Friars Mill - Tour and Presentation

Friars Mill, which was a disused mill complex on the banks of the River Soar, has undergone a £6.3milllion redevelopment scheme to bring it back into use as a base for local businesses. The Leicester City Council-led project now provides 15 new units for small to medium sized businesses.
The site includes Leicester’s oldest surviving factory building – the former Donisthorpe Factory – which was badly damaged by fire in 2012.

Friars Mill is seen as an important part of the city's industrial heritage and the project was always intended as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of this part of the city.

The Grade II-listed mill complex had stood empty and derelict since 2005. The council bought it for £550,000 following the arson attack in 2012. Along with the redevelopment of the main Donisthorpe Factory building, the former workers’ cottages, which face onto Soar Lane, have also been restored, with a modern extension built to the rear. These will house work units. A new building has also been built alongside the Pump House. This houses photovoltaic panels and an air source heat pump large enough to heat the entire complex.

This event will provide you with an opportunity to hear a presentation on the background to the mill project itself, the delivery of the project and the City Council's next steps to bring forward regeneration on surrounding sites. There will also be a tour of Friars Mill.