Church gets new lease of life

St Luke's Church is all that remains of the giant Winterton Psychiatric Hospital complex, near Sedgefield, County Durham, which was demolished six years ago to make way for a housing estate.

The imposing church, a Grade II listed building, has remained empty ever since, despite attracting interest from a number of potential buyers.

Now businesswoman Chris Moore has taken up the challenge of trying to revitalise the building, which was once such an important part of the hospital community.

Ms Moore, who grew up in Sedgefield, has bought the church with a view to turning it into a health and fitness centre.

A planning application has been submitted to Sedgefield Borough Council, which includes a state-of the-art gym, a spa, rest and recreation areas, treatment rooms and an upstairs studio.

At its height, Winterton Hospital was one of the biggest and most famous institutions of its kind in Europe, with around 2,000 patients.

Ms Moore is well aware of the history of the site and has vowed to respect the church and what it meant to the people who used it.

She said: "It's making our lovely church a focal point that can be enjoyed by a greater number of people.

"It's essential that the ambience and the atmosphere of the church is retained and it will be in my development. I couldn't alter the features of it and destroy it, it's just so beautiful.

"It's a memorial to all the people who suffered in this hospital and I feel privileged to be involved in starting up a centre that will improve people's quality of life."

Father John Caden, who was associated with the church for 38 years, said there had been plans to turn the church into a museum, but they failed to materialise.

He added: "I'm very pleased that somebody has bought it and is putting it to some other use.

"It's been standing there for several years and I'm delighted that she's using it in this way, rather than the thing deteriorating and being pulled down as a danger to people."