Club 103

A much-loved building.

A new chapter.

A place for the community.

You might know it as JFK’s, the Beer Keller, Avis’s, Tiff’s or The Street.

For years, C103 stood empty and increasingly neglected on Union Street. But this building has a history, a character and a special place in the memories of local people.

So in September 2022, Nudge Community Builders bought C103 — with a big ambition: to bring this important part of Union Street back to life and put it back in the hands of the community.

We don't want another empty building. We want a place full of people, ideas, opportunities and life.

That is starting to happen now…

We know it has a special place in lots of people’s hearts and it can play an important part in the street again.

It had been standing empty and very neglected. Here is a bit about what has happened so far and what’s next…

Text that reads 'Making a change needs creativity, love and care' in white on a black background.

From empty and neglected to full of possibility

When we took on C103, there was a lot to do.

The buildings had suffered years of neglect, with problems including asbestos, water damage, holes in the roof and structural issues.

Our first job was to make the buildings safe and stop them deteriorating any further. Improve what people see on the street every day and listen to local people about what should happen next

It's a big job, there’s plenty to do and we’d love you to get involved…

  • Interior of a damaged, abandoned nightclub with broken ceiling, exposed wires, and chipped purple painted brick walls.
  • Colorful, psychedelic-painted bus front and side panels inside an abandoned, dilapidated building with purple walls.
  • Interior of a woodworking shop with a pile of stacked wooden boards, some damaged, and tools scattered around. The ceiling is partially exposed with wooden beams and a black wall or ceiling covering.
  • Interior of a building under renovation with construction materials, exposed ceiling, and purple walls with floral wallpaper.
  • Construction site with metal scaffolding, a fire extinguisher, and an old electronic device on a concrete floor, with unfinished wall and wall framing in the background.
  • Interior of a damaged building with broken or missing window, exposed wiring, and debris on the surface, overlooking a partially demolished or under renovation space with purple and white walls.
  • Sign on a table advertising wristbands for sale, with a black and white portrait of a man and red sticker with a black dragon illustration.

What is happening now?

We gave the front a colourful new look, with local portraits and the ‘Making Change’ message because we know it will make the street feel different for people walking by.

In the background we are securing funds, getting permissions, sussing out utilities, structural issues and all the tricky things involved in a building like this.

And we’re listening… to your stories, memories, hopes and dream and researching the history to inform the future of these special buildings. Come along to The Museum Of Here to reminisce and share your stories.

Colorful mural of connected buildings on a city street, with a blue sky and clouds above.

Long-term plans

We are currently applying for funding and investment to help make long term improvements.

We are looking at the site as two buildings, as it was historically. One half will be space for local organisations working with young people, space for the community and an indoor urban farm that will create food, training opportunities and local jobs as well as making a gorgeous space to hang out all year round.

The other half will be housing for young people with activities that they can join in with alongside other local people on the ground floor. This might take a bit a of time to plan for so in the short term we are going to get this space in use.

Local young people told us time and time again that there is not enough to do and not enough opportunities for them.

We’ve also heard from local people that we must help the city achieve Net Zero and confront the climate emergency - so it feels right to make these uses a priority. Watch this space!

Colorful festoon banners and a large poster with the text 'JANE, NEW IDEAS, MUST USE OLD BUILDINGS, JACKOS' on a wall

On the 9th of December 2024 we launched the mushroom farm we built in C103’s old barrel cellar.

Co-Director Wendy and Finance Manager Yvonne cooked up some tasty mushroom treats — from mushroom fudge and brownies to creamy mushrooms on mushroom bread! — City Farm House Manager Matt gave tours of the cellar and we had fresh mushrooms and grow-you-own kits for sale!

  • Shelving unit with bags of mushroom substrate and growing mushrooms in a basement grow room.
  • A person holding a cluster of green mushrooms, with two smiling women in the background in a festive, decorated indoor setting.
  • Mushrooms growing on a plastic bag filled with substrate on a wooden table.
  • Mushrooms growing on a bag inside a grow room, viewed through a window with two black silhouettes in the foreground.
  • Chopped mushrooms on a wooden cutting board with a wooden spatula and a chef's knife, green onions in a small cup, and part of a black pan on a kitchen countertop.
  • Three people inside a mushroom cultivation shed, with shelves of mushrooms in the background, having a conversation and drinking coffee.
  • Two women with winter hats and jackets talking to each other in a rustic indoor setting with other people sitting at tables in the background.
  • A person holding a slice of bread topped with cooked mushrooms and chopped green onions.
  • A man in a green cap and jacket crouching and smiling while talking to an older person with white hair in a cellar with shelves of packaged dried herbs or spices.
  • Silhouettes of two women looking at a display of mushrooms inside a glass-enclosed booth at night, with shelves of various items in the background.
  • People signing up at a registration table inside a barn or rustic building.
  • A man and a woman standing at a table with mushrooms in blue crates, in an indoor market setting.
  • Group of people sitting at tables in a rustic indoor setting, with a man in the middle eating and a large TV screen behind him displaying images of food and people.
  • Mushrooms growing on a bag of substrate on a metal shelf in a controlled environment.
  • A man in a green jacket and cap smiling, standing next to a brick wall and a metal door with a 'Nudge' sign.
  • A young man in a blue jacket receives a food wrap from a woman in a black jacket at a night market or food stall. Two other people are in the background, one wearing a black beanie and the other with blonde hair, both observing the transaction. The setting appears lively with signs and equipment around.