THE first of ten projects funded by £23.7m of Camborne Town Deal funding has been completed.

Foundry is a state-of-the-art workspace facility that comprises coworking desks, meeting rooms, private studios, phone booths, a members’ kitchen and lounge, an event space and courtyard garden.

Designed, developed and run by Forward, a workspace specialist company that operates six other successful workspaces in the South West - including Pixel in Penzance - Foundry is the result of a total refurbishment of the old Boots building in Trelowarren Street.

Awarded £1.5m of Town Deal funding and £600,000 from Cornwall Council, Foundry has now been officially opened after nearly two years of construction work.

“By connecting people locally and enabling them to do business in an agile way, facilities like Foundry make a major contribution to town centre prosperity,” said Val Dalley, chair of the Camborne Town Deal board.

“The Forward team have restored a dilapidated former shop and transformed it into a modern-day wonder. It’s an amazing place and I’m delighted individuals and companies are already making use of the workspaces on offer.”

Gavin Eddy, CEO and founder of Forward, was on hand to welcome guests to a celebratory launch that included an opportunity to look around whilst also enjoying cocktails, sushi and the chance to do some screen printing.

"We're really excited to be the first of the Camborne Town Deal projects to be delivered,” he said. “Foundry is a stunning building and has firmly put Camborne on the map for state-of-the-art co-working facilities that support small businesses and independent workers."

Cornwall Council is the lead authority for Cornwall’s four Town Deals and Councillor Tim Dwelly, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for economic regeneration and investment, attended the launch and praised its significance.

“Foundry is a great example of what is needed to help bring vitality back to the high street,” he said. “It’s the future, and Camborne can be very proud of being one of the first towns in Cornwall to site a vital enterprise facility like this at its very heart. Cornwall Council completely back this project and I look forward to seeing the creativity and prosperity it inspires now it’s fully operational.”