Something new for Bridgwater...

Hello! We're Liam and Naomi. We want to turn our little property into something for Bridgwater.

We notice that lots of houses in Bridgwater are being run, converted and sold as HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupancy),

and we are concerned about what impact it's having on the town - that's why we don't want to turn our building into an HMO.

Perhaps a café? A community space? A place for local groups to meet?

Somewhere for families to come, somewhere for people to actually spend time.

We've got a building, we've got an idea. Now we want to know if Bridgwater wants it too...

We bought this property on Monmouth Street, Bridgwater, with several options for what we could do with it.

One of those options is an HMO, and financially, that's tempting...

But we're not convinced Bridgwater needs another HMO. We want to take a chance on

creating something that brings people back onto this street instead.

We're going to try something different and bring the people of Bridgwater along for the ride.

With the goal of finding out whether two ordinary people can turn a once-loved, but now dilapidated,

building into something the community can once again be proud of.

It doesn't look like much yet...

... there's no floor...

... there's no plaster....

... there's certainly no café...

... but when we put our optimism glasses on, we see something great.

So what will it become?

We're not entirely sure what it's going to become yet, but on the cards is:

☕ CAFÉ Wooh!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family space

🎨 Community groups

🌳 Outdoor/forest activities

🧒 Youth activities

📚 Home-schooling groups

👴👵 Day centre

🎉 Event space

But we'd like you to help decide.

What makes this place different from the rest of the cafés and community spaces around? Well...

🌳 A garden

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A home-educating nuclear family at its heart

🍲 Home-cooked food

🎨 A flexible space for people to actually use

💡 Space for people to try their own ideas

We're not trying to build another cookie-cutter café, this is about fun, learning and getting excited together.

Would you like to have a say? Fill out our form on our "Get involved" page.

So why not just build an HMO?

Well... We could.

There is clearly demand for accommodation in Bridgwater, particularly with Hinkley Point C
bringing workers into the area (approx 26,000 according to this article)

But there is also an increasingly important conversation happening locally about the
concentration of HMOs and what that means for existing neighbourhoods. This BBC article covers it

We're not against landlords, we're not against people who live in HMOs.

But we do think it's reasonable to ask:

Does every empty building around here have to become another HMO?

We don't think this one does.

We want to get people talking, we want to spark interest and get the conversation going.

And maybe, just maybe, we can inspire other people to do something different too.

People of Bridgwater, we need you!

As you may have guessed, we can't really do this on our own...

We need support, the odds are against us as we're a little off the beaten track.

Since Roman Glass closed (September 2026) we will stand alone in terms of commerce on this street (apart from Hamlin's
on the roundabout). So we want to build something that people have a reason to visit.

And we want the community to be a part of it from day one, so that we don't just become another business offering
the same old service - So have your say, tell us what you want to see in this town.

So do you want a bit more buzz in your life? Do you feel powerless to instil some joy and excitement around here?
Then check out our "Get involved" page and make yourself heard!

Speak soon, Liam & Naomi

FAQ Page

Building something better for Bridgwater

Building something better for Bridgwater

Something new for Bridgwater...

So what will it become?

So why not just build an HMO?

Well... We could.

There is clearly demand for accommodation in Bridgwater, particularly with Hinkley Point C
bringing workers into the area (approx 26,000 according to this article)

But there is also an increasingly important conversation happening locally about the
concentration of HMOs and what that means for existing neighbourhoods. This BBC article covers it

We're not against landlords, we're not against people who live in HMOs.

But we do think it's reasonable to ask:

Does every empty building around here have to become another HMO?

We don't think this one does.

We want to get people talking, we want to spark interest and get the conversation going.

And maybe, just maybe, we can inspire other people to do something different too.

People of Bridgwater, we need you!

As you may have guessed, we can't really do this on our own...

Something new for Bridgwater...

So what will it become?

So why not just build an HMO?

​

Well... We could.

There is clearly demand for accommodation in Bridgwater, particularly with Hinkley Point C bringing workers into the area (approx 26,000 according to this article)

But there is also an increasingly important conversation happening locally about the concentration of HMOs and what that means for existing neighbourhoods. This BBC article covers it

We're not against landlords, we're not against people who live in HMOs.

But we do think it's reasonable to ask:

Does every empty building around here have to become another HMO?

We don't think this one does. We want to get people talking, we want to spark interest and get the conversation going. And maybe, just maybe, we can inspire other people to do something different too.

People of Bridgwater, we need you!

​

As you may have guessed, we can't really do this on our own...

There is clearly demand for accommodation in Bridgwater, particularly with Hinkley Point C
bringing workers into the area (approx 26,000 according to this article)

But there is also an increasingly important conversation happening locally about the
concentration of HMOs and what that means for existing neighbourhoods. This BBC article covers it

We don't think this one does.

We want to get people talking, we want to spark interest and get the conversation going.

And maybe, just maybe, we can inspire other people to do something different too.