A CORBRIDGE-based independent bookshop is celebrating a new chapter in a divine new home.

After 18 months of planning and renovation work, the teams at Forum Books, in the village Market Place, and Forum Books Kids!, on Watling Street, have united in the former Market Place Methodist Chapel.

And owner Helen Stanton is full of praise for the local tradesmen and volunteers who have helped make the move possible.

“We’ve had so many wolf whistles and wows when people have walked through the door, it’s been amazing,” explained Helen, who first launched a book shop in the village more than six years ago and has been in the running for the national Independent Bookshop of the Year award for two years in a row.

“It’s so nice to have such a positive reaction from our loyal customers to something that has been our vision for so long.”

The Grade II-listed chapel, which dates back to 1867, was first sold in 1981 when Corbridge Methodist Church decided to plough the proceeds into improving and extending its building on Princes Street.

It has been used infrequently over the years, but plenty of evidence of its history still remains, with many of the pews, the pulpit and even the hymn board incorporated into the bright and airy space.

Bespoke joinery by Colin Bentham and hand-painted signs in keeping with the church theme, by Ash Willerton, now adorn the walls.

“The shelving is on castors, so it can all be moved into one area to make space for the author events we host, because that is such an important part of what we do,” said Helen.

“We do 40 to 50 events a year and this puts us right in the heart of the community.

“The pulpit doubles as shelving and an elevated platform for authors to speak to an audience.”

After settling into the chapel just last week, Helen and the teamlaunched straight into a busy events schedule, including World Book Day school visits and the launch of Mari Hannah’s new crime series The Lost.

The business is also involved with the Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival, the Newcastle Noir crime fiction event and a successful pop-up bookshop at the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.