Shops in Portsmouth: Repair Cafe to open new hub in Cascades Shopping Centre this weekend including city's first Library of Things

Portsmouth's first 'library of things' will open in the Cascades Shopping Centre this weekend allowing people to borrow tools and appliances.
By Joe Buncle
Published 9th May 2023, 18:16 GMT
Updated 9th May 2023, 18:16 GMT
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Run by the Portsmouth Repair Cafe, the facility will store items like DIY tools, kitchen appliances, camping gear, party supplies, sports equipment and more for communal use. The ethos of the enterprise is to help people save money, space and carbon. Annual membership to access the library will cost £1 to make the service accessible.

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The new hub officially opens on Saturday, May 13 and will also be the permanent home of the repair cafe. The service formerly ran as a monthly ‘pop-up’ session in North End Baptist Church where volunteers helped people to fix their possessions. The new premises was secured thanks to a fundraising campaign which raised more than £14,000.