A VOLUNTEER group’s plans to open a community shop, heritage centre and cafe is “forging ahead” , despite a failed bid for public money.
The Cotherstone Old Chapel Project learned last month that its application for Community Ownership Fund (COF) money had been unsuccessful.
The chapel project, which is a community benefit society, had applied for £250,000 capital funding to help with renovation costs of the former Methodist Chapel, along with £40,000 revenue funding to cover set-up costs.
Undeterred, project chairman Chris Tarpey said: “We are forging ahead. We had our offer accepted on the chapel so that is going through conveyance at the moment.
“We can reapply but they haven’t said when it reopens yet.”
Planning permission to make the necessary changes is in place.
He added: “We have the majority of the money from the share issue and we are speaking to Durham County Council about some funding through Teesdale Action Partnership (TAP). We are very confident we can complete the purchase and start the renovation work.
“Our final aim hasn’t changed and we will reapply to the Community Ownership Fund and look at other sources of funding.”
He added: “We will do some basic work on the chapel and make sure the roof is sound and the floor is safe to use.
“At least we will keep the chapel with the community. It may take a bit longer to come to fruition but we will continue with the pop-up cafes while raising the cash.”
The fifth in a series of pop-up cafes at the chapel, when the theme was repair, proved just as popular as in the past with many flocking to sample teas, coffees and cakes as well as getting one or two items fixed by willing volunteers.
Mr Tarpey said: “We have opened the share issue again so people can buy now.”
For information about the Cotherstone Old Chapel Project visit: theoldchapel.info
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
