Community Q & A - 27th July 2025
Directors Judith Gardner, Hattie Budd and Kim Greig answered questions from the public at our latest Q & A session. Read on for the latest updates on our fundraising and renovation plans! If you have questions concerning the OAK project and the renovation of The Oxford Arms, join us at our next session.
Project update
Open Arms Kington is now at the mid-stage of our National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Development Grant. In January, we announced that we’d received £92,000 from The NLHF to be spent on developing the project and the renovation plans. None of this money can be spent on the building itself. Instead, it’s intended for specialist surveys, audits, engineering, design work, and project development. All these projects must be submitted to tender. So far, we’ve appointed an architect team, Project Organiser, Evaluation Consultant, Project Development Administrator, and just this week we’ve engaged a Business Planner Consultant, who will ensure that The Oxford Arms will reopen with a sustainable business model fit for the long term.
The next stage, before renovations can commence, will be to secure a Delivery Phase grant of over £1 million - hopefully from The NLHF. We are on-track to submit our plans to The NLHF in February 2026, and we will know if we’ve been successful in summer 2026.
We are also in conversations with other major donors about raising the remainder of the money that will be needed as match-funding. Once we’re close to our target we will launch a public fundraising campaign to help us over the finish line.
Q: Will you keep the character of the building after the renovations?
It’s a listed building, dating back at least to 1706 (and almost certainly a fair bit older than that), so absolutely, the character must be retained. Our architects are specialists in heritage buildings, and they understand how to retain important architectural features whilst making design modifications. They are helping us to stick to our goal of making the building accessible to all, which will include accessible entrances, a fully accessible WC, and a lift to an accessible bedroom with an ensuite on the first floor.
Q: What other works are required, and what else has been discovered?
The architects were excited to discover that the timber frame of the older building is still present, entombed within the walls, which were covered with stucco in the 1800s. We plan to have the timbers dated in the not-too-distant future so that we can finally say exactly how old The Oxford is!
Given the age of the building and its condition, extensive works will be required to save it from further deterioration. We will need to make the building envelope fully waterproof which will be costly. Extensive electrical work will be necessary to boost the power supply into The Oxford, while many of the drains are Victorian earthenware connecting to modern plastic and will need to be replaced. The building also needs substantial work to ensure that it meets modern fire regulations.
Plans include moving the kitchen from the first floor down to the ground floor. In terms of public space, the lounge bar and restaurant areas will be retained, insulated, and redecorated. The ballroom will be brought back into public use as an events space, and we are looking at how to provide another point of access to / from the courtyard and barn.
Finally, we have a whole range of surveys and audits underway to delve deeper on all kinds of aspects, from fire safety and accessibility to whether bats are roosting in the attic!
What kind of heating will you have?
The Oxford is a very cold building, so a good heating system is essential. We aim to have the most efficient system possible in place, most likely a hybrid system using renewables like solar alongside a cozy woodburner in the restaurant.
What’s the timescale from now until the building is reopened?
Our timetable is mandated by NLHF requirements and guidelines. If we complete the Development Phase to the satisfaction of the NLHF, we hope to submit our application for the Delivery Phase grant in February 2026. And then we’ll have to wait until the summer for news on whether we’ve been successful. If we are, then we’d hope works could commence that autumn. If all goes smoothly we would expect to reopen the building in the first half of 2027, with a busy schedule of events and activities to celebrate.
The NLHF supports grantees like OAK through this step-by-step process, and they undertake due diligence at every stage to make sure we’re working effectively and to budget.
Can I have my say on the project?
Yes! Our community consultation is now open and we would love to hear your thoughts. Scan the QR code on a beermat at The Oxford, or click on this link to take part.
What’s going on at The Oxford while the project develops behind the scenes?
Our community development and engagement officer, Kim Greig, has been in post for over a year and things continue to move forward steadily. We have a growing number of regular weekly events, including the local veterans’ group meet-up each Tuesday, Places of Welcome every Wednesday from 10am-12.30pm, chair yoga each Wednesday 12.30-1.30pm (we hope to continue this group through the winter by moving into the barn), and the knit and natter group each Saturday morning.
Our events calendar is busy all summer. We’re hosting our first private wedding on Saturday 9th August, we’ve recently hosted fantastic free events like the Towns Alive dance festival in association with 2Faced Dance, and we’re hosting a ticketed concert in association with Kington Folk Club on August 23rd.
We also have an art competition for young people running throughout the summer, based on the very rare Radnor lily: the only place this grows in the UK is on Stanner Rocks! This competition will be judged by local artists and gallerists. See our website for more details.
Finally, we have regular monthly events and pop-ups of all sorts. The last Sunday of each month is our Creative Workshop, where you can learn new artistic and creative skills. We have local luminaries at our regular Kington Castaways, live music, health-check events, and food pop-ups.
How can I help to make the project happen?
There are many ways that you can help. One is simply filling out our community consultation survey (click here to take part); there’s even a prize draw to win a £100 shopping voucher if you take part!
You can join our 100 Club. For £10 a month, you’ll help to cover our critical running costs (like the bill to heat the barn in the winter so that local groups can use the space), and you’ll be entered into a monthly draw to win the jackpot of £200! Click here to find out more.
If you can spare a few hours a month, talk to us about becoming a volunteer with OAK. We’d love to draw more deeply on the skills of the people of Kington (and beyond) to help us get The Oxford reopened as a vibrant and thriving community hub!