A PARISH hall too costly to run will go up for auction next month after closing its doors to the community.

St Paul's Parish Church Hall, on Kents Bank Road, Grange-over-Sands, has been given a guide price of between £180,000 and £200,000 by Kendal-based estate agent Michael CL Hodgson.

After more than 100 years in operation, the building was deemed 'unviable' by the Parochial Church Council for St Paul’s.

Tom Harvey, South Lakeland District councillor for Grange South, said: "Sadly it's just not viable and they can't get enough users to break even.

"A few months ago the trustees took the decision to sell it, something which they agonised over after doing all they could do.

"It is really unfortunate it has to go."

The building, which was opened by the Bishop of Carlisle in 1912, was home to the parish office and used by community groups for coffee mornings as well as housing the Grange Osteopaths clinic who have just moved out.

It is also used as a collection point for various appeals including the UNICEF Shoebox appeal and the Food Bank Appeal for Barrow, Ulverston and Millom.

Despite a refurbishment in the recent past, in 2014 the organisation announced 'with regret' that the decision had been taken after a 12-month consultation with the community to close the hall for lettings with effect from July 31 of that year.

Cllr Harvey said he believed it was the outcome of a lot of community venues competing for the same users.

"It's a result of how communities are changing," he said. " People want things at a low cost, want more for their money, and like it to be accessible, warm and appealing and while it had all those things to an extent there just wasn't quite enough interest."

Trustees of the Diocese of Carlisle’s Board of Finance agreed to the sale.

A diocese spokesperson said: "In reaching this decision, the Parochial Church Council for St Paul’s has cited increased pressure on staffing resources to manage the building, coupled with the fact that only one per cent of its letting time was for direct church use. Furthermore, the church hall is quarter of a mile away from St Paul’s church.

"All those groups who had previously used the building have since re-located to other accommodation.

"The proceeds from the auction will go towards a planned re-ordering of St Paul’s Church to enable the congregation to continue to build on its missional outreach and bring more people to know God in their lives."

It will go up at a public auction at the Victoria Hall, Grange, on Friday, June 12, at 2.30pm.