Redcar and Cleveland buys historic church for £47k

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council has bought a church in Loftus high street for £47,500, as part of its plans to regenerate the local area.

The local authority plans to renovate the former Loftus United Reformed Church into a business and cultural event space which could stream cinema films and host community performances.

The church was built in 1906 by Charles Hebditch who later married there.

It closed its doors in the 1990s and has stood empty ever since.

The church is considered a key building in the area, with its tower marking the west end of Loftus and the entrance to the historic heart of the town.

Earlier this year, the council also bought the Grade II-listed former Barclays Bank building, located at the heart of the Market Place, to transform it into high-quality tourist accommodation and to reintroduce a form of banking or post office service to the area.

‘Loftus High Street is at the heart of the local community and our vision is to transform the area into a modern market town to offer new opportunities for residents and visitors,’ said cabinet member for economic development, Cllr Wayne Davies.

‘We want to bring the church building back into use to support the local economy. We aim to renovate it to improve its appearance and turn it into a vibrant space where people want to go and spend their time.

‘This is another real positive step demonstrating our commitment to Loftus and East Cleveland. We want to make sure people come and visit and stay here, we want to create jobs for local people, and for our businesses to thrive,’ added Cllr Davies.

The next steps for the council are to make the building safe, improve the outward appearance and refurbish the inside.

Photo Credit – Michael Gaida (Pixabay)