The Repurposing our High Streets (ROHS) grant scheme is helping creative businesses thrive in Crewe town centre, with three new shops recently opening thanks to support from the initiative.

The ROHS 'Open in Crewe' grant scheme offers capital grants of up to £30,000* (subject to meeting eligibility criteria) for businesses taking on leases at vacant town premises.

Funded by the UK Government Towns Fund, the grant scheme has allowed a variety of businesses to open their doors in Crewe - leading to a number of success stories in recent years.

New creative businesses to have opened with support from the scheme include:

The Lizard's Lair - Victoria Centre

The Lizard's Lair opened in Crewe town centre this July, with support from the ROHS scheme (Ryan Parker).

The Lizard's Lair is a new community gaming hub which opened in Crewe town centre this July.

Operated by Crewe resident, Jamie Crowe, 42, and business partner, Neil Porter, The Lizard's Lair Gaming Co operates on both floors of the old BHF shop.

As well as offering a space for "like-minded people" to play games in a sociable environment, The Lizard's Lair Gaming Co provides a home schooling space, as well as painting sessions and reptile experiences.

Opening with support from the Open in Crewe scheme, The Lizard's Lair provides a large area for people to sit down and play a variety of games.

Jamie told Nub News he was motivated to open in Crewe because there was "no central hub where fans of board games, trading card games, tabletop war games, miniature painting and the likes to come together in a welcoming environment."

"Crewe has been light on businesses in the town centre, but this now seems to be slowly changing for the better," he said.

The Lizard's Lair is open 10am to 10pm (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and 12pm to 8pm (Sunday).

CreweCreates - (Market Street)

CreweCreates launched a new Crewe Makes Artspace on Victoria Street in October 2024, with support from the ROHS grant scheme (CreweCreates).

CreweCreates launched a new Crewe Makes Artspace on Victoria Street in October 2024, with support from the ROHS grant scheme.

Hoping to help change the story of what goes on in the town, CreweCreates wanted to establish another reason for people to come to Crewe on weekends, creating a space to foster local creativity.

Providing a drop-in space for the public to work on their own project, the art-space also provides exhibition space for local artists and hosts workshops and events to support a growing creative community in the town.

The Crewe Makes Artspace aims to make art accessible to everyone, contributing to the vibrancy of Crewe town centre.

CreweCreates said: "Opening a 'pop-up' art-space in Crewe town centre has been an amazing experience for us.

"It has provided us with a fixed space to test out our concept with relatively low risk in a flexible environment.

"The support from the ROHS project has been critical in facilitating the relationships with the landlord while enabling us to make improvements to the space with zero risk."

CreweCreates closed its Victoria Street art-space on Saturday 27 September to reopen at the old Burton/Dorothy Perkins store on Monday 13 October.

To learn more about the ROHS pop-up shop grant opportunities visit: https://openincrewe.co.uk/pop-up-shops/'

Ice & Fire Studios - High Street

Ice & Fire Studios launched on High Street in July 2024, with support from the ROHS scheme (Supplied).

Ice & Fire Studios launched on High Street in July 2024, operated by Meg Luan, from Crewe.

Meg, who previously worked at Studio 78, Nantwich Road, for eight years, wanted to have her own studio within her hometown.

Ice and Fire Studios offers bespoke tattooing services, piercings and laser removal and used the ROHS scheme to help cover the costs of renovating the building.

Meg's partner, Dan Melville runs the photography side of the business, offering family photoshoots, pet photography and more.

Passionate about Crewe, Meg wanted to open as part of a revival of shops in the town, with the new Southern Gateway Scheme set to open up High Street with Forge Street and Mill Street for pedestrians.

Meg said: "I am honoured to open my studio in my hometown and hoping the new projects will make it great again.

"Crewe is a bit more accepting of any business as long as it is a thriving one. Without the ROHS funding I wouldn't have been able to transform this space into what it is now."

Ice and Fire Studios is open 10am to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Whether you are a start-up business, looking to expand your existing business into Crewe or want your organisation to have a high street presence, the ROHS grant scheme can help you by contributing towards the initial capital costs of occupying and operating from vacant commercial premises.

Grants are available to sole traders, existing businesses, community enterprises and charities, plus some organisations that take on new leases of previously vacant commercial premises in Crewe Town Centre.

Find out more about the ROHS scheme at openincrewe.co.uk.

READ MORE: Family-run bakery starts work on Crewe town centre building.

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