A new coffee bar is opening tomorrow as part of a church’s plan to improve its community facilities and encourage greater use of its building.

Wellspring will be open for three mornings a week at Earlsdon Methodist Church following a transformation of the building.

A new lobby area that will also double as the coffee bar is part of the new front of the church that has been built after volunteers raised and borrowed £250,000.

Windows have been built in the doors to allow more daylight in and to give people a chance to see the activities in the church.

The coffee bar will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 9.30am to 2pm.

Community groups in the area are being encouraged to use the area on the other days of the week, and traders and businesses are being asked to support the next phase of the transformation.

Chairman of the fundraising committee Victor Keen said:

”We are absolutely thrilled with what has been achieved. I don’t think any of us could visualise exactly how it was going to look.

“We hope now the Earlsdon community will feel happy about using it and will feel that it’s a facility that they can use quite happily without being over-burdened by it being a church.”

A balcony has been built inside the church, and the pews replaced with moveable seats to try and broaden the range of uses of the building.

And the next phase will involve constructing several rooms that could be used for meetings of counselling sessions by local groups.

Mr Keen said:

“We’ve still got a lot to pay off for this stage, but the members are so impressed with it they are giving us more money.

”Someone has very kindly offered to pay for the planning application for the next stage so it is possible that we might be able to get it done.