Villagers are celebrating after completing the purchase of a disused Methodist chapel amid plans to turn it into a community-run shop, café and heritage centre.

Residents of Cotherstone, in Teesdale, have been working for over three years to raise funds and negotiate taking over the 1872 Wesleyan Chapel.

The group has secured £180,000 from four different Durham County Council funds and raised £120,000 from a community share issue and a series of pop-up cafes. This enabled the group to purchase the chapel outright last week, and members will now embark on a program of renovations with the remainder of the funding.

Residents formed The Cotherstone Old Chapel Project, a Community Benefit Society, two years ago after the last shop in the village closed. After a long-term lease of the chapel proved unworkable, it was put on the market, and the group had their offer accepted.

Mark Siswick, chairman of the project, said: "This is a great result for the whole community in Cotherstone, and a testament to all the hard work that has been put in so far. This historic building has been saved for the village.

Darlington and Stockton Times: The Wesleyan chapel in Cotherstone dates back to 1872

“There's a lot of work to be done before we can fully open, but we've got a great team of volunteers waiting to get started. Planning permission has already been approved and we will be engaging builders for the structural works as soon as possible."

The group hope to raise more funds in the future so they can expand what is offered at the chapel.

Treasurer Chris Tarpey said: “We’ve got the funding to do the renovations we need to do and get up and running later this year or early next year. We'll carry on fundraising so we can make even more improvements and offer more amenities.

“We've got over 270 people who've invested in the project already, and anyone who wants to join them can do so on our website."

The £180,000 of council money was made of up £40,000 from Teesdale Area Action Partnership Towns and Villages funds, a total of £20,000 from the neighbourhood funds of Cllrs Richard Bell and Ted Henderson and £120,000 from the Towns and Villages Strategic Programme Improving Community Resilience fund.

In a joint statement, Cllrs James Rowlandson, Ted Henderson and Richard Bell said: “We are pleased to support this ambitious project that will provide additional facilities for the local community and the many visitors who pass through the village walking, on bicycles and who stay in the nearby caravan parks.”

The group hope to be able to open the chapel to the public early in 2024. For more information, see www.theoldchapel.info.