A WEST Devon youth club is celebrating receiving the keys to a new building, after surviving more than a year without a base.

Tavistock Youth Café can finally move into its new premises in Pixon Lane now that the building of new units has been completed. However the unit is, at the moment, just an empty space and funding and work is needed to make it usable.

The youth café was left without a base following the demolition of its previous dilapidated building in September 2013. New units have been built on the same plot, one of which will house the youth group.

The youth café has rented the unit with the help of Claro Learning, a company that provides a range of services to support adults with disabilities, which has offered to make a donation towards the rent for the foreseeable future.

Tavistock Youth Café manager Vicki Lloyd said the building was complete and the signs were up but it was an 'empty shell' with no electrics or carpets and the team was busy writing funding applications in order to get the work done. They were hoping to be able to open the doors by the end of February.

Applications have been made to the Crimebeat Fund, Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Council for funding and they are awaiting the results.

Devon County Council has awarded the youth café £10,000 to pay for a worker for six months to get the place up and running, Tavistock Lions Club has donated a Howdens kitchen and £2,500 from various events, including the proceeds from its recent Christmas draw and the youth café received £5,000 from a private donor.

Vicki said: 'We are in a brilliant place really, now that we have got the keys, and everyone is very excited, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have had a lot of support from local businesses to help get the place kitted out but now we need funding.

'We are starting small — we've got the money for the capital but we need money for the revenue.

'As well as getting the place up and running we also need to get the user groups back in — Tavistock Youth Café Plus and the Zephyr Music Project will both use the space.'

The Zephyr Music Project — a music-teaching initiative — will use the specially designed music room in the new base to carry out its work and was given £2,000 by the Daisy music service to deliver mobile sessions in Bere Alston, Horrabridge and at the youth café, which will help to get the project off the ground and to host regular band nights.

Vicki also thanked Ben Neal from HQ in Tavistock for allowing the youth café to host regular open mic nights.

When the youth café does open, it will start out holding one session a week, but as more funding comes in, more sessions will be able to be held.

Vicki said: 'The support has been great and we are all looking forward to getting the doors open again and being able to provide some quality youth work for young people in Tavistock and the surrounding area.'

For updates on the youth café visit the Facebook page by searching 'Tavistock Youth Cafe'.

Anyone who would like to offer help or donations can contact Vicki on 07971 811834.