Leigh Spinners Mill

Leigh Building Preservation Trust

Historic mill expands capacity with loan from Thrive Together Fund

Grade II*

Leigh Spinners Mill is a fine example of a 20th-century cotton mill that stands as a testament to the region’s industrial heritage. The mill was built in two phases in 1913 and 1923 and designed in the Italianate style by Bradshaw Gass & Hope. At its peak, the mill employed hundreds of local people. As the UK textile industry declined from the mid-20th century, operations gradually reduced and almost all of this very large site became derelict.

Leigh Building Preservation Trust was formed with the aim of saving Leigh Spinners Mill and giving the site a sustainable future. The Trust has already restored and converted one of the two main mill buildings into a flexible and affordable space, subdivided into a mixture of for-hire event spaces and units, which are occupied by charities, social enterprises, and small businesses. With over 60 tenants, the building is home to a wide range of services, including a dance studio, independent cinema, sporting facilities, and a craft workshop. There is also a community garden within the grounds.

The AHF first supported the Trust in 2013 with a grant to look at the viability of the site, followed by further grant funding to support the development of plans for the mill buildings. By 2023, the open mill building was fully occupied and thriving. In order to scale up its existing activity within the building, the Trust began work to open the top floor of the mill and was subsequently offered blended finance (loan and grant) from the Thrive Together Fund to support significant infrastructure improvements. The Thrive Together Fund is delivered by the AHF in a partnership with Social Investment Business.

https://www.spinnersmill.co.uk/

AHF Funding

Cold Spot Grant - £5,000 (2013)

Project Viability Grant - £4,900 (2017)

Project Development Grant - £7,500 (2018)

Thrive Together Fund - £150,000 (2023)

Photo Credits

Leigh Building Preservation Trust