A NEW cafe has opened its doors at the site of a former community centre.

Beechwood Haven Cafe has opened recently in Fore Street, Lower Darwen, offering breakfasts and lunches and deserts and drinks.

Joint owners Alison Singleton and her husband John Singleton are behind the new venture.

The community centre closed last year and the pair have spent the past year transforming the building into a cafe.

Mrs Singleton said she hopes the building can be a 'hub' for the community and that it will be open for anyone.

She said: "We had a vision for the village and the building and wanted to open something good for the community and the surrounding area.

"The community centre closed last May after it ran out of funding and we approached the owner of the building and bought it off him.

"The building had fallen into a dilapidated state and it's been empty for a good year, of which we've been renovating it."

The building is complete with things including tables and chairs, new flooring and a new toilet block and will include space for groups to hold meetings

She said: "A lot of blood sweat and tears and hard work and money has gone into opening the cafe.

"We want the cafe to be a community hub where people can come in and have a chat and something to eat and get to know others.

"But it's open for anyone regardless of their age, including those who may be isolated and want to make friends.

"The cafe has gone down really since its opening and is proving popular and we've had some really positive feedback.

"We've had hundreds of customers already and a lot turned up on our opening day.

"Hopefully it will be a success and bring something different to Lower Darwen."

The cafe currently opens five days a week between 9am and 4pm on a Monday to Friday.