Community Engagement Research - The Old Bank 2025

Overview

In early 2025 we engaged external consultants to carry out feasibility for us on whether it could be viable to take on a disused retail space and turn it in to a charity shop with flex event space and commercial kitchen for pop-up eatery events. We approached this with three questions:

The first was whether there was a need for this locally. Do people want these services?

The second was whether the project would be financially viable. Would it turn a profit?

The third was whether we would be able to raise the capital required to get started and complete a refurbishment and cover start-up costs.

The Development Support Crew (DSC) were able to demonstrate positive outcomes for the first two questions. While the picture is not yet fully clear on the third question, we're optimistic to share good news soon and we're working toward putting funding in place.

The aims of the project would be to improve circular economy of secondhand goods, keeping them from landfill while also creating a welcoming community space with affordable retail service. Further, profits could be reinvested in other LEAP Together projects such as the Larder to sustain those activities and improve financial sustainability. For more information about the proposal, please check out our short video here.

The following information relates to the Community Engagement results which surveyed a wide number of individuals and local organisations.

Methods

Three surveys were devised using Google Forms to capture feedback and ideas from both individuals and organisations; they were open from 6th-16th February 2025.

Organisations were sent the survey directly or were interviewed by DSC staff, and the individual survey was shared to LEAP’s contacts and on facebook sites such as the Community Larder page and Lochwinnoch Community Chat page.

Individual Survey Summary

The survey to individuals received 170 responses. Of this, 95% lived locally, 10% work locally and 5% were visitors to the area. The majority of responders (40%) lived in a 2 person household. The survey evidenced a huge level of support for the project; an overwhelming majority of respondents (98%, r.166) were in favour of LEAP taking on the Old Bank. Of this, 20 respondents had further questions.

The minority views that should be noted were concerns over parking, the suggestion the premises should be used by a commercial business so as to create more jobs, competition/overlap with current letting opportunities and future plans for the Parish Church, and a concern over running costs.

Regarding use of the charity shop, the survey revealed that: 

• 96% of respondents (r.164) would be interested in donating goods

• 89% (r.152) would be interested in buying goods

• 58% (r.99) would be interested in upcycling workshops

• 69% (r.118) were interested in pop-up restaurant events

• 66% (r.112) were interested in pop-up takeaway events

Hiring the event space was supported by 32%, with a significant number of respondents (r.55) showing interest which can be followed up.

Just 15% (r.25) showed interest in hiring a commercial kitchen, but 25 hires would be a significant amount over one year so there is a wide selection of potential partners to follow up with.

• 25% (r.43) showed an interest in hiring equipment

• 29% (r.49) were interested in volunteering

53 respondents had additional suggestions as to possible uses for if LEAP took on the building.

• 9 respondents suggested a tool library/repair cafe/skills sharing space

• 7 respondents suggested a cafe/community cafe of some kind with opening hours that complemented the other businesses in the village rather than competed with them

• 9 respondents suggested it could be a space for clubs/workshops/courses such as craft, kids clubs or cookery classes

In terms of why respondents would support the project (respondents were able to select multiple reasons):

• 92% (r.156) to making good use of a currently underused high street premises

• 91% of respondents (r. 155) had environmental reasons - keeping goods out of landfill

• 68% (r.115) Social reasons - to meet and connect with others

• 67% (r.113) had financial reasons - accessing affordable goods

• 49% (r.83) to increase footfall in the village

• 49% (r.83) To learn new skills at workshops

• 1% (1) did not support the project

The other reasons given by respondents were:

• “I’d love to deliver workshops here”

• “Provide a community hub with ‘purpose’”

• “A welcome space to meet in and affordable to hire.”

• "Just general charity shopping and browsing, I don’t like buying new clothes even when I can afford to do so, much prefer finding a bargain.”

• “I would like to see food from the Larder cooked in the commercial kitchen and distributed to those that need it.”

Organisations Survey Summary

DSC contacted a number of organisations and had engagement from 16 organisations regarding the Old Bank Project. Information was received via a combination of the google survey devised for organisations, and 9 in-person discussions. A discussion was also held with the landlord of the Premises.

50% of those surveyed have ‘high street’ premises. 88% of those surveyed were in support of LEAP taking on the building with 2 respondents (12.5%)  stating “maybe, I have more questions” both of whom DSC spoke with to talk these through.

The majority of respondents would like to see the building being used, bringing footfall to the village.

• “100% supportive of the project, keen for building to be used.”

• "It will likely bring more people to the village and give visitors something else to do. As long as it is not delivering something that is already available e.g. selling coffee in the daytime.”

• “There's a lot of potential for the property due to location and size, good income stream for leap for a charity shop, and space is flexible enough to use for other events in the community, hopefully lots of other groups can use it as well.”

• “The village needs more businesses open in the area as footfall has dropped dramatically in the past 4 years since covid”.

• "Leap are well established and trusted organisation that is perfect to take on the lack of charity shop and affordable, warm, community space in the village.”

A minority view that should be noted was regarding the use of the premises as any kind of eatery; one respondent did not think there would be a call for it in the village. Several were keen to ensure that a cafe type operation would not be run during competitive hours to existing provision.

Q: Which of the following would you be interested in?

	Yes	No	Maybe
Using the charity shop	75% (r.12)	0	25% (r.4)
Hiring the meeting/workshop space	31% (r.5)	31% (r.5)	38% (r.6)
Hiring the commercial kitchen in the evening*	13% (r.2)	63% (r.10)	25% (r.4)
Running a pop-up event in the space	32% (r.5)	44% (r.7)	25% (r.4)

*A further survey specific to the hiring of kitchen space was carried out following this survey and is detailed below.

Q: Do you see opportunities to work in partnership with LEAP and the Old Bank?

Out of 15 respondents, 13 saw opportunities, 1 was not sure but open to suggestions and 1 saw none. Suggestions included using the space for events such as craft, talks and exhibitions; volunteering, signposting, and teaching or taking part in workshops.

The organisations’* reasons for supporting the project are:

• 100% (r.15) to making good use of a currently underused high street premises

• 93% (r.14) Social reasons - can see benefits for the community

• 80% (r.12) to increase footfall in the village

• 73% of respondents (r.11) had environmental reasons - keeping goods out of landfill

• 33% (r.5) to use the commercial space

*there were 15 respondents to this question; respondents were able to select multiple reasons

14 respondents were happy to be contacted with follow up questions.

Food Vendor / Pop-up Eatery Survey

A further survey was conducted which specifically targeted organisations which might be interested in running Pop-Up Eatery events on an occasional basis out of the kitchen area. These were suggested as potentially being take-away food offering different options to what is available locally, with options for casual sit-in facility for small numbers.

7 organisations completed this survey, offering the following:

• Caribbean Street Food

• Plant-based Cuisine

• Indian Street Food

• Handmade Dumplings

• Slow Cooked BBQ

• Bespoke cuisine options

• Catering and teaching services

71.4% (r.5) said they would be interested in renting the facility for pop-up food events with 28.6% (r.2) saying maybe, but they had more questions. These organisations were based in locations across Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

Conclusion

These consultations were broadly positive and many suggestions came from them which have helped to shape the design of the project. While there was wide support there were also some concerns and these were considered in the development of the Business Plan.

We look forward to potentially focusing on project areas in phases with the first being a proposed charity shop and retail space. If we are able to proceed we hope to perhaps open this by Spring 2026. This would hopefully be followed by the development of a commercial kitchen which could be used for our own use under the Community Larder for making retail food stuffs and splitting surplus produce. It could also be offered for private hire, workshops and pop-up eatery events to other individuals and organisations. Upcycling workshops, repair cafes and other such events would also be included in the overall plan from early stages.

As we progress we will contact all businesses who took part in the consultation with updates and keep information in the public domain. If anyone has any questions or queries please get in touch to discuss.

Email: tori@myleapproject.org

Web: www.myleapproject.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/myleapproject

Office: 39 High Street, Lochwinnoch, PA12 4AN.