There's a real buzz about a newly restored historic building which has opened its doors to people for work, coffee and those who want to know more about a wealth of interesting topics. Sara Buchanan fills Joanna Davis in.

An iconic Georgian building which has received a £2 million new lease of life is thriving as a community hub.

The remarkable transformation of the Literary and Scientific Institute (LSI) in Bridport comes after it fell into disrepair in 1997 and found its way on to Historic England’s At Risk register.

With the East Street building's future hanging in the balance for more than 20 years, charity the Bridport Area Development Trust stepped in to save the grade 2* listed building on behalf of the community with a renovation that took 18 months to complete.

The LSI re-opened earlier this year as a venue for talks and lectures, offering meeting spaces, space for business and the Alembic canteen, offering locally sourced food and refreshments.

Regular talks are now held - seeing the building used in a similar way as it was in the past - to provide education and training for local working people.

Old now meets new with self-employed people using the building as office space for their fledgling businesses.

Sara Buchanan, one of three part-time managers at the LSI, said the building has been establishing itself as a hub for the town in its first six months and 'things are really picking up speed'.

She said: "What we are offering is unique and it's a new concept for Bridport. The building restoration has been beautifully done.

"It's a real pleasure to work here. The building offers a place to think."

It was a shock for Sara to see the transformation of the building, which was last used as the town library up until 1997.

Sara said: "Before I started work here the last time I was there it was the old library and I was taking my two-year-old daughter there!

"And back then it was filled with books and shelves and I couldn't remember just how beautiful the building was. The way it's been restored has enhanced the beauty of the building and all its original features are all there in place.

"The restoration has been the first time I've seen the building in its true colours."

Work spaces at the LSI offer modern, innovative and affordable facilities including a work hub with 10 hot desks, meeting and training rooms and a venue for event hire. Training is offered for people who are starting out in business.

Sara said: "We want to give people what they want, not what we think they want.

"In the long term we'd like to see more people coming in and using the business space, I don't think everybody realises what it is.We want to encourage people to come in and have a free trial and see how it feels.

"There aren't many work opportunities in a small town like Bridport and we want to provide a space for people to be able to network.

"Or people can come in and use it as a social space and meet for a coffee in the canteen or just whizz off a couple of emails. It's open to everyone for everything."

The growing number of events being held at the LSI is keeping the staff very busy, Sara said.

"It's fitting that the number of talks and lectures we're having here are how it was used in the 1800s to educate local people. It was like an early version of adult education.

"We want to replicate that with more modern day issues that we hope people will be interested in. We want to make them affordable for people and for everyone, whatever your age is. If you're interested in vampires you can come and listen to a lecture on vampires and if you're interested in homeopathy come and find out about it."

Fundraising is currently underway to buy acoustic panelling for the canteen in order to install a hearing loop and make it easier for those who are hard of hearing.

And the long-term goal is to attract as many people as possible to this unique venue, Sara says.

"It's about encouraging people through the door. Because the building has been closed for so long I think a lot of people walk on past and don't really know what's going on inside because the LSI has been off the radar for 20 years."

*Find out more about the facilities at the LSI at the website - lsibridport.co.uk, or email centremanager@bridportlsi.co.uk.

Or call in during opening times, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm and Saturdays, 9am to 4pm.

History of the LSI

The Literary and Scientific Institute (LSI) – also known locally as ‘the Old Library’ - was built in 1832.

The grade 2* listed building was originally constructed as a Mechanic’s Institute and was one of more than 70 establishments which were set up in the UK during the industrial revolution to provide education and training for local working men.

From 1952 to 1997 the building became the much loved home to Bridport’s library, but after it was relocated to a more ‘modern’ venue, the LSI fell into disrepair.

It re-opened to the community in February 2018. Prince Charles visited in June to unveil a plaque and see the finished restoration project.

The building is owned and managed by charity the Bridport Development Trust and the three managers are Michele Morgan, Sara Buchanan and Sally Vaughan.

What's coming up at the LSI

HEALTH

October 8 Helen Lucey: Strange, Rare & Peculiar: Homeopathy for Mental Health, 7pm to 8pm

October 18 Meet The Artist: Trish Wylie, 7.30pm to 8.30pm

WRITERS' WORKSHOPS

October 20 Jane Rayner: Getting Started in Social Media, 10am to 3pm

NATURAL HISTORY

October 26 George McGavin: Tales from the Telly (Students, year 7 up), 7pm to 9pm

REGULAR EVENTS

October 13 and 27 CHESS Drop in (all ages), 10am to 12pm

ART CLASS – beginners watercolours with Marion Taylor: 5 week course Mondays, 10am-12pm