Exeter Climate Action Hub, a climate crisis information and resource centre that opened in an empty Princesshay shopping centre retail unit last November, is threatened with closure.
Agents acting on behalf of landlords the Crown Estate, a UK property portfolio worth around £17 billion which belongs to the British sovereign but is managed by a semi-independent body, and partner Nuveen Real Estate, have told the charity that runs the hub that it has to vacate its premises by 15 August at the end of its lease.
While commercial tenancy agreements typically include a clause giving the tenant the right to renew, charity trustee Chris Wood was told it must forego this clause when it agreed the lease.
When asked whether the climate action hub could move to another empty Princesshay unit, he was told that all the other similarly-sized spaces were under offer despite four currently being advertised for rent and the Crown Estate’s regional retail brochure showing seven units are available.
Exeter Climate Action Hub opening ceremony
For the past twelve months Exeter Climate Action Hub has provided events, meeting space, film screenings and drop-in advice and support around climate and ecological issues as part of a network of climate emergency centres across the UK.
It is integral to Exeter Community Alliance, a collective of nearly 100 local community groups who help support the hub, with some working from and running events there.
Exeter Community Alliance organisations are actively engaged in addressing a wide range of social, cultural and environmental issues in the city.
They include Exeter Community Energy, Exeter Cycling Campaign, Exeter Library of Things, Recycle Devon, Exeter Respect, the Trans and Non-binary Café, Exeter Communities Together, The Baby Room, Exeter Foodbank, Devon Development Education, Maketank, Refugee Support Devon, the Conversation Café, St Petrock’s and Exeter Observer.
Green Futures Network and Exeter Living Lab positive tipping points event at Exeter Climate Action Hub
The Crown Estate benefits from the climate action hub’s tenancy as it avoids having to pay business rates on an empty unit, while the charity is able to claim 100% business rates relief as the tenant.
Princesshay also benefits by being able to cite the hub as one of its key sustainability initiatives in promoting its “commitment to the environment”, which it says it takes “very seriously” while “working towards becoming even more environmentally conscious”.
The Crown Estate, which made a record net profit of nearly £450 million last year, goes further. It says “sustainability is at the heart of our approach” and that it is “committed to aligning our business to the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Climate Agreement, with a target to be a net zero business by 2030 and climate positive thereafter.”
It has significant interests in renewable energy among other environment-related initiatives, addressing areas that now-king Charles has prominently promoted since the 1970s.
Exeter Climate Action Hub in Bedford Street
Climate action hub trustee Chris Wood is writing to the king to seek his assistance. In the meantime, the charity is preparing to vacate its Bedford Street premises by moving the furniture, catering equipment, repair tools, musical instruments, books, computers and display materials it has amassed, mostly from donations, into storage.
Maketank, which is 300 metres away in Paris Street, has offered to house many of these things until a new home for the hub is found.
Help is needed on Tuesday 8 and Monday 14 August with all aspects of the move. Anyone who can spare some time on either day is invited to email Chris Wood on [email protected] to let him know that they can come along.
Anyone who may know of a suitable new home for the hub is also invited to get in touch with Chris at the same address.
