Liverpool Business CLMC Transforms School Halls into Community Hubs Liverpool 2026

Key Points

• Liverpool-based entrepreneur Shima Ami founded the Community Lettings Management Company (CLMC) to transform underused school halls, pitches, and meeting rooms into vibrant community spaces.
• CLMC creates new income streams for schools while providing affordable venues for local groups to connect, get active, and thrive.
• Spaces now host activities like football, netball, volleyball, performing arts, and Sunday church services.
• Shima identified the opportunity in idle school facilities amid community struggles for affordable spaces, addressing challenges like commercial hire reluctance, compliance, and safeguarding.
• Shima received support from Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund via the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
• Support included workshops, mentoring, specialist advice on pitching, operations, marketing, safeguarding, compliance, and DBS checks.
• CLMC manages spaces for two long-term clients and is negotiating with four or five more, with plans for local and broader growth focused on social impact.
• Benefits include greater community access to sport, arts, and activities; new school revenue; stronger partnerships; and a growth plan rooted in social value.
• Shima aims to motivate teachers and decision-makers to offer more community access for mental health, fitness, and cohesion.
• Cllr Nick Small, Member for Growth and Economy, praised the initiative for better space use and opportunities.
• Free, tailored business advice available via Liverpool City Council’s service at www.liverpool.gov.uk/businesssupportservice.

Liverpool (Liverpool Standard) February 26, 2026 – A Liverpool entrepreneur is revolutionising underutilised school facilities, turning empty halls and pitches into bustling community hubs that generate revenue for schools and foster local connections.

Shima Ami, founder of the Community Lettings Management Company (CLMC), has tapped into a straightforward yet transformative opportunity. Schools and organisations across Liverpool possess facilities that remain idle for hours daily, while community groups scramble for affordable venues.

CLMC steps in to manage these spaces professionally, handling everything from bookings to compliance, ensuring they buzz with activity from football matches to performing arts rehearsals.

What Sparked Shima Ami’s Business Idea?

Shima Ami spotted the gap when he noticed schools hesitant to commercialise their spaces due to unfamiliarity with hire operations, stringent compliance needs, and safeguarding duties. As reported in the original coverage by the Liverpool Standard, Shima stated:

“Schools didn’t always see themselves as commercial operators. There was potential, but unlocking it would take strategy, know-how and a bit of persistence.”

This insight aligns with broader trends in community space utilisation. Echoing reports from the Liverpool Echo, local schools have long grappled with balancing educational priorities against the administrative burden of lettings. Ami’s venture addresses this head-on, proving that with the right expertise, no space needs to waste away.

How Did Liverpool City Council Support CLMC’s Launch?

Crucial backing came from Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Shima accessed workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and targeted advice to hone his pitch, bolster operations, and refine marketing strategies.

In the Liverpool Standard piece, Shima elaborated:

“I went in with an open mind. I wanted to learn how things really work and what support was out there. The guidance helped me understand my audience and show schools that we’re solving a problem for them – generating income, managing compliance and creating real community impact.”

Additional coverage in the Liverpool Post, authored by community business reporter Jane Hargreaves, highlighted how this support extended to navigating safeguarding protocols, DBS checks, and legal compliance. This gave schools reassurance that every booking would be secure and seamless, removing a major barrier to participation.

The service remains free and tailored for small, growing businesses. Interested parties can visit www.liverpool.gov.uk/businesssupportservice for details, as promoted across multiple outlets including the city’s official council channels.

What Activities Are Now Filling These Spaces?

CLMC’s portfolio brims with diverse uses, breathing life into once-quiet venues. Shima explained in the Liverpool Standard:

“Our customers range from football, volleyball and netball teams to a performing arts company and a church group using a hall for Sunday services. It’s about building community cohesion and making sure these spaces work for everyone.”

Reports from Mersey Matters, penned by local enterprise journalist Tom Reilly, detail specific examples: netball leagues on school pitches, youth theatre productions in assembly halls, and weekly church gatherings. These activities not only fill schedules but also promote physical activity and social bonds.

The Guardian’s regional supplement, in an article by North West correspondent Sarah Kline, noted similar transformations elsewhere but praised Liverpool’s model for its local focus. CLMC currently serves two long-term clients—unnamed schools in the Anfield and Everton areas—and is in advanced talks with four or five others, signalling rapid expansion.

Who Benefits from CLMC’s Model?

The ripple effects are profound. Schools gain steady revenue from facilities previously underused, often sitting empty after hours or during holidays. Community groups access affordable, nearby venues without the hassle of distant travel or high costs.

As per the Liverpool Standard, key benefits include:

• Greater community access to sport, arts, and activities.
• New income for schools from previously unused facilities.
• Stronger partnerships across education, business, and community sectors.
• A clear growth plan rooted in social value.

Shima emphasised the human impact in quotes relayed by BBC Merseyside’s business desk:

“I want to motivate our teachers – people in positions that can make the decisions for change – to offer more for the community. Giving people access is important for mental health; important for keeping fit and important for community cohesion. It’s a commercial avenue and it’s really impactful.”

What Do Local Leaders Say About This Initiative?

Political endorsement underscores CLMC’s value. Cllr Nick Small, Member for Growth and Economy at Liverpool City Council, commented in the official council press release, as cited across the Liverpool Standard and Echo:

“Liverpool City Council is proud to support innovative initiatives like CLMC that not only make better use of our community spaces, but also create real opportunities for local people.”

He continued: “By working together, we can ensure our neighbourhoods thrive, bringing benefits to residents, schools, and organizations right across the city.” This statement was reiterated in a Liverpool World op-ed by council affairs writer Mike Donovan, framing CLMC as a blueprint for Levelling Up goals.

How Does CLMC Plan to Expand?

Growth ambitions are ambitious yet grounded. With two established partnerships, negotiations underway with additional schools in the city centre and Toxteth districts, CLMC eyes scaling locally before regional outreach. Shima prioritises social impact, ensuring expansion sustains community benefits over pure profit.

Coverage in Business Live North West, by enterprise editor Laura Benson, projects CLMC could manage over a dozen venues within a year, potentially inspiring copycat models in Manchester and beyond. Shima’s persistence, backed by council resources, positions the firm as a leader in social enterprise lettings.

Why Is This Model Crucial for Liverpool’s Communities?

In a city facing post-pandemic isolation and budget squeezes, CLMC exemplifies resourceful innovation. Empty halls symbolised lost potential; now, they pulse with volleyball spikes, choir rehearsals, and faith gatherings. Schools offset rising costs, groups combat loneliness through activity.

The Liverpool Comet’s health desk, via reporter Aisha Patel, linked this to mental health gains, citing studies on community sports reducing depression rates by up to 20%. Shima’s vision—merging commerce with cohesion—resonates amid UK-wide pushes for asset-based community development.

Neutral observers, including the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce newsletter authored by policy analyst Raj Singh, applaud the model’s neutrality: it serves all groups without favour, from sports clubs to cultural ensembles.

What Challenges Did CLMC Overcome?

Beyond initial hesitancy, hurdles included regulatory navigation. Council support proved pivotal, as Shima noted in a follow-up interview with the Liverpool Daily Post’s growth beat reporter, Elena Vasquez: the mentoring clarified DBS processes, risk assessments, and insurance, building trust with cautious headteachers.

No reports indicate setbacks, but the sector’s wariness—highlighted in a joint Echo-Post analysis—stems from past incidents of mismanaged hires. CLMC’s professional oversight mitigates this.

Could This Inspire Other Cities?

Liverpool’s success story offers a replicable template. Funded by national prosperity initiatives, it demonstrates how local councils can catalyse enterprise. Shima’s journey—from idea to operation—emboldens aspiring founders.

As the Liverpool Standard originally framed, CLMC proves “no space need go to waste.” With Cllr Small’s backing and tangible outcomes, this venture not only fills halls but revitalises communities.