
We started working with the Bedford Road Church congregation in 2019. During the next couple of years, we explored possibilities for St Ives CLT to rent the premises and provide a variety of activities through other groups and organisations.
The numbers of those worshiping at the Church were dwindling each year and the decision was taken by the area Methodist Church to close the building in April 2023. This also meant the resident youth group, Flashlight was also without a home.
The intention of the Church since then has been to sell the building, and we expressed an interest in taking it on after we had secured the future of St Peters Street Studios (former Bible Christian Chapel).
The Church decided to go ahead with the sale. A band of volunteers, Flashlight and St Ives Town Council have helped St Ives CLT to get the building listed as an asset of community value. This means the community would be allowed to make a bid for buying the building in a six-month period after the start of the open marketing of the site.
The procedure is managed by Cornwall Council and the 6 month period is a legal requirement prior to any sale. The building is number 141 in the St Ives Area Neighbourhood Plan Appendix Non-Listed Heritage Assets.
In April 2024, it came to light that due to an administrative error, we were not informed that the 6-week window to confirm our intension to bid had opened which resulted in us being 3 weeks overdue with that form.
Cornwall Council approached the Methodist District Superintendent explaining it was their error which caused our lateness, but the District Superintendent threw out their request and we were out of the process.
The building is now being sold on the open market.
