A REPAIR café is on the cards for Launceston after access to the Ambulance Hall was granted by the town council.

During the full town council meeting on February 18 a request for use of the Ambulance Hall by the recently formed Repair Café Launceston group was discussed.

Plastic Free Launceston have already given their support to Repair Café Launceston. Cllr Sam Allen said: “I am pleased to see this on the agenda, under Plastic Free Launceston we have tried to put out flyers about it. I’ve had a chat with the people of Plastic Free Launceston and they are happy to work with the council on it.”

Cllr John Conway said although he was on board with the premise he would like some more information before agreeing to anything.

“I am happy to support this but we would need some more background information. It will be based in the Ambulance Hall — how is it proposed to work? Will it be open all the time? I just think a little bit of background information would be useful for councillors.”

Mayor Cllr Dave Gordon confirmed what details were available to the council: “As we understand it, it would be subject to access to the Ambulance Hall.”

He added: “It would be an ad hoc arrangement but it would be good to help the organisation grow.”

Cllr Rob Tremain confirmed: “Once a month a repair café will have a specific day on which people can bring their toasters or other broken appliances and people can share knowledge and skills to fix them. At the end of the session it is all packed away — it won’t be a permanent feature.”

Cllr Conway thanked Cllrs Gordon and Tremain for the extra information and all councillors moved in favour of granting the Repair Café use of the Ambulance Hall.

With the council’s approval, the idea for a repair café in Launceston is one step closer to becoming a reality.

Alison Harding of Broadwoodwidger is the instigator of this idea in Launceston and she told the Post: “There are already a lot of repair cafés in Cornwall, closest being Bude I think. It’s something I’ve thought about for ages; my partner and I are always taking on odd fix-it jobs for friends and family (and total strangers)!

“Being practical people comes with country living, but it seems like buying replacement items is considered easier than fixing them, and the idea of mending things is dying out. I also think that it’s a good way to help older people pass on their skills and be sociable. And of course it’s great to keep things out of landfill which is why the council like the idea; it tallies up with their declaration of a climate emergency.

“Basically we’ll get volunteer ‘fixers’ together, and people can bring their broken items to be mended. It’s a free service (unless the repair needs parts in which case we offer advice on where to find them) but donations are always accepted with gratitude.

“It’s important to point out that in no way does it take business away from established firms either; we’re talking simple fixes, and anything specialist will be referred to an appropriate local business. It’s often a surprise to people that things can be fixed at all.”

To find out more and keep up to date with the Repair Café’s progress visit the Facebook page.