Community businesses are usually established by local communities in order to meet a local need, whether that is to revive local assets, protect the services that local people rely on, or address local needs.

To further build the evidence base on the factors that contribute to community business success, Power to Change commissioned SERIO, an applied research unit at the University of Plymouth, to conduct an England-wide research project to answer the overarching research question of “what makes a successful community business?” in the following three community business sectors:

1. Community ‘hubs’ or centres 2. Sport and leisure
3. Health and wellbeing

This report focuses on hubs. The other reports, including a synthesis of success factors for community business from all three sectors, can be found on the Power to Change website at powertochange.org.uk/research