CONCERNS have been raised about the future of an award-winning, multi-million pound community hub amid reports it is struggling financially.

All Souls Church in Astley Bridge has undergone a £5 million redevelopment in recent years, which has transformed what was a redundant Victorian church building into a ‘space age’ business and community centre.

But fears have now been raised about its long term financial future. The current project funding is set to run out in 2018.

It has also been revealed that two of the key figures involved in launching the innovative regeneration project in 2013 — All Souls director Andrew Suter and trust chairman Inayat Omarji - have both left their posts.

But the trust has refused to answer questions about its finances. It says that it is becoming established as a ‘unique centre for the benefit of the Bolton family’.

The redevelopment of All Souls began in 2013 and was carried out by the Churches Conservation Trust, alongside the All Souls Crompton Community Centre and local residents.

The £4.9 million scheme — largely funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund — enabled the former church building to open to the public for the first time in 26 years, boasting contemporary community and conference facilities, business units and a café.

However, The Bolton News understands that those now in charge are attempting to find ways in which the centre will be able to fund itself after 2018 and has held interviews with those who use the centre.

One user, who did not wish to be named, said: “I was called in for a meeting and basically told that the centre is in big trouble.

“No one is coming in and it is not making any money. We don’t really know who is in charge — I didn’t realise how bad things were.”

He added: “There are a lot of questions to be answered — they should be having events every night at All Souls — it could be so well used.”

Concerns have also been raised by councillors in the Crompton area, who fear that the centre — which has won numerous property awards since its redevelopment — could struggle to exist after 2018.

Cllr Guy Harkin was recently appointed to the church’s board, but said he has had no contact from anyone involved with the project.

He said: “They put me on the board earlier this year, but I haven’t actually had any communication from them at all as yet. When they first came to us, we always said it would be very difficult to generate the revenue required for a project like this.

“There is often capital available to do regeneration schemes like this, but we never understood where the revenue would come from and we did express that opinion at the time.”

Last year, Cllr Harkin led a campaign by the local community to oppose plans by the All Souls leadership to get a liquor licence so that alcohol could be served at functions at the centre.

He said: “Once it became apparent that the revenue was not being made, they applied for an alcohol licence, but large parts of the local community were not happy with this and people resigned from the board of trustees and lots of local people boycotted it.

“I think they are really struggling, which is a shame because it is a fantastic building inside now.

“I really wish them well and hope that it can succeed, but I think that will be very difficult in its current guise.”

He added: “I think perhaps someone needs to come in and take it over lock, stock and barrel, with a long-term plan — If £5 million is left to rot away then that would be a real tragedy.”

Fellow Crompton Cllr Hanif Darvesh believes that a lack of car parking is one of the key struggles for those running the centre.

He said: “It is a fantastic building, but it was always going to be a challenge to keep it running.

“Lots of office space that is available out there has free parking and All Souls doesn’t — I think they knew the challenges of this when they set out.

“Unfortunately it is the case of what is essentially a voluntary organisation trying to compete in the general market out there — but with some serious constraints and I think the trustees need to look again at the business plan going forward.

“I really hope they can find a way to create that revenue funding because we really don’t want it to be left to ruin and close down.”

He added: “The issue of the alcohol licence hasn’t helped, people weren’t happy at the idea of a community space mixing with a licensed premises.”

One business which set up at All Souls but has since left is Room Four, which runs a dessert parlour in Deane Road and opened a second unit at the Astley Bridge hub back in 2014.

Owner Asif Timol said: “As a business, we were very excited to have a base within and more importantly to work with All Souls on what promised to be a very exciting venture.

“As the name suggested, a venue for all souls which would become a hub of cohesion and unite different communities. We went in with a plethora of ideas which unfortunately never materialised.

“We encountered technical issues from the outset which for us, as a business, made it unfeasible to bring to fruition what we had planned as a business and a joint venture.

“Sadly these issues escalated during the year we were there leading to ties being severed last October.

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He added: “All Souls is a unique building with potential to set an example in so many respects and, even though we are no longer in a position to be involved, I really hope that this potential is met.”

The trust said it would not respond to ‘rumours’ surrounding All Souls but released the following statement: “All Souls Bolton is a church on the corner of Astley street and Wolfenden street. It had stood empty and unused for 26 years until brought back to life with the support of the Churches Conservation Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“The building has been refurbished to function as a heritage and community centre with office space also available. There is a brand new cafe open to the public.

“All the office space is now let and we have welcomed the Halliwell Local History Society who have just opened at heritage centre within All Souls Bolton — the centre is also used by a number of voluntary and faith groups.”

A spokesman added that All Souls Bolton was a ‘far-sighted project’ delivered by the original trustees and workforce and is now becoming established as a unique centre set in an historic area of Bolton and opened to benefit the whole Bolton family.

He said: “All Souls Bolton is fully funded until 2018 and will be recruiting for at least one job role in the New Year.”