Hitting centenary deadline for Little Chapel work unlikely

A planning application to add an interpretation centre, toilets and a wheelchair-friendly path was submitted last year and a drop-in was held last month for the public to give feedback

It had been hoped the final decision would be delivered at an open planning meeting this month so work could start this year. But the lockdown has delayed that indefinitely.

Little Chapel Foundation chairman John Silvester said the chapel was closed, along with all other places of worship.

‘The chapel is so small, you could not do distancing,’ he said.

Mr Silvester said that in some ways it was fortunate for the project that the shutdown happened when it did.

‘In some respects we were quite lucky, because of the delays with Planning,’ he said.

‘We haven’t raised any money but we also haven’t spent any money.

‘We have a little bit of money to keep us going, but before any work can take place we will need to fundraise.

‘But other charities are having to do the same thing. We could be 18 months away from starting work.’

And this could delay celebration plans.

‘In 2023 it is 100 years of the Little Chapel and we wanted to make a splash,’ Mr Silvester said.

‘Whether we can get there or not now, I’m not sure.’

The loss of holidaymakers to the site is a particularly heavy blow. All cruise ships are cancelled until at least 02 June and further cancellations are expected, as day trips are not possible while the 14-day quarantine period is in place.

Mr Silvester said while not all the cruise ship passengers donated when they visited, many did.

‘It’s a big loss,’ he said.

The glass door at the main entrance is closed and wooden doors cover the other entrances to keep the site secure. However the site is lit up inside and people can see through the glass doors.

‘Just before we closed down, we did a good spring clean, so it looks spectacular inside,’ he said.

‘We are checking it regularly and there was a bit of money in the collection box, which was very nice, so people are going that way.’

The area is filled with wild flowers and Mr Silvester said the quiet meant there was also a lot of wildlife to see too. People are still able to enjoy the grounds during their daily exercise.