A new hub offering free heritage and creative skills to young Londoners has opened in the City of London, at One Golden Lane near the Barbican.
The Proud Places Hub is run by Heritage of London Trust, the charity that rescues London’s historic buildings and uses their restoration to give young people practical skills. It opens in partnership with property developer Castleforge.
The Hub will offer workshops in stonemasonry, gilding, heritage crafts, creative workshops and communication skills to young people aged 11 to 18 — many of them from alternative provision schools, refugee communities and low-income households, the charity says.
It aims to reach 1,000 young people in its first year, in addition to the 3,000 involved in the wider Proud Places programme.
The Hub sits within the retained heritage part of One Golden Lane, once the site of the Cripplegate Institute, a philanthropic foundation established to support the poor of London. The building was originally designed in 1896 by Sidney Smith, the architect of Tate Britain. Castleforge has reimagined the site to provide 120,000 square feet of modern workspace, including 7,000 square feet of terraces and roof gardens.
The opening was framed by the charity against the government’s interim Young People and Work review, which found that nearly one million, or one in eight, people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are not in education, employment or training.
Phil Bowen, chair of the Youth Justice Board, gave the keynote at the opening. “Strong evidence shows what a huge difference it makes when we see children for their strengths and potential, giving them a pro-social identity and the right opportunities at the right time,” he said. “Proud Places is a great example of how this is put in practice, and I am excited to open the Hub today where young people can build confidence and imagine a positive future.”
Dr Nicola Stacey, director of Heritage of London Trust, said: “Talent and ambition are spread across London, but opportunity is not. For many of the young people we work with, doors can begin to close at a critical point in their lives. This is why we’re bringing the Proud Places Hub into the heart of the City, where young people can develop practical and creative skills, make great contacts and find career pathways.”
Michael Kovacs, founding partner of Castleforge, said: “One Golden Lane is about more than creating a workplace. The words Science, Education and Art still mark its historic façade, and with Heritage of London Trust, the Proud Places Hub puts that purpose back to work.”
Reporting based on: Heritage of London Trust / Castleforge announcement, via Daily Business Now, 22 September 2026.
