WORK is underway to move a north Durham community centre to bigger and better premises.

Stanley Community Centre, which is based on Tyne Road, is in the process of moving to its new home nearby at The Venue, which used to be Stanley Day Centre.

Refurbishment of the new facility is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

Bill Wilkinson, chairman of Stanley Community Association, which runs the centre, said: “We want to let people know that we are not closing and that we are relocating to much bigger premises and it will be far better for the community.

“We are really looking forward to it all, but it is going to be a bit of challenge as well.”

Repairs are needed to the roof, a new floor is being put down in the kitchen area and new wooden floors will be laid in the main hall and the dance studio.

The work is scheduled to be carried out on January 11.

The new building has already been decorated by Social Housing Enterprise Durham (SHED) with the help of some local volunteers as the former day centre has not been used for four years.

Secondary schoolchildren in the area have designed a new sign for the new centre.

The centre, which dates back to 1964, currently houses two theatre companies, a toddlers’ group, indoor bowls, a spiritualist group, a computer suite, choral society, Zumba and dance classes as well as a gym and many other sessions.

Mr Wilkinson said The Venue is also hoping to offer to space for a foodbank, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, welfare advice and rooms for other organisations.

He said: “We are hoping that charities in the area will be able to come into our building so they do not have to keep signposting people to different places. It is quite exciting.”

The building is owned by Durham County Council and the community has been given access for a peppercorn rent with a 30 year lease.

The move and refurbishment has cost up to £100,000 with funding coming from the county council, Stanley Area Action Partnership and neighbourhood budgets from county councillors.

Mr Wilkinson said: “It is enormous inside, and is a bit like Dr Who’s Tardis because I have lived in Stanley all my life and walked past it regularly and had no idea what it was like until recently.

“The rooms will be named after the old pits in the area because we want to keep the town’s mining history alive.”