Bishop's Castle food bank gets permanent premises

A food bank has secured a new, permanent base

A food bank in a rural town has secured permanent premises with better storage.

Plans have been approved to convert a disused abattoir in Bishop's Castle into a community hub that currently supports more than 100 local people.

The proposals were put forward by Bishop's Castle Community Land Trust (BCCLT) which said it wanted to offer the operation a base in the heart of town.

The hub is temporarily housed at the Church Barn.

Shropshire Council, which approved plans, said: "It moved from an upstairs room in the Methodist Church to its present temporary location in the Church Barn, which it has to share with other organisations booking the hall for events and meetings.

"It has inadequate storage space and no security of tenure... stocks of food have to be kept on open shelving in the hall itself, in a cleaning cupboard and in a damp, separate shed, involving double handling of the stock, and resulting in wasted time and effort."

BCCLT hopes to apply for grants to fund the transformation, but says if it is unsuccessful, other fundraising options will be looked into to ensure the project can go ahead.