2003 when Bridges moved from their site in Hadnock Road to the centre at Drybridge House. Bridges has maintained MCC’s building at an average cost of £50k per year since 2003.