A NEWLY refurbished community centre café was given the VIP treatment at its official opening today (Friday, August 9).

The café at Firthmoor Community Centre, in Burnside Road, Darlington, was officially opened by Darlington mayor, Charles Johnson, and mayoress, Carol, following its £26,000 refurbishment.

The revamp came after residents rated the café as a top priority for the area, and a grant of £10,000 from The National Lottery helped the revamp get underway.

Chairman of the Firthmoor and District Community Association, Kevin Nicholson, said: “The new café is a fantastic achievement for us and we are getting some great feedback from residents.

“I’m delighted with results. We have transformed our café into a place where families and friends can feel part of their a local community.

“Even during this tough economic climate we have managed to invest in our centre, this is a fantastic achievement.”

Councillor Johnson said: “It is a first class refurbishment and a really good model for any other community centre to follow.

“They have got a very passionate team behind them, and I was very impressed with their chairman, Kevin Nicholson – we had a lot in common.”

The café is open from Sunday to Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm.

For more information contact the café on 01325-376727.