'Cathedral of the Potteries' repair work approved

Plans to restore a historical chapel in Stoke-on-Trent have been approved.

Extensive repair work will be carried out at Bethesda Chapel, in Hanley, known locally as the Cathedral of the Potteries after charity Re-Form Heritage secured more than £500,000 of funding from Historic England.

The Grade II* listed Methodist chapel dates back to 1819 and since closing for active worship 40 years ago it has deteriorated badly and is currently on the Heritage at Risk register.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has now granted permission for a number of internal and external repairs to the chapel.

The railings on Albion Street will be repaired and redecorated, along with the front of the building and the main entrance doors.

Meanwhile, boarded-up doors on the east side of the building will be reinstated to match those on the west side.

Inside the chapel, both sets of staircases will be repaired and former glazed ceilings will be replaced.

Areas of missing or damaged wall panelling will be reinstated and a missing cornice will be replaced, with its design based on historical photographs.

"The proposal will substantially contribute towards the conservation of the asset," the application stated.

A report said the proposed work would "preserve and enhance the historical listed building".

Bethesda Chapel was founded by wealthy industrialists and leaders of the New Connexions movement, and was the largest Methodist chapel outside London.

The building, which twice hosted the Methodist Conference during the 19th Century, is described as "an outstanding example of Victorian Methodist architecture" in the planning application.

Re-Form Heritage took on the building from its former owner the Historic Chapels Trust.

The charity, which also runs Middleport Pottery, planned to bring the chapel back into use as an exhibition and performance space, as well as a base for specialist arts educator Pinc College.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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