The Chapel is Open - Welcome!

The former chapel building is now home to the newly-refurbished Speldhurst Community Shop and Post Office and community hub. Its official opening was held on Saturday 8 November at 11:00

What’s Happened so Far

On 3 December 2024, Speldhurst Parish Council (SPC) completed the purchase of the chapel. On the same day they signed a 25-year lease with the Community Shop, giving them exclusive use of the building for the shop, post office, and as a community hub.

The lease puts responsibility for all ongoing costs — council tax, utilities, insurance, security, repairs and maintenance on the Community Shop. It also includes break clauses to cover exceptional circumstances.

The Community Shop had already secured planning permission to renovate and extend the chapel building at their own cost and raised around £400,000 towards these works, which began in March 2025 and took 8 months to complete

The purchase and conversion are a vital local asset for the long term, preserving it as a community facility for the parish.

Want to Know More?

For full project background — initial proposals, the community share offer and fundraising plans — see the original consultation PDF documents below.

For current shop and post office updates, check the Speldhurst Community Shop & Post Office Facebook page, or pick up a copy of the village magazine, which also carries regular updates.

Residents with questions or who wish to get involved (e.g. volunteering, events, community use) are encouraged to get in touch via their Facebook page or Instagram  pages.

Background – How we Got There

During August 2023, SPC ran a parish-wide consultation on whether to proceed with the purchase of the chapel so the shop and post office could relocate there. 623 households responded (about 32% of parish households).The results showed strong support: 89% of respondents agreed that the council should act to protect community assets;  85% supported proceeding with the Chapel Project; and 82% accepted a small increase in council tax (for a Band D property - £12.49 per year) to fund loan repayment if required.

Following this mandate, SPC submitted an offer of £300,000 for the chapel, which was accepted. The offer was conditional on the owners arranging a voluntary first registration of the property at the Land Registry - a step they undertook.

A loan from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) was earmarked to fund the purchase - but would only be drawn down when all conditions were met (including registration), giving flexibility if interest rates changed.

Why this matters to the community

• The project ensures the continued existence of the village’s community shop and post office - important services for many residents.
• The renovated chapel will provide not only retail and postal services, but also a shared community hub and meeting space.
• The building is now protected under parish ownership, helping secure its long-term future versus potential sale or repurposing.

What’s next / What to look out for

Even though the chapel has opened, the longer-term plans are to carry out the larger renovation and extension works, as per the planning permission already granted by the Community Shop.  

• The shop will continue to share updates, both via their Facebook page, Instagram and in the village magazine “Speldhurst News.”  It repurposes and revitalises a village building that might otherwise have been lost, giving it new life as a community hub.
• The building now serves multiple functions -  retail, post office, community meeting space -  strengthening village cohesion.
• Because ownership rests with the Parish Council, future changes remain in the hands of the community, not private interests.