New life breathed into derelict Hendon building

Back on the Map has taken over the block on the corner of Toward Road and Villette Road which has stood partially empty for 15 years.

Transcript

00:00Jo Cooper from Back on the Map, what's the thinking behind the project?

00:05So we started about a year ago with a programme of High Street Revolution looking at community

00:10wealth building and transforming the High Street on Bullett Road. We wanted to work

00:15with local people to find out what was going to make a real difference in transforming

00:19the area in the long term, bring more businesses, a new offer, enhance the existing offer and

00:25bring footfall to the street to provide services for local people but also a quality shopping

00:31district for other people across the city.

00:35And the block that you've been working on I think was identified by local people as

00:38a major problem.

00:40It was, so during our consultation for the High Street Revolution project we talked to

00:46local traders and over 500 local residents and that was identified to be the real thing

00:50stopping the area thriving. It was, it is on the main bus route through our area and

00:58it was a bit of an eyesore. It had been empty for 15 years and it was a source of anti-social

01:05behaviour, crime disorder and we aesthetically looked unpleasant to passers-by and visitors

01:12but also to local people.

01:15And I understand we already have two tenants lined up?

01:17We do, we're delighted that we've got a fantastic local business selling cards, gifts and personalised

01:22balloons and we're hopeful that the lease will be signed on a children's clothing store

01:27this week.