Famous Fifer to open new community hub in Fife town next week

The St Andrews hub is due to open its doors for the first time on August 3, starting at 11.30am.

The outdoor event will include stalls and a raffle, with prizes generously donated by many businesses and individuals in and around the town, and all are welcome from 11am to 2pm.

The hub took over the St David’s Centre in St Andrews from Fife Council in 2020 and work has been ongoing since then to transform it into a home for different services in the town.

It marks the end of a nomadic existence for the hub, which has been running in the town for the last three years.

With the opening of the hub’s own premises, there will be a stable base from which to offer a range of services to the community, including a cafe, support for living healthily and economically, and a range of social activities in a safe environment, which can boost wellbeing and mental health.

Jane E H Smith, director of the hub, said: “St Andrews is perceived to be very affluent, however there are many people who are not, as a significant number of people in the area are on low-paid, zero hours contracts for seasonal work in the hospitality and retail industries, and more people have had financial challenges during Covid lockdown. There are also problems with loneliness for some people.

“The new hub building will allow a wider range of activities and support services to be offered to those in need, and the extra space is being let out to relevant groups with a similar function, which, together with the cafe, will bring in income to fund the whole project’s running costs. The local foodbank, Storehouse, is one such group, which has been running from the Hub since completion of the purchase.”

Ms Smith added: "It is hoped that the whole community will help to support the hub.

"The income generated by visitors to the cafe will help to pay the bills and wages to allow all the other services and activities to operate.

"The cafe is operating a weekday takeaway service within Covid restrictions, but it is hoped this will be extended to full indoor service as well very soon.”