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Viewers of a new BBC series will be deciding the immediate fate of a bid to bring Newlyn's Methodist Chapel back in to use.
The grade II listed building has been empty for the last nine years after serious structural problems forced the congregation out.
But next month it will be featured on a new BBC show, Restoration Village, where viewers will have the chance to decide whether it receives funding to allow its renovation for a new role at the centre of village life.
The aim of the project is to carry out structural repairs and create a resource that celebrates Newlyn's religious, social, industrial and artistic heritage with a focus on former copper-working, silk-making industries and its renowned school of painters.
The story of the 170-year-old building, and the latest plans to refurbish it, will be shown in the second of seven programmes that will look at other projects in the South West battling it out for funding.
The Rev Julyan Drew of Newlyn Methodist Church explained that with work to convert the church's former Sunday School into a multi-purpose community centre due for completion in the autumn, the intention was then to move on to the chapel itself.
"We need a new roof, windows, doors and damp proofing and when we had the work costed five years ago it came back at £500,000.
"With the Sunday School nearly finished we were just starting to think about the project again. But being offered the chance to take part in this programme was a complete surprise. I received a phone call to say we had been selected for Restoration Village because we had been chosen from English Heritage's at risk list.
"Obviously if we could win it would be wonderful and would really speed up the process.
"Restoration Village provides a unique opportunity not only to restore a fine building but also to tell the fascinating story of the community in which it is set."
During the edition of the programme, due to be aired on August 4, the Newlyn scheme will be pitted against two others in the South West hoping for funding; the grade II listed medieval farmhouse, Welcombe Barton, near Bideford, Devon, and a former twine works at West Coker, Somerset.
On Sunday, August 5, a Restoration Roadshow will also be held at Newlyn to showcase the renovation project.
Mr Drew added: "I hope we can get local people interested in supporting this project and voting for it when the programme is shown.
"Obviously it is all very well restoring the building, but what we want to do is create something sustainable and something the people of Newlyn can be proud of."
Each programme of Restoration Village will profile three architectural projects in a region and ask viewers to vote for which one should go through to the grand final.
Viewers will again have the ultimate say on which building wins the funding
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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