A former Derbyshire bank will be turned into a café run by a “gospel ministry” after plans were approved by officials.
The former HSBC bank on the corner of King Street and Milford Road in Duffield, has been vacant for nearly three years after its most recent occupant, consultancy firm Customer Plus, left in 2023.
Now, following a decision by planning officials at Amber Valley Borough Council, the building will gain a new lease of life by being turned into a cafe.
The scheme, filed by the Duffield & Little Eaton Trust for Gospel Ministry, a registered charity aimed at supporting Christian youth work, is being implemented and financed by members of the congregation of St Alkmund’s Parish Church in Duffield, the Diocese of Derby detailed.
Reverend Dr James Hughes, Vicar of St Alkmund’s, said: “Our vision as a church is to have a presence in the village where we can reach out to, and make connections with, our friends and neighbours in the village, and provide a base for both our church ministries and for other activities.
“We’re really looking forward to developing this exciting project over the next few months and welcoming people to the café in the near future.”
The new business would create two full-time jobs and open from 8am until 6pm every day of the week except Sunday and Monday, with additional volunteer roles to be created for kitchen and front-of-house positions.
On Sundays and Mondays the facility would be used for “outreach activities” and events.
The application says that the previous use by Customer Plus employed 15 people.
The consultancy firm took over the building from HSBC after the bank closed down in 2010. Prior to that, it had been a Midland Bank, with the building used as a bank for around 100 years.
Details in the application mentioned that the former bank safe, currently used for storage, would be converted into a meeting room, with the existing kitchen expanded and extra toilets installed.
Meanwhile, a rear courtyard currently used to store bins would be converted into an outdoor seating area with a fabric canopy to provide shade and shelter.
A new rear entrance would be installed to provide a level access.
By Eddie Bisknell – Local democracy reporter
