A 'COLD and bleak' former storage space in an East Cornwall community interest entertainment centre has been transformed to provide kitchen and café facilities along with extra performance space, thanks to grant funding and the hard work of volunteers, and was officially launched at a ceremony last week.

Calstock Arts, now in its fourth year, provides all forms of entertainment from music and comedy to theatre in The Old Chapel. The organisation, entirely run by volunteers, has recently converted the basement below the old Methodist chapel into a useable space and installed an underfloor heating system, and a large two-storey structure in one corner, with a kitchen on the lower floor and storage on the upper floor.

The team at Calstock Arts is now also looking into the possibility of installing a cinema in the basement.

Funding for the con-version came largely from a grant from the East Cornwall Local Action Group as well as money generated from events at the chapel.

Chairman Tony Couchman said the new space would hopefully become a valuable source of income for the community interest company: 'We acquired the building in 2010 and set up Calstock Arts.

'We always knew we would like to produce food for events but didn't for the first couple of years because we wanted to make sure it was viable — and it has proved that it is.

'We wanted to expand our space and increase revenue, so we have taken the large basement, which was only useable as storage because it was cold and bleak, converted it and now we have a surprisingly nice space.'

Mr Couchman said it did not feel like a basement because it had natural light coming in from windows, and the area would be used as a café and as extra space for events.

'It was used as a café for the first time for the Jazz Festival and Food Dreckly ran the kitchen.

'We're looking at using it as a pop-up restaurant as well, and hoping to provide food before the main ticketed events.'

The space can also be used for other events such as a smaller jazz club or for comedy events, and will mean that as well as offering a venue for wedding ceremonies in the main part of the chapel, the conversion can now be used to hold wedding receptions as well.

Mr Couchman said the team was also looking into equipment for a potential cinema: 'The upstairs of the chapel would be quite hard to black-out, but the basement would be relatively easy.

'We're investigating the costs at the moment and if we can raise the money we hope to install it in 2014, so we can have a community cinema.

'It could also be used as a projector for business meetings, talks and educational and social events.

'We're hoping the conversion will become a valuable source of income, will bring more people in and generate more business and more revenue.'

Mr Couchman expressed thanks to Cornwall Council and the East Cornwall Local Action Group, and local trades, all from Calstock, who took on the conversion.

Calstock Arts organises events featuring top quality national and local performers and artists, and the modest profits are ploughed back into improving the venue and facilities.

For more information about Calstock Arts or to find out about upcoming events, visit http://www.calstockarts.org">www.calstockarts.org