Portland Works

Our starting point was to save Portland Works from being closed and converted into flats. This run-down old cutlery works is the first place in the world where stainless steel cutlery was made, and is architecturally significant, being a well built set of workshops in a courtyard behind a rather grand frontage. Portland is one of the few Works in Sheffield still host to working people busy making things, and probably the only one where metal working has continued uninterrupted from the 1870s until the present day.

The campaign evolved into securing a future for this Grade II* Listed building, through purchase, renovation and management by a social enterprise set up by an association of tenants and community members. A community share issue was launched in June 2011, aiming to reach its £500,000 target by early 2012. We want the Works to belong to the people of Sheffield, and to continue to offer low-cost accommodation to craftspeople and the creative industries.

The full story of the campaign is in the History section

The Campaign started in January 2009 with the first planning application for a Change of Use from a place of "Business and Industry" into residential accommodation. Portland Works would lose its original and continuing role, providing workshops and studios for independent metal workers and other creative people. The original application was withdrawn soon after, but re-submitted in more detail in November 2009; many people objected to the application online, many more contacted us to express their concern. This was the first turning point in the campaign - realising the significance of this place for so many people galvanised the campaign group into action. We determined to put forward an alternative future for the Works. The vision became one of a renovated Works, housing musicians, artists, craftspeople and engineers, helping new enterprise and offering some public access to a heritage centre within the courtyard.

The planning application was withdrawn in May 2011 following a recommendation of refusal by the Council Planning Officers.

The Share Offer for the purchase of the works was launched in June 2011

Supporters include a majority of the tenants together with local residents, city councillors and our MP. Messages of support have come in from all over the world. This campaign has been run entirely by volunteers for almost two years.

Andrew Cole, Shelley Hughes, Mark Jackson, Stuart Mitchell, Nuala Price and Mary Sewell have been amongst the most enthusiastic tenants, and there are many more. From the community Julia Udall, Cllr Jillian Creasy and Alan Deadman of Stag Works have been there from the start, as was Richard Caborn, former MP Sheffield Central and Paul Blomfield the current MP.  Cristina Cerulli, Stephen Connelly, Simon Parris and Malcolm Tait of Sheffield University have given great support, and Nic Bate, Kiera Chapman, Hugh Facey, Emma Green, Colin Havard, Derek Morton, Alex Pettifer, Tim Reynolds, Nikky Wilson and many more have put in huge amounts of their own time along with their skills and enthusiasm for a fine building with a great future. Prominent local and national organisations who are supporting the campaign include Sheffield Town Trust, Sheffield Civic Trust, Sheffield University, the Victorian Society and the Heritage Craft Association.

Through 2010 and 2011 the campaign to save the works has moved from acting against a planning application to becoming a serious bid to buy the Works. We are now a properly constituted social enterprise aiming to buy Portland Works.

In 2011 we have

• - Launched the community share issue to buy the Works, in June 2011, and raised £125,000 in cash sales.

  - Written a business plan to ensure a sustainable future for Works under community ownership

• - Launched a national online petition in March 2011 opposing the planning application which gained 2000 signatures in three weeks.

• - Saw the withdrawal of the planning application for residential use, withdrawn, in april 2011

• - Acquired, decorated and furnished a base in the Works for our group and visitors to use.
• - Held three Open days bringing in over 400 visitors on guided tours of the workshops and studios.
• - Gained further grant support from the Sheffield Town trust, of £2,670

In 2010 we -

• - Formed an action group of thirty highly active members, from tenants and community, and a support base of over 200 supporters and potential investors.

• - Built cross-party political support for the project through local councillors, council leaders and our MP.

• - Gained considerable media coverage in the local and national press, ITV Calendar news, Sky News, Radio Sheffield and a Radio4 apperance on 'You and Yours', and several appearances on our very own 'Sheffield Live' 93.2 FM

• - Received an offer from the owners to sell the Works to our group - May 2010

• - Held a day conference - "Portland Works Futures" to decide the form of ownership, with support from Sheffield University - June 2010

• - Set up a new website with professional help - September 2010

• - Formed the IPS "Portland Works Little Sheffield Ltd" - October 2010

• - Secured a £5000 grant from South Yorkshire Community Fund for Open days in early 2011

• - a grant of £7000 from Sheffield City Council for survey costs, 2011

• - a grant of £4000 from Sheffield Town Trust for further surveys and legal assistance, 2011

We'd like to thank Sharrow Community Forum and Sheffield University Architecture Dept for unstinting support from the very beginning of this project, Architectural Heritage Fund for their help and advice, Community Enterprise Hub for support with the business plan, South Yorkshire Community Foundation for supporting the Open Days, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Town Trust for financial support.

We wouldn't have got this far without some crucial financial support.

Our thanks go to

• South Yorkshire Community Fund - a £5000 grant for Open days 2010
• Sheffield City Council, £250 grant for start-up costs, 2010
• Sheffield City Council, Community Assembly - a grant of £7000 to cover survey costs, 2011
• Sheffield Town Trust - a grant of £4000  to support the purchase process, 2011
• South Yorkshire Key Fund - a grant of £1500 for legal costs in setting up the IPS
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