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Community centre and mosque plan for hotel site

6:56pm Sunday 23rd March 2008

comment Comments (25)   Have your say »


A LANDMARK hotel in Nelson could be given a fresh lease of life as a Muslim community centre under part of plans for a new mosque in the town.

The former Groves Hotel, off Manchester Road, has been earmarked by the UKIM Madina Masjid, currently based in Forest Street, as a potential new home.

Blueprints for an £850,000 project, which would see the hotel become a community centre and a new mosque constructed in the grounds, have been submitted to Pendle council's planning department.

The Forest Street mosque started life in 1974 as a single shop, which was later expanded with the purchase of two adjacent properties.

But the local community has outgrown the current premises, which is incorrectly orientated with Mecca for prayer and also suffers from limited car parking.

Originally known as the Spring Bank Cottage, the grade-II listed former hotel dates back to the 1880s, when it was built as a gentleman's residence.

Later it became known as the Groves Hotel, and was also home to Hawthorne's nightclub for a time.

But the hotel had closed by the turn of the century and was the site of a major fire in July 2001, which took more than 40 firefighters over four hours to bring under control.

Councillors have previously campaigned for remedial work to be undertaken on the hotel and Pendle council's Nelson area committee threatened to issue a clean-up notice on its owners in 2006.

A spokesman for the project said: "Madina Masjid had been searching for a new site for a number of years and had considered a variety of potential sites.

"Firstly the location and secondly, size were the main determinants in the selection of the Spring Bank Cottage (the former Groves Hotel)."

Supporters are confident that the proposed mosque, in the middle of Whitefield ward, which is said to have the largest Muslim population in Pendle, is in the ideal location.

The spokesman added: "The former Groves Hotel site gives the masjid an opportunity to improve the quality of the built environment by restoring a derelict fire-damaged building."

An Islamic bookshop, library, sports facilities, an IT centre, children's play area form part of the scheme and it is hoped adult education classes, homework sessions and interfaith groups can meet there.

The community centre will be designed to host a variety of functions, weddings, conferences and conventions and will be equipped with a cafe and kitchens.

Start-up business units, in an existing annexe beside the former hotel, are also pencilled in as part of the blueprints.

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Your Say YourLancashire Telegraph

khan, Nelson says...
7:14pm Sun 23 Mar 08

Thnk you LET for putting this story up. You just wanted to cause fights against muslims. PLEASE DONT COMMENT IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WRITE ANYTHING GOOD.

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Sarah Adams, Pendle says...
7:25pm Sun 23 Mar 08

khan wrote:
Thnk you LET for putting this story up. You just wanted to cause fights against muslims. PLEASE DONT COMMENT IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WRITE ANYTHING GOOD.
I agree with you 'khan!'

I think this is a good idea for using an otherwise derelict building which can be utilized by the wider community.

Good luck from me and many of my friends!

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sal, says...
10:41pm Sun 23 Mar 08

You realise that if people put in an effort instead of leaving it for someone else, maybe things you want will get done.

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bystander, nelson says...
11:55pm Sun 23 Mar 08

Lets not forget the project will be funded by the mosque. not from any pendle council funds... dont know why ben is complaining, at least the muslim community is willing to buy and put this eyesore to some use... if you have such a big problem with this project then first of all think why no-one from your community thought of raising money to by the place and put it to some use for your community. dont just sit waiting for pendle council to do it for you.

with regards to the pendlerise i think it was wrong of LET to say the banqueting hall is for asian, which i doubt it will be. the owners are white and the people running it will be white.. if the owners feel they can only make money out of the asain then its not the asain community’s fault. business is business end of the day

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Average Joe, Lanc's says...
12:57am Mon 24 Mar 08

sal wrote:
You realise that if people put in an effort instead of leaving it for someone else, maybe things you want will get done.
I agree, good point sal!

bystander:Lets not forget the project will be funded by the mosque. not from any pendle council funds... dont know why ben is complaining, at least the muslim community is willing to buy and put this eyesore to some use... if you have such a big problem with this project then first of all think why no-one from your community thought of raising money to by the place and put it to some use for your community. dont just sit waiting for pendle council to do it for you.
I absolutely agree with you with what you have stated bystander.

If only folk stopped moaning and did something constructive?

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d nelson, whitefield nelson says...
1:01pm Mon 24 Mar 08

Do we really need another mosque in the area that is basically
residential.Admitted
ly
the building is an eyesore but only after planning has been rejected previously have the mysterious fires happened. The building is listed and of course if it burns down you can build anything on the empty site .
Also are the local residents being consulted about what THEY would like on the site.Some sheltered housing would be nice
for the elderly in need

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bystander, lancs says...
3:30pm Mon 24 Mar 08

What's the problem? The building is a disgrace and something needs to be done.

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lydia, nelson says...
4:31pm Mon 24 Mar 08

No we dont need a mosque around here again dont the council etc think there are enough, yes the building in an eyesore but so are mosques.
I totally agree with ben on everything he says.
White children have no where to go because the asians have took over the youth club areas.
No matter how hard people try whites and asians are never going to intregate and that is a fact.

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jo, padiham says...
5:36pm Mon 24 Mar 08

well wot do u expect, nelstan is near enough an all asian town now. theres nothing for whites there anymore

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SAM, nelson says...
6:09pm Mon 24 Mar 08

Maybe lydia is right, whites and asians can't integrate, but that doesn't mean that you can't all stay within the same community I'm a muslim, and i honestly myself feel that yes there is no real need for another mosque in the town, as there is already one main one, and several small ones all over nelson. However if no one hasany other need for the derelict building on manchester rd, then building a mosque is not doing any harm. White people keep complaining, but why do you not take any action-go to your local council and tell them what you want. I feel that the white community just want to sit there, not do anything, yet want something for themselves. the muslim community want something for themselves and make the effort to get off there bottoms and go do it. Its a shame to see how you white people are so against the asians in the town, when all it takes is for you to get your act together and do something positive for yourselves, your children, and your community. STOP COMPLAINING!!!!!! Rather than spending the time in the pub, sit around a table and do something for your town, start making it yours too.

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Muslim Sunni, says...
7:16pm Mon 24 Mar 08

I find it quite amusing that the so-called representatives of UKIM have the cheek to collect from all sections of the Muslim community. I notice the word UNITY becomes close to these peoples hearts etc when collecting money for this new venture. Apart from this they are the first ones to criticise all things that the main mosque in Pendle do etc. Brierfield mosque is not complete yet and now another set of doorknockers!!! What about public consultation?? needs analysis?? swot analysis??? NONE, NONE, NONE BECAUSE A MINORITY HAVE TAKEN A DECISION THAT THE MUSLIM FOLK OF NELSON WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR!!!

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muslim sunni 2, Nelson says...
8:11pm Mon 24 Mar 08

i dont no.. i feel nelson will be like blackburn one day mosques in every corner yet not enough people attending them.. its little gangs lets go and open our own her,there and every where.. i remember growing up and everybody attend ghosuia mosque, now vabbi have they own and other sectors..yet we all face mecca to pray..all help us in the end.

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bb, nelson says...
8:16pm Mon 24 Mar 08

is they anything left in this town that is english?

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Muslim Sunni (original), says...
10:57pm Mon 24 Mar 08

You just have to look at the Mnhaj mosque in Brunswick St. NO CAR PARKING SO MAJOR PROBLEMS ON FRIDAY PRAYERS, EID PRAYERS,FUNERAL PRAYERS. I HAVE ATTENDED THERE TO OFFER FUNERAL PRAYERS. I hope the council do not grant full planning permission for this project there needs to be some kind of control i.e. we do not require a call to prayer, car parking issues need to be fully addressed from the start and i believe that no funds have been applied for but there have been rumours within the community that this will be a community centre as well!! so I wonder!!! LONG LIVE HAFIZ AMIN SAHIB (R.A) WHO KEPT THE GHAUSIA MOSQUE AS THE MAIN ELITE IN THE WHOLE OF THE UK. AND TAUGHT PEOPLE THE TRUE ISLAM BASED ON QURAN & HADITH. You know these Wahhabis give sweets when they own child is born or passes an exam they copy every little western ideology but quickly label other peoples actions as bidat, shirk. A LOAD OF HYPOCRITES.

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Burnley Taxpayer, Burnley says...
9:43am Tue 25 Mar 08

Maybe Ben McDonald should get off his backside and do something about the lack of amenities, just as the mosque has done. They are not asking for public money. Too many of the racists in Pendle just sit back and moan about how someone else should do something for them.

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lydia, nelson says...
4:09pm Tue 25 Mar 08

Burnley Taxpayer i really dont think that Ben is talking about anything racist at all in fact i see he has had his post removed for some reason.
When a white person has there say on here more often or not it gets removed although Khan seems to say a lot of remarks aimed at whites and he gets his to stay on.
The asians are not asking for public money no because they all club together and buy houses mosques etc.
Do you also know that if the asian community have more than i think its 12 visitors to there house they then call it a mosque and do not have to pay council tax.
I wonder if the white community did that as well and we called our house a church we would not have to pay as well. Dont think so do you.
So Burnley taxpayer you are paying their council tax for them as well as your own.

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ASIF, says...
5:05pm Tue 25 Mar 08

Dont be fooled, another mosque in Nelson, I think that is 7 in total now just in Nelson!!! Do we really need this many, it is just causing further division.

It says in the plans for the proposal that this mosque will cater for the residents in Whitefield that live nearby. TOTAL LIES!!!! And they have the audacity to call themselves Muslims! The people behind this venture know full well that they will only be a tiny minority from Whitefield that will attend this mosque because 99% have affiliation to the main mosque in Nelson ie Ghausia Jamia.

There is talk in the proposal about business units being set up and how they will not be any disruption caused to the traffic because the people using these units will be using bicycles, oh please who are you trying to fool!!!

This will just be another project that in time will prove to be not sustainable in the longer term and again the site will just have the foundations of a building incomplete.

Please Pendle Council TAKE NOTE, as a RESIDENT of Whitefield and as a MUSLIM I suggest you heed notice to my concerns and refuse these plans, all that you are encouraging is that this area will become an isolated area even further and be a MINI PAKISTAN if it already is not. Enough of this political correctness, think of the bigger picture, stop contradicting your community cohesion policies and start thinking of what are the wider benefits of Nelson and not just take a minority's point of view.

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Nelsoner, Nelson Whitefield says...
8:46am Wed 26 Mar 08

I totally agree with ASIF's comments above.

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Paul, Nelson says...
5:48pm Wed 26 Mar 08

Nelson...RIP.

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the insider, Nelson says...
10:05pm Wed 26 Mar 08

This mosque is being created by UKIM, oh dear......Why this minority sect wants to create a moqsue that will divide communities further apart, i do not know.

I'll stick to ghausia masjid and my hanafi fiqh.

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Mahboob Ahmed, says...
11:24pm Wed 26 Mar 08

so that they can instill their doctrine into our children. They do not represent the majority of Muslims in Pendle!!

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Whitefielder, Nelson says...
3:00pm Thu 27 Mar 08

Having read many of the comments posted over the last few days, it appears many commentators from Lydia to ASIF and 'the insider' have not grasped the basic fact that this is not 'another mosque' by a 'break-away gang' (Muslim Sunni 2) but a relocation by an existing organisation which has been operating in Nelson since 1974 (Ghausia Mosque in early 90's?, more recently Minhaj??-minus the parking problems though).

Nobody is forcing the people of Whitefield to attend this Mosque or fund its creation.
It is putting a derelict site to good use and given the existing building will form a community centre - it will be open to all parts of the community.
I am suprised by the barrage of attack that new developments like this receive in Nelson and this is underlines why our town is falling behind.
This have your say seems to have become a space for the misguided and the habitual complainants who have nothing better to do. By all means 'add you comments' and 'have-your-say'but keep your separatist bile to yourself.


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original Whitefielder, says...
3:44pm Thu 27 Mar 08

Whitefielder. Get your facts correct. Ghausia Mosque was in operation at Cross St. way before UKIM on Forest Street. They relocated to the present site near Morrisons in the early 90's.

The reason why this town is falling behind is due to the fact that more and more dictators are imposing their views on the majority without any significant needs consultation and the majority get coerced into paying. The mosques have always played on peoples emotions. Look at the condition of the Muslim Youth a disaster.

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Nelsoner, Nelson Whitefield says...
4:41pm Thu 27 Mar 08

Yes Whitefielder take note..you say no one is forcing the funding...the committee doesnt need to, they just knock on everyone's door & apply diplomatic pressure etc. Also please note that the Nelson branch of UKIM was created with the help of Malik Rafiq and his cronies (shahid Malik MP's father) back in the 70s as a political base more than anything else. i just wish all the attendees realised that...as for stats, it is true, over 98% of the muslim residents of whitefield attend the main Ghausia mosque!

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Kayren Illingworth, says...
11:15am Fri 28 Mar 08

I would like to point out that the comments posted by someone using my name on this story before were nothing to do with me. I have reported the comment to the Lancashire Telegraph, who have deleted it. I have also made a complaint to the police, who are currently investigating.

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Comments are closed on this article.

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