Kwik Save founder's charity to fund multi-million pound revamp of city community site
Trustees hope work could begin on a multi-million pound refurb of a crumbling Liverpool community centre as early as the end of this year after securing a major investment from a charitable foundation set up in the name of the founder of Kwik Save.
For decades, Kensington Fields Community Centre on Hall Lane has been occupied by Kensington Fields Community Association (KFCA) under a licence with a peppercorn fee paid to Liverpool Council. Both parties have acknowledged that the arrangements need to be regularised to protect their interests.
Despite this, the centre has become worn down over time and is in need of freshening up. With finances tight at the Cunard Building, the city council in partnership with the KFCA has been working with the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation (AGCF) over the past two years to renovate and extend the existing centre.
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After city leaders signed off on new terms for the buildings, trustees are keen to get work started by the end of the year. The foundation was founded by Albert Gubay - who founded the Kwik Save chain of shops in 2016, when he bequeathed his property empire so that its income could be used for charitable purposes.
As a result, the AGCF has confirmed it will invest £3m into the site that supports the community with family support, financial help and housing queries. The major renovation will also come at no cost to the cash-strapped city.
Paul Nicholson, chair of the trustees of KFCA said: “This is a much welcomed decision from Liverpool Council and KFCA cannot thank The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation enough for the support they have provided and continue to provide. The funding for, and delivery of, the new building is more than we could ever have hoped for and will make a massive difference to the community that we serve.
“We’d also like to thank Liverpool Council for their support in getting us to this stage.” Having set up Kwik Save in the 1960s, Mr Gubay sold his shares in 1973 for £14million.
He then turned his focus to property development, primarily in the retail and commercial sectors. The property portfolio which Mr Gubay established is now owned by The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation and managed by its subsidiary, Derwent Estates, and is the source of income which facilitates the foundation’s grant making.
The existing building is in poor condition and in need of some structural repairs, principally to the roof. As part of the proposed investment, a long-term leasehold arrangement could be put in place for 125 years.
This would require the community association to pass it over to the AGCF who would lease the site back at a new peppercorn rent. The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation first awarded a grant to KFCA in 2021 under their emergency pandemic funding which enabled support for 242 families and hundreds of others with food parcels and food support.
In a statement, the KFCA said detailed design work is now underway, with a hope of a full planning application being submitted by April. Leaders are keen for spades to be in the ground before the end of the year.