Long Whatton and Diseworth

COMMUNITY ASSET BID. Plans by Long Whatton and Diseworth Parish Council to purchase the disused Methodist Church in Long Whatton as a future community centre have been hit by a legal problem.

Instead of being able to purchase the disused church on Main Street as ‘a community asset’ the building has now been placed on the open market at a guide price of £125,000 and it has been advertised as a potential site for a variety of uses, such as a public house, bar, club restaurant, café or for mixed use.

But the Parish Council have not given up the fight and intends “to issue a bid along with the business case for the ‘community-based’ project as we believe it will have a huge benefits for Long Whatton.”

According to a statement issued by the Parish Council, Gadsby Nichols, the estate agent to the Methodist Church, have been instructed by the Church’s senior legal team to obtain “best price” for the property rather than favouring the sale to a community group as was the case originally.

The Parish Council said that the “community asset” choice falls foul of the Charities Act which states that the seller needs to demonstrate that the Best Price is achieved for the property.

Therefore, to satisfy the Charities Act, the property will be sold on the open market “by way of an informal tender process with a request for best and final offers.”

The Parish Council statement commented: ”Having spent some months putting the plan together this news has come as a surprise to the Parish Council and the decision is completely of our hands.

“However, the Parish Council intend to complete the process it started and will issue a big along with the business case for the ‘community-based’ project as we believe it will have a huge benefits for Long Whatton.”

The Parish Council had instructed an architect to undertake a feasibility study and create draft plans and the draft plans were shared with the local community at a consultation day in December, 2021.

Long Whatton has a history of Methodism that can be traced back more than 200 years. The 19th Century saw a huge rise in the number of practising Methodists, or Wesleyans as they were called, across England and the tiny villages in North West Leicestershire were no exception.

In 1829 a Chapel was built in Long Whatton behind the site of the existing church and throughout the century a large congregation was built up with a flourishing Sunday School. Church accounts record expenses for music for their Anniversaries, Clothing Clubs, Sunday School prizes, printing of hymn sheets etc.

However by 1900 the little chapel was in a state of serious disrepair and an appeal was made for a new church describing the current premises as “an old square dilapidated Chapel absolutely destitute of vestry and schoolroom and almost lost up a well nigh inaccessible yard.”

A site on the Main Street was found and ambitious plans drawn up. An appeal was made throughout the Methodist circuit for subscriptions, a Great Circuit Bazaar was organised and with the sale of the existing chapel and land the funds were raised On 4th October 1911 the President of the Conference, Rev. John Hornabrook from Central Building, Manchester signed the official form for the sale of the old chapel and site with the proviso that ‘of taking all possible means against being used for the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors, or as a theatre or dancing or music hall.’

In 1912 the new Church with Entrance Vestibule, organ, vestry, kitchen and large schoolroom was built to the delight of the congregation, the village and the Circuit.

The Twentieth Century saw the continuation of a very successful Sunday School with records showing large numbers of young people registering each week. Electricity was extended through the Church, alterations took place to include a new kitchen and toilets and generally improve the building.

The Church played its part during the WW2. A minute from the Annual Trustees meeting of February 1940 notes ‘proposed and seconded, that Caretaker should be increased by one shilling per week during winter months on account of schoolroom being Ambulance fort and First Aid post. By 1946 it was decided to raise the caretaker’s salary by £2 making it £12.0.0 per year.

There are many references of thanks to church members who performed the task of organ blowing and in November 1948 the Trustees ‘resolved in view of the generous gift of £105 by Mr Eli Lester for the purposes of providing an electric blower for the organ, the trustees accepted unanimously the estimate for cleaning and making necessary improvements to the organ. It was resolved that a small plate be placed on the organ with words stating that the organ blower was the personal gift of Mr Eli Lester in memory of his mother and father’.

In January 1953 a request was made to rent the Schoolroom every Tuesday afternoon for a Darby and Joan Club meeting. The trustees decided to check the Standing Orders of the Methodist Church as regards ‘what could and could not be done’. Unfortunately by the Annual Meeting following year it was noted that the Darby and Joan Club had ‘fixed up their premises elsewhere’

The meeting the following year, Mr Boultbee was asked at a fee of five shillings a week to do the stoking of the boiler.

In 1955 water had been laid on and the copper in the scullery removed and an electric copper installed. New sink and draining board, also electric fire in the vestry.

In 1957 the Methodist Church balance sheet was ‘in a favourable position’ and agreed that £1.0.0 should be given towards extensions at Trinity Hall Girls School.

In 1961 it was resolved that the Trust should be renewed and new trustees added to the existing list bringing the number to 20.

A year later a committee was formed to look into the ‘various jobs that should be done to the chapel and material to be obtained and inquiries made of work to be carried out before the 50th Anniversary. Quotations were received for cleaning walls of the Chapel and the Sunday School, painting of ceilings and exterior cleaning. The organ was removed from the front of the Chapel to the side. Following the Anniversary Celebration on 25th August 1962 the trustees recorded ‘Everyone was very pleased with the result of the Chapel Anniversary both spiritually and financially and for the large attendances for the Services and the approximate figure of 100 for tea in the National School’.

In 2012 there were celebrations for the Centenary of the Church with an exhibition and tea.

The Church closed for worship in 2020.