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The Chamber at St John’s will see the church in North Road developed into a business and co-working space.

Lancaster & Morecambe Chamber of Commerce is asking for public feedback on the proposal to help refine the plans.

If you are interested in working from a beautiful and historic heritage setting, they want to know, to help demonstrate demand to secure funding.

Jon Powell (Past President), Chris Gardner (President), and Tarnia Elsworth (Vice President).

Chamber president Chris Gardner, from local accountancy practice Waters and Atkinson, said: “The Chamber at St John’s will add a place-based offer to our strategy to connect, support and represent the interests of employers and businesses in Lancaster and Morecambe.

"This will be a place to do business, to work from, to meet and socialise. The church will be refurbished to create dedicated offices, open plan dedicated desks, co-working desks, meeting spaces, an event space and a café open to the public, as well as landscaped gardens in the centre of the city of Lancaster.

"We need to know if you would use the Chamber and St John’s, and if so how to help shape the offer so we can make this a reality for the people, businesses, charities and social enterprises in Lancaster and Morecambe.”

The Chamber at St John’s project will see this Georgian chapel-of-ease transformed from a redundant building at risk to a vibrant landmark in Lancaster city centre, enhancing the prosperity and well-being of the whole community.

New desk spaces could be incorporated on the ground floor.

The project has been co-designed through an innovative partnership between The Churches Conservation Trust and Lancaster & Morecambe Chamber of Commerce.

They are currently working with Mosedale Gillatt Architects Limited to develop a scheme that will repair the historic fabric of the building, transform the interior to create working spaces on the ground floor and gallery, private offices, and a café area, with plans for an extension to the north which will house supporting facilities including further offices, a large meeting room, and WCs and shower. The churchyard will be landscaped and open to the public, offering outdoor seating and a place for reflection.

The chamber's survey can be accessed online at https://lnkd.in/eeCP73ZR

For more details on the plans for the Chamber at St John’s go to https://lancaster-chamber.org.uk/news/the-chamber-at-st-johns-2

Historic Lancaster church set for new role as quirky work space