Case Study: Ousebank House
Background and history of Ousebank House
At the northern end of Newport Pagnell High Street stands the charming Grade II listed Ousebank House, originally constructed in the late 18th century as a family home. In 1938, it was occupied by the War Office and later it became the public library and doctor’s surgery under Buckinghamshire County Council. Milton Keynes Council (MKC) acquired the building and land in 1996 and subsequently, in 1981, leased it to the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) national headquarters, who then sub-let it to RBL’s Newport Pagnell branch.
By 2011, RBL had decided not to renew their 30-year lease and instead, the local branch and club occupied the building on a monthly roll-over basis while MKC considered selling the freehold for conversion into private flats. However, in May 2019, following a well-attended public meeting, a local group of RBL supporters and other building users established Ousebank House CIC, a non-profit community interest company limited by guarantee, to restore and develop the building for the benefit of the people of Newport Pagnell.
In the Autumn of 2019, the CIC commenced negotiations with MKC in order to obtain a lease on the building, aided in this by Newport Pagnell Town Council, which contributed a grant to cover associated costs such as solicitors’, surveyors’, and structural engineers’ fees. Finally, on the 1st of April 2021, the CIC signed a 99-year fully-repairing lease with an annual rent of £1.
Prior to the signing of the lease, numerous hours of voluntary work had already been carried out on the interior of the building, including repainting the two rooms on either side of the front door and renovating two of the rooms on the upper floor for the use of small, local arts and crafts businesses. This was enabled by the sustained, cordial relations between the CIC and the local RBL branch.
How was extensive work funded?
While leased to the RBL, the building included a large kitchen, but this did not meet the necessary environmental health standards and was on an upper floor, which was inconvenient. The CIC therefore decided to search for funding to create a kitchen on the ground floor. They were awarded a £30,000 grant by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust once the lease with MKC was signed.
The funding was enough to provide all the kitchen equipment. But preparatory and finishing work was still needed, including drainage, plumbing, electrics, plastering, wall cladding, a false ceiling, flooring, and painting, at an estimated cost of £16,580.
With the assistance of donated supplies and volunteer labour for a large part of this work, the costs were lowered to £8,460. A bid to The Harry Middleton Gift met this shortfall and the kitchen was completed by the end of May, allowing the Community Centre to open after the end of the lockdown.
An early result
As 2020 drew to a close, the Milton Keynes Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club eagerly anticipated resuming operations,but the establishment hosting them before the pandemic was no longer available. Ousebank House stepped in and put on a successful trial breakfast for a small number of veterans in early December. From mid-July 2021, after lockdown restrictions were lifted, a dozen to fifteen members have met up on the first Sunday of each month, taking advantage of the updated kitchen facilities and often continuing the gathering into lunchtime.
Val Dixon, the Club’s organiser, commented that the relocation of the kitchen was a huge improvement. Interacting with the chef and his staff was a great change, reminiscent of a traditional cookhouse full of banter and camaraderie. This was especially appreciated by the members who didn’t typically converse much but relished the opportunity to tease the cook. It seems that this is what they most enjoyed!
Conclusion
The CIC extends its sincere appreciation to the trustees of The Harry Middleton Gift for their generous donation. Thanks to their contribution, Ousebank House is well on the way to being restored to its former beauty and is now available to Newport Pagnell’s community.
Thanks to the new kitchen installation, Friday and Saturday evenings are packed with activities like live music performances, curry nights, and viewing major sports events on their large screen. On Remembrance Sunday, Ousebank House opens its doors to more than 100 visitors.
In addition to veterans’ events and the daily accessibility to the local community (closed on Mondays), Ousebank House serves as a meeting point for many groups. These include the weekly Poker Group, Knitting and Nattering Group, and Mess Dinner for the local Army Air Corps. Monthly committee meetings for Christmas Lights and the Carnival also take place at the building.
Paul Wright and Euan Henderson are directors of Ousebank House Community Interest Company. Paul is an experienced plumber and gas engineer and leads on the maintenance of the building; Euan is a former Milton Keynes councillor and acts as company secretary.
