Community Focus, the North London arts charity that threatened legal action against its landlord, another arts charity, earlier this year, has now settled the dispute out of court and found a new home to move into from next summer.

Community Focus will move from its current location within artsdepot to Friary House in July 2014. Friary House, on Friary Road, Barnet, is owned by Barnet Council, which will provide some financial assistance to help Community Focus adapt the premises for its use.

The charity instructed lawyers back in March after artsdepot issued it with a three-month eviction notice that ordered it to vacate the building by June. Community Focus said that it had invested £140,000 in the rented property during its seven-year tenure in the building.

Artsdepot had wanted Community Focus to move out of the space so that private company London Studio Centre could move in, at a higher rent. Artsdepot's chief executive Tracy Cooper said the higher rental income from this new contract was crucial to artsdepot’s survival because it had lost its core funding from the London Borough of Barnet.

The two charities had already been in dispute previously when artsdepot sought to almost double the rent paid by Community Focus to £62,000, which the latter charity was able to avoid.

Tim Balogun, director of Community Focus, said he was unable to comment on developments with artsdepot, other than “we have agreed mutually acceptable and confidential terms with artsdepot concerning our future beyond the building”.

However, he confirmed that the charity’s long-term future is now secure as a result of its new deal with Friary House – an alternative venue that was suggested by staff at Barnet Council.

“Friary House is a lovely building for an arts organisation with interesting architectural features and plenty of light. The building is fully accessible and is on local bus routes, so will be easy for our clients to reach. Friary House is nestled in the grounds of Friary Park, which will enable us to make use of the beautiful gardens for various arts activities.”

Community Focus runs art courses for over 1,500 local adults including those with learning, physical disabilities or mental health issues.