LOTHERSDALE Village Hall is fast becoming the hub of the community after undergoing a £67,000 make-over.

The revamp means the village can press on with ambitious plans to start college courses for locals.

Members of Lothersdale Village Hall Trust have worked hard to modernise the site and it now boasts a state-of-the-art kitchen, store room and toilets.

The hall is now wheelchair-friendly and new safety equipment, including smoke and fire alarms and emergency lighting, have also been fitted. A modern boiler and new radiators will mean an end to wrapping up in several layers for mid-winter talks and events.

Work on the project, which was taken on by Lothersdale company RDP, was finished at the beginning of the year.

Trust Chairman Stephen Cohen, also clerk of Lothersdale Parish Council, said: "We now have a facility for the 21st century. We are hoping to attract more people, there has already been an increase in people using the building.

"Very little had been spent on the building over the last 20 years, it was crying out for modernisation."

He added one of the most important changes to the facility was fitting filters and purifiers to provide safe drinking water, as previously organisations using the hall, including the playgroup, brought bottled water to drink.

Mr Cohen added future plans for the Dale End facility included teaming up with Craven College to provide leisure and educational courses for residents, including computer, digital photography and parenting classes.

The trust also wants to build a new meeting room and add modern lighting and sound to the stage area by the end of the year. Trustees are looking to apply for Lottery funding. Efforts are also being made to obtain the neighbouring croft for car parking.

All together, the trust raised £66,610 for the project from various sources, including Lothersdale Church, parish council and the trust, district and county councils, Lloyds TSB and Skipton Building Society, Awards For All, Yorventure, Craven Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation and the lion's share of £18,000 came from Yorkshire Forward.