Durban House, built in the late 19th century, is known locally for its historical significance as it was once the wages office for the local collieries where the father of the writer D.H. Lawrence worked.
The property, which later became a D.H. Lawrence Heritage Centre, has been a symbol of local heritage and cultural pride, so was a natural site of interest for Raleigh whose past is also entwined with the local area, having been based locally on Church Street in Eastwood since the early 2000s,
At the site, Broxtowe Council had two primary objectives.
First, to restore Durban House to its former glory and also to create a functional business space.
Raleigh’s move to the premises achieves both goals, marking the first stage of a longer-term plan between the council and Raleigh.
Chris Slater, managing director, at Raleigh said: “We are pleased to remain in Eastwood and deeply appreciate the ongoing support and collaboration from Broxtowe Council in facilitating this move.
“Raleigh’s rich heritage is deeply intertwined with the borough, making it essential for us to stay connected to our local roots.
“Durban House represents an exciting next step in our long-term strategy, offering a space that not only honours our storied past but also aligns with our vision for future growth as we continue to invest in our ambitious plans for the bicycle business.”
Work on turning Durban House into a community hub began in 2021, but a bid for Levelling Up Funding was unsuccessful.
The challenges this created have now been solved by the agreement with Raleigh.
Broxtowe Council, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), has also identified new locations for community activities.
Some community projects connected to the hub, such as the gardening group, will continue to work on the grounds of Durban House and the surrounding area with Raleigh committed to supporting community activities outside of working hours wherever possible.
Milan Radulovic MBE, leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, believes it is vital to support local businesses, particularly “strategically important” firms like Raleigh.
He added: “We’ve been working on this partnership for a number of months to secure Raleigh with a new home.
“As soon as we heard the news that they needed to relocate their head offices we wanted to ensure we worked with the team to support them through this change.
“It’s also been really important that we ensure that we can keep these jobs in the local area and help support our local economy”.
The project was made possible by support from the UKSPF with Wilborne Painting & Decorating Limited helping to complete the renovation.
