Scottish Enterprise Borders sells property to Home Basics

Neil McInnes
Scottish Enterprise
05.03.07

The board of Scottish Enterprise Borders, last week, approved subject to conclusion the sale of property at Tweedvale Mills in Walkerburn to local Borders charity, Home Basics.

The organisation, which specialises in redistributing unwanted furniture, household items and electrical goods to disadvantaged groups in the area, has been a tenant in the property since 2003.

By purchasing the property, Home Basics hopes to reduce its operational costs, enabling it to consolidate its operation in the Walkerburn area as well as expand its services in Hawick.

Scottish Enterprise Borders converted the eastern half of the former Victorian Mill property in 1990 to form seven units following the closure of Laidlaw & Fairgrieve.  The refurbishment of Tweedvale Mills has proved a key way of introducing new business and employment to the town.

Nigel Watson, Director of Physical Infrastructure at Scottish Enterprise Borders, says: “Over the past fifteen years, Tweedvale Mills has been very successful in filling a gap in the local commercial property market and attracting new companies to the Walkerburn area.

“The sale of one of the units to Home Basics will be invaluable to the organisation, helping it to grow its business and expand its service for the benefit of more people in the Borders.  Social enterprises such as Home Basics have an important role to play in developing the local economy and we are delighted that they will be able to consolidate their business as a result of this move.”

The social enterprise sector is an increasingly important contributor to the local and national economy. Providing services within and alongside the public sector, social enterprises are businesses which re-invest profits to the benefit of the community.

Scottish Enterprise Borders supports social enterprises through the local Business Gateway.  For more information about Business Gateway services, visit www.bgateway.com.