Luffborough

The wonder of instagram. I was trawling through the billions of images that are on there last week and chanced upon this chap called Rich. Rich is an estate agent but also a fantastic photographer. He had recently posted some shots from a derelict building in Loughborough that was under going renovation. One the shots he’d posted was an absolute banger of an old bathroom, bathed in lovely sunshine. The kind of bathroom you just don’t see anymore, a time warp to the 50’s. So I slid straight into the DM’s didn’t I. Rich told me he’d been invited into the old Art and Design College. Quick as a flash he’s sent me a phone number and I’m whatsapping Raf, who right away starts a group with himself, Sonya, Hannah and me. Next thing you know it, Sonya and Hannah are sending me all kinds of photos of from places in Loughborough. Taxi!

The only one I really wanted was the photo Rich had posted, but I’d been informed the builder had just taken it off the wall, which isn’t a disaster, its just another chapter in the life of this chaps life. I’m in. Train booked and I’m on my way to the Luff. I meet Hannah, and slowly I start to unravel the enigma in-front of me. I hadn’t realised quite how prolific Raf was. The Art and Design College had just been bought by Raf and his ‘Our Neighbourhood’ brand, but also under this watch are two co working spaces, called Canal and Jason’s, and a pizza restaurant called ‘Peter’, that has just moved premises to a huge space right opposite Pizza Express. Right kick in the dough balls.

Hannah drove me between each site, explaining the history of the business and slowly all the pieces started to make sense. But I wanted that Art College. I wasn’t disappointed. The second I walked in Hannah informed everyone I was there to take photos of hand dryers, which has its usual reception. But as soon as we started, the team there were amazing. Dom, Raf’s brother was the site manager and he literally showed me every single piece of that building. The roof, the old oil room in the basement that used to house the power station which powered half of Loughborough. And the swing. Which was huge and is in the photos below. It’s amazing where life can take you isn’t it?

I know it sounds cheesy but it was such an amazing time just to walk into this situation, meet all these people, capture and just be part of something I otherwise would never have seen and meet these lovely warm people that not only welcome me in, but get their fucking mum into a rope swing on the old boiler roof rafters! Raf’s mum by the way has about 20 toasters that she’s trying too sell, so if you know anyone…

Huge thank you to RIch for reaching out. Everyone at Our Neighbourhood, Sonya and Raf for letting me walk in, Dom for showing me the entire building and especially to Hannah, who drove me everywhere! I’ll be back…