By William Turtle-Clark

The Core Skate CIC, a not-for-profit roller skating rink and community space in Hereford, has praised the support of volunteers after being forced to move to a new location.

Matt Bushkes, director at The Core, told HHR's William Turtle-Clark that the move came about whilst the organisation was in negotiations with their landlord over terms of lease. He said "they gave us some rent figures in February, and then, completely out of the blue in June they put the figures up from £25,000 to £38,000 a year".

He confirmed that such an "enormous rent hike" meant the organisation "would not be in the position to afford" to remain in its existing unit on the Foley Trading Estate, adding that "it wasn't fair to the community".

Bushkes discussed how notice was given, meaning The Core would leave the unit by 30 September 2026, and that the organisation had no idea on its future. He said "we just had to kind of hope that someone out there might have, you know, even a barn that might be able to store our stuff until we could get ourselves sorted or the council might have a unit that becomes available".

It was then that the organisation received a telephone call with an offer to house The Core, which Matt described as "amazing" and a "fantastic opportunity".

The new site is located in the old Gala Bingo unit on Berrington Street, with its proximity to the town centre described by Bushkes to be "an absolute dream come true for passing trade and for transport hubs and for all kinds of access to community".

When asked what the reaction has been from the local community and users of The Core, Matt described the biggest feeling to be that of relief, noting that "when we put out that we would potentially be closing with no plan B, there was a huge outpouring of sympathy and shock that another community space was being lost in Hereford".

Bushkes praised donations via a GoFundMe campaign, which paid for the security deposit, costs for moving locations and planning considerations.

Matt described how the contents of the entire premises, including 500 metres worth of maple flooring, was moved within 48 hours "just on the support of the community".

He praised the community support, praising the efforts as "something that will live with me forever".

He described the story as being "almost like a fairy-tale" and that it had given him "such a lovely feeling".