On the 18/12/14 Kimberley Town Council voted in favour of a proposal to spend (unnecessarily) £40k to change the iconic chapel into a multi use building that compromises its charm, architecture and intend. The chapel, overarching the town, could be used for weddings, funerals and civil ceremonies. Necessary repairs to make this happen would cost ca £8k due to a fallen in floor (everything else is structurally fine). It all is a long story but to keep it short; a public consultation (without showing specific plans) showed only 4% of people suggested using it as a social hub. The proposal now includes (or centralises) the social hub, meaning that the majority of the cost is down to building in a kitchenette (in the "altar" area) and a toilet (with septic tank). This has been proposed and passed without a business plan (to justify the spending or use), whilst the building's charm and architecture has been seriously jeopardised. No real public consultation took place.

We are asking the Town Council to srap this proposal and to restore the chapel to enable the community to use it for weddings, civil ceremonies, funerals and namings. The floor, heating and lightening need to be done; the small room (opposite the entrance could be used for legal reasons necessary additional room to allow weddings); and if a toilet is deemed necessary, one could be located next to the cemetery entrance on the top of the hill, which then could be connected to the sewage system.