For many years known as Manor Farm Children’s Centre, the history of the Barn is reputed to go back as far as the Fifteenth Century. Over more recent years, the building was in the ownership of Samuel Smith Old Brewery and used for a variety of purposes associated with the Brewery, including as a Joiners workshop.
In 1982, the Brewery transferred the building into the ownership of North Yorkshire County Council so that it could be used for the benefit of the community for youth and educational purposes. County youth services operated successfully from the building for many years after, investing in the building and its services. Many locals still recall the popular ‘Paradise’ club nights in particular!
However, with the withdrawal of youth services by the County Council due to financial constraints, the building became less well used until it was declared to be ‘surplus to requirements’ and offered to the community to take on and run. Tadcaster and Rural Community Interest Company had been set up in 2013 for the purposes of delivering projects that benefited Tadcaster and its surrounding villages. We offered to take over the operation of the building in 2016 and eventually were successful in this endeavour, with the keys being handed to us by County in June 2019.
Today, re-branded as The Barn (it never was a Farm!), the facility is developing a new offer to the community, with space offered to all to deliver new and existing services that help us meet our aspirations for the building as:
“A place and space where all in the community will feel safe to Grow, to Learn and to Care”