CHAGFORD'S redundant Methodist Chapel has gained new life and purpose thanks to a local firm and grant aid from the South West Regional Development Agency.

Work started just under a year ago to convert the chapel into office accommodation for 'Helpful Holidays' and it was officially opened recently by the regional development agency's business development officer Mike Gardner.

Moray Bowater, who runs 'Helpful Holidays' with his parents Su and Euan who founded the business, said such was the admiration for the building that it was going to be entered for a design award.

The architect for the project was Stephen Emanuel of Drewsteignton and Globe Building Company of Newton Abbot were the builders.

'It is a super building,' said Mr Bowater. 'The architect has managed to make it into amazing offices that are light and spacious.

'We are over the moon with it and consider ourselves very lucky to have found this building in the first place.'

'Helpful Holidays' had previously been operating from a converted barn 'in the wilds' near Drewsteignton but the company had run out of space and needed to accommodate its ever increasing workforce.

Mr Bowater said the chapel was available at the time and the family were determined to move the business into Chagford which had been their home for over 30 years.

A redundant buildings grant of 25 per cent towards the cost of the conversion was secured from the South West Regional Development Agency, who are concerned with keeping businesses in rural areas, and it was all systems go.

The company has grown to 15 full time staff and five part-time and has 450 properties on its books spread all over Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, ranging from fishermen's cottages and mini stately homes.

Mr Bowater said a quarter of the cottages that were let were on farms so this was helping to boost farmers' income in times of difficulty for their industry.

'Helpful Holidays' which has built a reputation on its 'tell them how it is, warts and all' approach is expecting to book around 10,000 weeks holidays this year.

Mr Bowater added: 'There were some people who felt this building should remain in public use and we have been aware of that.

'What I can say is that spending money on this building has brought it back into use — we may not be here for the next 100 years but the building will be and it could be used as a house, public resource, business premises or whatever in that time.'

Chairman of Chagford Parish Council, Peter Hill said it was quite amazing what had been done to the building yet the character of the outside had not changed.

'I believe raising the money to bring this building back into use for the community would have been extraordinarily difficult and there are so many other things going on in the parish at the moment that need funding,' he said.

He added the business had provided jobs for local people and he wished the company all the best for the future.