Free Rugby workshops put town-centre support up for debate

Rugby town-centre businesses can book free places at a series of workshops beginning on Monday 14 September 2026. The sessions will be held at the TSOS Unity Hub in Rugby Town Hall and are intended for owners and operators based in the town centre.

Organised by Rugby Borough Council and independently facilitated by TSOS CIC, the workshops will provide a place for businesses to describe the pressures they face, compare experiences and suggest practical changes that could strengthen the town centre. The council says feedback and questions from the sessions will be reported to it, with officers responding where appropriate.

Services, safety and events are open for discussion

The agenda could include council services that businesses encounter in their day-to-day operations, such as street cleaning, safety and commercial waste. Participants can also raise issues concerning town-centre events, activities and other matters affecting businesses and their customers.

Businesses will be invited to comment on The Rugby Town website and discuss what local government reorganisation could mean for the town centre. This gives participants scope to address both immediate operational concerns and changes that may affect how the centre is supported, although the council has not announced specific outcomes that will follow the workshops.

Council leader Louise Robinson said town-centre businesses understand Rugby’s opportunities and challenges better than anyone. She said the sessions would allow them to “speak openly, share ideas and tell us where practical changes could make a difference”. Deputy council leader Jerry Roodhouse also encouraged businesses to raise subjects ranging from everyday services to events and changes facing local government.

Sector workshops and mixed-business sessions

Some workshops will bring together businesses with similar working environments. The programme includes sessions for hair and beauty businesses and for pubs and bars, allowing operators to discuss concerns shared within their sectors.

Two mixed-sector sessions are scheduled for Thursday 24 September. These are intended for businesses that cannot attend a sector-specific workshop or would prefer a wider conversation with operators from across the town centre. The full timetable should be checked before choosing and booking a session.

Booking a free place at Rugby Town Hall

Places are free, but businesses are asked to complete the accompanying survey and book through unity-hub.org/rugby-tce, where the workshop timetable is also available.

The council notice does not give individual session times or provide transport and accessibility information. Businesses should check the published timetable and booking details for the session they plan to attend. Questions can be sent to TSOS CIC at [email protected] or Rugby Borough Council’s economic development team at [email protected].

Source: Rugby Borough Council