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| Sheffield building's manufacturing heritage secured by community buyout | Sheffield building's manufacturing heritage secured by community buyout |
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| After a four-year battle a team of specialised craftspeople have finally succeeded in buying an old Sheffield cutlery factory that had been earmarked for redevelopment. | After a four-year battle a team of specialised craftspeople have finally succeeded in buying an old Sheffield cutlery factory that had been earmarked for redevelopment. |
| Portland Works comprises a dilapidated labyrinth of modern day 'little mester's' workshops, where highly skilled self-employed manufacturers work alongside engineers, musicians, artists and photographers. | Portland Works comprises a dilapidated labyrinth of modern day 'little mester's' workshops, where highly skilled self-employed manufacturers work alongside engineers, musicians, artists and photographers. |
| The historic building, where stainless steel cutlery was invented 100 years ago, is now in the hands of one of the biggest community ownership schemes in the country. Over 450 people have bought shares in the property, just off Bramall Lane, south of Sheffield city centre. | The historic building, where stainless steel cutlery was invented 100 years ago, is now in the hands of one of the biggest community ownership schemes in the country. Over 450 people have bought shares in the property, just off Bramall Lane, south of Sheffield city centre. |
| The group launched a community share issue in June 2011 to save Portland Works as a place of manufacturing, and raised £250,000 within 18 months. The group deliberately imposed a low minimum share price of £100 to allow as many people as possible to stake their claim on the building. Shareholders have put in an average of £500 each. | The group launched a community share issue in June 2011 to save Portland Works as a place of manufacturing, and raised £250,000 within 18 months. The group deliberately imposed a low minimum share price of £100 to allow as many people as possible to stake their claim on the building. Shareholders have put in an average of £500 each. |
| Derek Morton, the chair of the community benefit society that runs Portland Works, said: "This isn't a financial investment in the normal sense. No-one will make a killing out of this project, we just need people's cash for quite a long time, which is quite a big ask these days." | Derek Morton, the chair of the community benefit society that runs Portland Works, said: "This isn't a financial investment in the normal sense. No-one will make a killing out of this project, we just need people's cash for quite a long time, which is quite a big ask these days." |
| But buying out the works was a rocky process. The original plan was to buy the building in stages over four years, but that deal nearly broke down in December last year due to legal problems. The owner agreed to sell the building outright at a lower price, if the group could get the cash together with a month. To make up their shortfall the community benefit society urgently appealed to their existing shareholders, who stumped up £80,000 within three weeks. The sale was completed on Friday 1 March, it was announced on Thursday. | But buying out the works was a rocky process. The original plan was to buy the building in stages over four years, but that deal nearly broke down in December last year due to legal problems. The owner agreed to sell the building outright at a lower price, if the group could get the cash together with a month. To make up their shortfall the community benefit society urgently appealed to their existing shareholders, who stumped up £80,000 within three weeks. The sale was completed on Friday 1 March, it was announced on Thursday. |
| Although the first priority will be to start restoring the building – which leaks extensively and has no working toilets – the plan is to begin hosting more start-up businesses and entrepreneurs. The group has started making inroads into local colleges, and aims to set up apprenticeship schemes in the future. They regularly have open days, to showcase the work done at Portland Works to the public. | Although the first priority will be to start restoring the building – which leaks extensively and has no working toilets – the plan is to begin hosting more start-up businesses and entrepreneurs. The group has started making inroads into local colleges, and aims to set up apprenticeship schemes in the future. They regularly have open days, to showcase the work done at Portland Works to the public. |
| Julia Udall, one of the community benefit society's 11 directors, said: "It's really exciting because now we can really begin to realise our plans for the building." Portland Works is not just about heritage, it is about innovation and getting together a great mix of people, she said. "We could have rushed in and been really eager but then destroyed what it is all about," she said, adding that they were keen to keep Portland Works a messy and noisy working place. | Julia Udall, one of the community benefit society's 11 directors, said: "It's really exciting because now we can really begin to realise our plans for the building." Portland Works is not just about heritage, it is about innovation and getting together a great mix of people, she said. "We could have rushed in and been really eager but then destroyed what it is all about," she said, adding that they were keen to keep Portland Works a messy and noisy working place. |
| "Community is the key thing," said Stuart Mitchell, a knifemaker who has worked at Portland Works since he was 15 years old. "It's always been what the works is all about." Tenants working there share their various skills and help each other out so that very few jobs have to be outsourced. | "Community is the key thing," said Stuart Mitchell, a knifemaker who has worked at Portland Works since he was 15 years old. "It's always been what the works is all about." Tenants working there share their various skills and help each other out so that very few jobs have to be outsourced. |
| This year Sheffield celebrates the centenary of the discovery of stainless steel. Britain manufactured a lot of guns in the lead up to world war one, but production was hindered because the inside of gun barrels were susceptible to erosion. In 1913 Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brearley was attempting to find a solution when he discovered that adding chromium to molten iron produced a 'rustless' metal. He soon realised its potential. | This year Sheffield celebrates the centenary of the discovery of stainless steel. Britain manufactured a lot of guns in the lead up to world war one, but production was hindered because the inside of gun barrels were susceptible to erosion. In 1913 Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brearley was attempting to find a solution when he discovered that adding chromium to molten iron produced a 'rustless' metal. He soon realised its potential. |
| He took stainless steel to Portland Works – which was then manufacturing cutlery – towards the end of 1913. The resulting product can be found in almost every home in the world. | He took stainless steel to Portland Works – which was then manufacturing cutlery – towards the end of 1913. The resulting product can be found in almost every home in the world. |
| The master cutler, Neil MacDonald, said: "The entrepreneurial spirit that Harry Brearley showed in 1913 to recognise and exploit the commercial benefits of stainless steel is still at the heart of our great city today. Sheffield is still a city made up of small and medium sized businesses. | The master cutler, Neil MacDonald, said: "The entrepreneurial spirit that Harry Brearley showed in 1913 to recognise and exploit the commercial benefits of stainless steel is still at the heart of our great city today. Sheffield is still a city made up of small and medium sized businesses. |
| "[Portland Works] is an important part of our legacy. It is not something a big company could take on. The community coming together, that's such an important thing. It's also brilliant that it's happening in the year of Sheffield's centenary for the discovery of stainless steel." | "[Portland Works] is an important part of our legacy. It is not something a big company could take on. The community coming together, that's such an important thing. It's also brilliant that it's happening in the year of Sheffield's centenary for the discovery of stainless steel." |
| MacDonald is keen to draw public attention to the wealth of manufacturing and engineering work done in Sheffield that continues its reputation as a the Steel City. In fact, Sheffield produces more steel now than ever before, though the industry employs fewer people. | MacDonald is keen to draw public attention to the wealth of manufacturing and engineering work done in Sheffield that continues its reputation as a the Steel City. In fact, Sheffield produces more steel now than ever before, though the industry employs fewer people. |
| Had Portland Works been converted into apartments, as was planned four years ago, the 23 tenants working within Portland Works would have had to relocate or shut up shop. Many of them would not have been able to afford the cost of renting a workspace elsewhere or of moving heavy machinery, such as the 19th century forge. | Had Portland Works been converted into apartments, as was planned four years ago, the 23 tenants working within Portland Works would have had to relocate or shut up shop. Many of them would not have been able to afford the cost of renting a workspace elsewhere or of moving heavy machinery, such as the 19th century forge. |
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