Cotherstone’s Old Chapel café and shop has marked its first anniversary.
The community shop opened on June 25, 2024, after several years of work by a group of dedicated volunteers.
The local community rallied to buy the Methodist church when it closed its doors a few years ago.
Shop manager Tilly Ball said: “The feeling was that Cotherstone needed a shop after the last one closed and a spot for local people and holidaymakers to come together.
“There is also a lot of information on the history of the building and the people and houses in Cotherstone with more coming to the new website once complete.
“It’s been an incredible year, with the first summer exceeding expectations with lots of people lining up to get their hands on some of the delicious food and drink on offer.
“This summer is set to be just as busy (if not more) with the addition of an ice cream section and a wonderful new seating area with a kitchen garden at the back.”
A group of dedicated volunteers has been hard at work making the garden come to life over the last few months. This year has also seen the addition of an IT hub which allows anyone to use the computers in the old school room as well as a bike maintenance station for the keen cyclists who visit the shop.
Ms Ball said: “We’ve also had the privilege of hosting regular groups, such as Sisters in Stitches, a book club, an art class and a French conversation group.
“Everyone at The Old Chapel is excited to see what this next year brings. We’re always looking for more incredible volunteers to help at The Chapel, we have many different roles available.”
