Plans have been submitted to turn a derelict, Grade II listed building into a thriving wedding venue with offices.
The Dalton Pumping Station in Cold Hesledon, County Durham was originally built for the South Shields Water Company in 1873-79.
No longer a pumping station during World War II, the building was bought by entrepreneur Vikki McCarthy-Wright, who owns the House of Mooshki bridal shop, and her husband, Ian Wright, who owns Rufus Creative Design.
In the planning overview, the owners explain: “As you know, we are looking for a change in use in order to be able to hold weddings and other events. I have been in the bridal industry for over a decade and now run an international wedding dress design company, House of Mooshki. Local brides from the area are currently required to head to Otter Burn in Northumberland to gain access to the desired venue. We have the amazing Seaham Hall on our doorstep, but their focus is not on that source of income and they only host 25-30 weddings a year. Our goal is not only to keep the brides as local as possible, but also to be attractive enough to brides from other areas. This would benefit not only the pump house but other local businesses / restaurants and hotels as well. We have already reached out to Seaham Hall for assistance with accommodation and we will be reaching out to others to offer a variety of accommodation options from hotels, guest houses and lodges.
“In addition to weddings, which will be our main role for the building, we would like to develop a range of activities and events throughout the year to bring the community into the building. Mining villages were community-oriented at their heart and this has likely been lost in the last few decades since the mines were closed. We want Dalton Old Pump House to be the hub of activity and the place for the local community. ”
The applicants say that the remodeling of the existing Victorian building will not have an adverse effect on the building or its surroundings.
The entrepreneurs who carry out the development will generate much-needed income in order to preserve and preserve the cultural asset and secure its future for future generations.
The full planning application and the comments on the proposals can be found online at publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications/
