OxHub, the University’s focal point for charity work and community volunteering, celebrated the unveiling of its new building on Turl Street with a launch party on Tuesday.
The building is still in the state left by the Corner Club, the private members’ club that previously occupied the space. There is mock pony skin on the walls, a leopard print carpet in one of the rooms, as well as an unexplained bed in the basement.
The four story Georgian house is owned by the council but was opened to public bids following the bankruptcy of the previous business on the premises.
OxHub placed a bid and competed with multinational corporations including Starbucks and Jack Wills for the property. The bid included letters of support from colleges and comments from their ‘Supporting the new OxHub central venue’ Facebook group.
Hannah Martin, the centre’s director, said, “University is where we have the opportunity to think big. This is a place where people will be able to have amazing thoughts and meet amazing people. We want to create a culture change in Oxford – for people to come here and think, ‘you know what? I want to be involved’.”
To help fund the new OxHub building, there are plans for an eco-friendly cafe-bar, open to all members of the public and students.
Rachel Stevenson, one of OxHub’s managers and founders, said “It’s completely surreal. When we were creating the bid that seemed to be the endpoint for us. We were so proud of it – but we didn’t dream we’d get accepted.
“This is the kind of place where you’ll be able to come back to Oxford in twenty years or so and say ‘I felt at home there’.”
She admitted that the new premises were challenging, “To be honest, we don’t really know what we’re doing. None of us are restaurant owners or business people.”
Hannah MacDiarmid, OxHub’s President, said, “I’m most excited about the building itself. I see myself coming back in five years and knowing I was involved when it started up.”
The cafe is planned to open next June and the OxHub building is expected to open by Michaelmas 2012.
