A thriving community hub in Skipton has been given additional protection after a bid to have its premises designated as an asset of community value was accepted.
North Yorkshire Council has approved a nomination from charity Share Skipton for 46-48 Newmarket Street, which includes the organisation’s Library of Things.
The successful designation means the council-owned property will be added to the authority’s list of assets of community value.
Share Skipton has occupied the ground floor at number 48 since July 2024, operating a scheme which allows residents to borrow useful items rather than having to buy them.
The organisation has more than 800 borrowing members and has completed more than 3,000 loans, with around 700 items available including DIY and gardening tools, camping equipment, mobility aids and household goods.
Around 75 to 80 volunteers support its work.
The building also acts as the operational base for Share Skipton’s monthly repair café, which has completed more than 840 repairs.
Council officers concluded the organisation was more than simply a shop or storage facility, describing it as a community resource combining affordable access to equipment with volunteering, sustainability, skills sharing and social connections.
The nomination also included number 46, the currently vacant first-floor accommodation.
This was previously used by Skipton and Craven Action for Disability (SCAD), which occupied the premises until around 2022/23.
Officers said its three-year vacancy was relatively short compared with almost three decades of charitable use. Share Skipton has expressed an interest in expanding into the space, potentially using it for volunteer training, skills-sharing sessions and workspace.
The charity has already invested around £34,000 improving the property and has held early discussions with the council about taking ownership of the building from the council.
In its application, the charity outlined its plans to expand the services offered from the property.
It said:
“We have plans to further develop the backyard to create extra storage — and potential workspace by building and fitting out a shed.
“And originally the Library of Things only opened two days a week – it now opens four.
“It is expected that, as volunteer numbers and borrower demand continue to grow, it will be open more days per week or for greater
shift lengths on individual days, so that residents can borrow more easily around their own work/life patterns.”
It added:
“If 48 Newmarket Street were lost, moving to another premises would likely severely hamper our Library of Things (and Repair Café) operations.
"Should we be unable to find suitable alternative premises, Skipton would be deprived of a valuable community resource that many local people rely on.
"By accepting this nomination, you give us the time needed to make arrangements and potentially form an offer in the event the building is sold.”
North Yorkshire Council, which owns the building, raised no objection to the ACV nomination and said it currently had no plans to sell.
The designation does not prevent a future sale.
However, if an asset of community value is put on the market, community groups can trigger a protected period giving them time to raise funds and prepare a bid. The owner remains free to choose who ultimately buys the property.
Officers concluded that both parts of the Newmarket Street property met the legal tests for community value, with continued community use considered a realistic prospect.
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