A WORKINGMEN’S club is undergoing a complete transformation to bring it into the modern day and attract everyone from the community.

Wolsingham Constitutional Club has been part of Wolsingham ever since the founding of the steelworks by Charles Attwood.

Steve Wright the Chairman of Wolsingham Constitutional Club said: “The workingmen’s club scene has been dying for years.

“We’ve taken this pandemic as a shot at turning things around.

“A lot of workingmen’s clubs have a certain look to them, they are not really that inviting, so we wanted to change that.”

Inside the club, decorators are hard at work transforming it.

The club will be split in two, what was the former men’s bar is being turned into a sports bar, which will be open for all.

The décor of the club will reflect the history of the steelworks in the area. The name of the bar will be the Charles Attwood.

The bar’s old green furnishings and tired furniture is being ripped out and replaced with new furnishings to reflect the build of a wooden ship.

All the new fixtures and fittings are being made and fitted by local traders.

Mr Wright added: “We want to attract families, cyclists, walkers, tourists, the lot, we want people to know we’re open and welcoming.

“We’re trying to cater to the whole community because there’s very little in the centre of Wolsingham now, and we are trying to attract people back in.”

The garden is also being transformed, new decking has been placed and the vegetation has been removed to make way for new grass.

The club hopes to have a marquee in the garden for hosting events.

The staircase in the club is having a makeover with a big mural of Charles Attwood, complete with Titanic anchor.

The mural is being created by local artist Lewis Hobson from Durham Spray Paints.

Mr Hobson said:“I’ve always wanted to do a mural like this, I love the history behind it all and it was something I was keen on and a lot of people in Wolsingham are too.

“The anchor is in 3D, so it really sticks out at you, I wanted to make it the centre piece. 3D artwork is something I really wanted to practice so I am grateful that they let me.

“I am hoping to do a series of artworks dedicated to the mining of quartz in the dale, which I am really looking forward to.”

The club's official reopening will be on May 21, with a celebration on May 31 for the 110th anniversary of the launch of the Titanic.