The community arts centre opened in a disused factory in 2015
By Victoria Munro

Gnome House in Blackhorse Lane (credit: James Cracknell)

A much-loved community arts centre in Walthamstow has announced its shocking closure.

Gnome House in Blackhorse Lane is a community space with a print-making studio and a pop-up cafe that runs a nationally recognised youth club called Ratpack.

It opened in 2015 in a disused factory building and is run by non-profit Gnome House Community Interest Company, which is also permanently dissolving.

The centre’s voicemail states it is currently closed “due to flood damage” but had expected to reopen “in mid-to-late October” after repairs.

In July last year, Waltham Forest Council’s leadership agreed to acquire the site for a price of £1 from owners Me Ventures Ltd, although in a statement to the Echo today council leader Grace Williams confirmed the purchased is still not yet completed.

*Drummers outside Gnome House (credit: Gnome House)*

In a statement on Twitter today, a Gnome House spokesperson wrote: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closure of Gnome House Community Arts Centre.

“The volunteer Directors will now all be standing down (for personal / medical reasons.) The social enterprise (CIC) which operates the community centre will be dissolved.”

The report prepared for Waltham Forest Council’s cabinet last summer notes that Gnome House Community Asset CIC had “not as yet entered into a lease for the property” despite occupying it since 2015.

The same report notes that the first and second floors of the property are occupied by Big Creative Community CIC, who have a 125-year lease.

Responding to a request for comment, council leader Grace Williams told the Echo: “The directors of Gnome House have decided to wind up the Community Interest Company and we thank them for their hard work and dedication over the years.

“Over the last year, the Council has engaged with the owners of 7 Blackhorse Lane – the building in which Gnome House CIC is based – on the opportunity to purchase the building.

“These discussions are continuing and, should the purchase be completed, we will work with the community on options for the ground floor space that Gnome House currently occupies.”

*Members of the Ratpack at Gnome House in Walthamstow (credit: Ratpack)*

In their Twitter statement, the Gnome House spokesperson gave their thanks to organisations that “provided project-based funding” to the centre, including Arts Council England, The National Lottery, London Catalyst, William Morris Big Local and Waltham Forest Council.

They added: “We would also like to thank the many, many volunteers who devoted huge amounts of their time and expertise to the community centre.

“In particular we would like to recognise Anna Alcock. She has been the lynchpin of the organisation and made Gnome House work for almost ten years despite working through cancer, chemotherapy and surgery.”

Anna’s art studio Inky Cuttlefish, which the spokesperson said “provided a constantly joyful, supportive and nurturing presence to the artistic community in the Blackhorse Lane area”, will now relocate elsewhere in London.

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