Our History

BRAG Enterprises: Revitalising Fife Through Community-Driven Enterprise

BRAG (Benarty Regeneration Action Group) Enterprises emerged from a turbulent period in Scotland's history, following the miners' strikes and subsequent pit closures in the mid-1980s. These closures significantly impacted the local economy, leading to high unemployment rates in the Benarty area, which relied heavily on the coal industry and other related industries. Recognising the need for local regeneration, a group of community activists founded BRAG in 1988 to address the economic and social consequences of these closures.

BRAG began with a simple yet powerful concept: to repurpose the old Crosshill Primary School, which had become redundant due to the construction of a new school nearby. The founders leased the old school building from Fife Regional Council, transforming it into a community-based workspace and training facility. This initiative provided critical retraining and employment support for local people transitioning out of the mining industry. With European funding, four light industrial units were built, paving the way for the site's gradual transformation into a business center.

In 2007, BRAG purchased the entire Crosshill Primary School site with support from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and an interest-free loan from Fife Council. BRAG continued to expand the site, adding portacabin incubator units in 2010 and installing a Biomass boiler in 2012. These developments solidified BRAG's role as a catalyst for local enterprise and community-based learning.

Today, BRAG has transformed the Crosshill Community Enterprise Centre into a thriving business hub, with over 70 workspace units hosting more than 40 start-up and social enterprise businesses. BRAG generates significant income as a landlord and has secured funding from various sources, including the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. BRAG's impact extends beyond business space, offering a range of complementary initiatives, including employability programs, business support, and retraining services for the immediate community and beyond.

BRAG's success lies in its strong community connections and collaborative partnerships. Its ability to adapt to changing needs has led to ventures beyond the immediate area, with a focus on supporting regions with high deprivation, known as SIMD sites (Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation). Through consortia and co-operatives like the Fife Employment and Training Consortium (Fife ETC), where BRAG is the lead partner, BRAG continues to expand its reach and impact.

This approach has resulted in the successful launch of hundreds of new businesses and social enterprises in Fife, with some achieving turnovers exceeding £500,000 and employing dozens of people from SIMD areas. BRAG has also assisted thousands of unemployed individuals in finding sustainable employment, providing them and their families with a more promising future.

Although BRAG now operates across East Central Scotland, it remains deeply rooted in its home of Crosshill. Its commitment to community-driven enterprise and inclusive growth continues to shape a brighter future for the regions it serves.