Background
The space that has been empty for some time at the southern end of Hartington’s is referred to in communications with WDCO’s regeneration partners as Block D. Once destined to be a leisure facility, an agreement was reached in 2017 that this space would become a community space.
WDCO is delighted that we have received a full update of the current situation as relates to Block D.Please see the following paragraph.
February 2026 Block D update
Formal handover of the block from Berkeley to LBH was scheduled for 17th February, but
has been delayed following water ingress into the basement area. Lease negotiations with
Millco are now progressing well, and we expect the building to be open and active in Spring
2026 as planned.
Mill Co has actively marketed the units and reports strong interest with 40 formal enquiries
received from a diverse range of creative and community-focused organisations. The mix is
heavily weighted towards health and wellness (including Pilates, Yoga, and Physiotherapy),
creative production (photography, ceramics, and fashion), and community-facing services
(childcare, charities, and a GP surgery).
Prospective tenants
The following organisations have been presented to the working group with positive
feedback:
Batch Baby and Coburn (Cafe & Coffee Roastery): Millco’s anchor hospitality tenant
remains committed. They will provide an active frontage on the ground floor while
operating a specialist coffee roastery in the basement.
● Anchor Hospitality: Providing the primary ground-floor “active frontage” and
social anchor for the hub.
● Community Space: The cafe will double as a meeting and event space for local
residents and community groups.
● Apprenticeships & Training: Committed to providing local training opportunities
and apprenticeships in coffee production and roasting.
● Talks & Education: Hosting regular talks and educational sessions on the
industry.
● Bespoke Woodberry Down Coffee: Developing a unique coffee blend dedicated
to the local area, celebrating Woodberry Down’s identity.
FRAME – Art Framing Company: A creative production business that brings specialist
skilled employment to the block and will serve both local artists and the wider community.
● Gallery Space: Providing dedicated space to showcase the work of local artists
and community creative projects.
● Training & Apprenticeships: Creating pathways into the creative industries
through framing apprenticeships and vocational training.
A recent addition to the list of potential occupiers is:
FoodCycle (Surplus Food Charity): We have strong interest from FoodCycle; they will
deliver their own community nutrition and install a commercial kitchen.
● Nutrition & Social Programming: Delivering their core program of creating
community meals with surplus food.
● Local Hosting: Acting as a “Community Engine,” FoodCycle will potentially host
established Woodberry Down programmes that require a regular weekly space.
Millco had previously presented a Community Sauna company to the working group and
had received positive feedback on their inclusion, however, due to the shifting timelines of
the project they have found an alternative location.
On the basis that all of the above tenants take units, Millco has a single unit left to let and
plans to go back to all of the enquirers as well as increase its marketing output to secure
this last operator.
#WoodberryDown #CommunitySpace #BlockD #Hartingtons #Hackney #WoodberryDownRegeneration #CommunityHub #WDCO #NorthLondon #LocalFirst
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