Posted on 21 Oct 2011

Local Organisation Set To Create Community Hub

The restoration of the White House back into its rightful place at the heart of the Craigmillar community has moved a step closer with news on a new long-term tenant for the iconic art deco building.

PARC has selected The Craigmillar Alliance Trust as the organisation which best matches its vision for the White House, following a review of a number of submissions about the future use of the building. The Trust now has three months to finalise their business plan with PARC which has overall responsibility for the building.
Vibrant Hub

The Trust want to turn the White House into a vibrant hub for the local area, working across the Craigmillar and wider community to ensure everybody has a chance to use and enjoy the building which reopened this year following a year-long refurbishment programme.

There are plans for a community-run cafe, plus ideas for working in partnership with local groups to provide a range of services to appeal to everyone living in the area - from mothers and toddlers right through to the older generation. There are also plans to hire out the White House rooms for public use for a range of functions and events

The interest and popularity in the White House was confirmed in September during the annual ‘Open Doors Day’ in September when the building was visited by more than 250 people in one day alone!

The 1930s B-listed building became an important focal point for the local population during the post-war period, but had remained empty for more than a decade with its derelict state becoming a symbol for the area’s overall decline. It was re-opened in March this year following an exhaustive £1 million plus renovation project spearheaded by PARC, the organisation behind the regeneration of Craigmillar.

Community Focal Point

PARC’s Operations Director, Eric Adair, said: “We are ideally seeking an occupier that has a strong affinity with the principle of regeneration, whilst providing an attractive focal point for the local area that can appeal to wide cross-section of the local population.

“It is a beautiful building and I am confident that its rebirth as a community focal point will have a real benefit to the area both as a local resource and prominent statement that Craigmillar’s regeneration is well underway.”
PARC acquired the White House in 2007 as part of the overall drive to develop and regenerate Craigmillar’s town centre. The restoration project was part-funded the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund and supported by Historic Scotland.