Community to use former church

Diggle Methodist Church - nursery plan

Residents are to see their dream of turning an empty church into a community hall come true.

The disused Wrigley Mill Methodist Church in Diggle will become a children’s nursery over the next few months - and the new owners have promised it will remain available to people who wanted it to become a hub for local groups and societies.

The church closed in June 2011.

Members of Diggle Community Association made a joint bid to purchase the land, but lost to Mike and Dawn Naughton, who began work on the nursery last week.

Despite the initial disappointment, association members are now backing the couple’s plans.

Stuart Coleman of the association said: “Everybody is in support. There was a bit of fuss over plans to sandblast the building, but the majority just think ‘new nursery, new start’.

“People are looking forward to seeing the building finally used for something.”

The nursery will open in early 2013.

The 5,700sq ft church previously hit the news when the last owner sold its 1850s pipe organ to a church in Poland.


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