Dedicated Space for Young People in Doncaster Sees Increased Attendance Over the Summer

A partnership with the Frenchgate Shopping Centre, this free-to-use venue is available for those aged between 10 and 17 in the borough and is run by City of Doncaster Council’s Encouraging Potential and Inspiring Change (EPIC) team.  

While these professionals work across multiple areas of Doncaster, their dedicated hub serves as a reliable point of contact. It gives young people an opportunity to engage with trusted adults, to build positive relationships and to take part in fun activities. Among other facilities, the hangout space provides access to a pool table, computers, board games, foosball, table tennis, arts and crafts resources, and gaming consoles. Not to mention, the staff also run themed activities on a regular basis, with these covering a wide range of important subjects for young people. 

Consistently well attended, the space has been frequented a remarkable 6,206 times so far this calendar year (as of the end of September) with 1,024 of those visits occurring during the summer holidays. For comparison’s sake, in 2024, there were 647 attendances within the equivalent timeframe, so the hub’s popularity is certainly growing.  

Reflecting on this positive uptake, Councillor Sue Farmer, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families at City of Doncaster Council, said: “It’s great to see this fantastic space being enjoyed by so many of our local young people. The EPIC Hub is a vital resource that does a lot of important work, offering individualised support for its attendees, giving young people a safe space when they’re traveling home from school, and serving as a place where they can get together with friends and take part in all kinds of fun activities. 

“Our young people sometimes get a bad reputation, but if you give them a place like this to call their own, they will prove just how mature, enthusiastic, outgoing and responsible they can be.” 

Enthusing about the hub from the perspective of a young person, one 16-year-old girl said: “I’ve been coming to the hub for ages and speak to the staff for advice around day-to-day events and life in general. You don't get many places like this where you can have these conversations with adults without being judged.”  

Another attendee, a 14-year-old boy, added: “I come here with my mates to play pool and FIFA. It’s fun, free and we get to go on trips out of Doncaster, like paintballing or Ninja Warrior over the summer.” 

The EPIC Hub is a dedicated space for young people aged 10-17 in Doncaster. Located within the Frenchgate Shopping Centre, its facilities are entirely free to use. For more information, and a list of the hub’s operating hours, please visit City of Doncaster Council’s website. 

Meanwhile, to find out more about the joint work being done by the council and South Yorkshire Police to make our city centre a safer environment that everyone can enjoy, please visit the Your Life Doncaster website.