Byker hobby rooms given new lease of life

Four previously disused spaces on a Newcastle estate have been transformed into community hubs following a £400,000 refurbishment programme.

Karbon Homes, which owns and manages the Byker estate, has restored four of its hobby rooms to support activities spanning food, arts, local groups and heritage.

At Spires Lane, a new community kitchen will host food-related activities and training delivered by partners including Big River Bakery, Nourish Food School and Foundation Futures youth group.

Elsewhere, a former hobby room at St Michael’s Mount has become an artist’s studio, where artist-in-residence Lucy Minta Reeves will work with residents on creative projects inspired by the local area.

Meanwhile, Byker Community Coop will run the refurbished Raby Street hub, hosting weekly groups and activities.

The fourth, at Raby Way, has been converted into a community archive celebrating the history and heritage of the estate.

Victoria Keen, head of place partnerships and engagement at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s fantastic to see the completed refurbishment of these four hobby rooms.

“It’s been a joy to see these spaces come to life over the last 12 months, transformed into places where local people can build confidence, learn new skills, improve wellbeing and celebrate creativity at the heart of Byker. 

“The hobby rooms are an important part of Byker’s architectural and social heritage, and this project is also helping us preserve this part of the estate’s identity. 

“Bringing disused spaces back in use is key to building pride in place.”

The archive project received more than £240,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside £34,500 from Karbon.

Led by Northern Cultural Projects CIC, it will explore the evolution of the estate through its architecture, design and residents’ stories.

The Spires Lane and St Michael’s Mount projects were also supported by a £108,000 grant from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund.

Silvie Fisch, director of Northern Cultural Projects CIC, added: “This is an exciting time for this project as we open the doors to this community archive for the first time.  

“We are looking forward to developing this archive with everybody who has a genuine interest in Byker, people who once called Byker their home, those who planned, designed, built and managed the estate and, most importantly, the people who live here now. 

“We hope that Byker residents from every walk of life will join us on this journey, because this is their archive.”

Originally designed by architect Ralph Erskine in the 1960s, the hobby rooms were created to encourage interaction between residents, with some having stood empty since the 1980s.

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