Setting up a community centre/hub/Asset of Community Value

[Liveanlearn]

Posting here for traffic.
Has anyone been involved in setting up the above? Community groups being set up to take on pubs, community centres etc. Can I ask for any tips, legal advice, business plan do's and don'ts, pros and cons of an ACV.
Thank you in advance.

Yes - although the "venue" was some years ago now, I've spent a lifetime involved in community development

It's a wide subject and you mentioned several different types, so without being outing more detail would help, but probably the most important thing for me was to have the right people running things
You don't need a cast of thousands, though you'll doubtless attract noisemakers and politicians looking for a bit of borrowed glory, but you will need folk skilled in finance, consultation and probably law

If there are any of these in your community I'd start there, but feel free to PM me for anything specific which might otherwise be outing

They did this in MILs village with the village pub.
Whole thing was a complete shit show and there were loads of fallouts. People lost thousands of £
It was one of the reasons why MIL moved

Are you talking about taking over an existing community asset eg from the local authority?

Website

Just to say it’s very complex and really does depend what asset you’re looking to take on

I've seen it happen.

On looking at Companies House, the organisation has closed/been struck off multiple times and then reappeared the following day under a slightly different name and sometimes a slightly different spelling of the the Director's name. Each time, the staff have spent months trying to get their wages whilst he, his wife and their children have a rather wonderful life with brand new cars, big house and exclusive private education. Of course, family money could be paying for that - but when he turns up on social media begging for more money because he's as poor as a church mouse, the business will fail within the next week unless donations and grants are received (and it always does shortly after the extra money goes in), I think that perhaps some of this money should really go on giving the teenagers and early 20 somethings their wages instead of making excuses for 3-6 months before screwing them over permanently.

Seems like community hubs attract a particular type of grifter.

Thanks all. It's in the early stages but is a former school. There's still a number of options that we're exploring and there are talks ongoing with the various councils etc. Essentially one of the plans is for a community group to run it - we would have to be totally watertight around profits, banking, what happens with any profit and what happens if the venue closes, group breaks down etc. Also to do with things like caretaking and maintenance, bookings etc. It sounds as if experiences of these things aren't generally positive which is disheartening but real and I appreciate it.

i think the best place to start would be to talk to your local council for voluntary service who advise community organisations and social enterprises on a range of issues.

like everything form follows function so what you will actually be doing will drive what kind of legal structure would be best for the organisation eg community interest company, charitable incorporated organisation & what income you have will drive what paid staff you can employ and what you will need volunteers to help with

... there are talks ongoing with the various councils etc.

Oh gawd, good luck OP; an ex-school willl drive you straight into the byzantine structure of not just one or two council departments but numerous ones - and unless you're very lucky they'll all have their own little empire-building procedures and "guidelines say no" attitudes to match

Do any of you have experience in dealing with this sort of thing? Because you'll definitely need someone like this, and preferably not anyone involved in politics because too often their interest lies is highlighting what they're doing rather than focusing on your project

They'll flog it off for housing.