FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE FIRST ‘MEDIACITY’ TURNED DOWN – TV PLANS FOR EBENEEZER CHAPEL IN ECCLES REFUSED

In April 1965 the Eccles Journal reported how a local company Bridge TV had an innovative idea to turn a a former Sunday school into a television and radio workshop.

Bridge was incorporated in 1934 and continued to trade until 1997.

It saw The Ebenezeer Chapel on Liverpool Road, Patricroft, was prime for conversion.

But council planners refused permission and an almighty row broke out between Councillors Cooper, Bradley and Woodrow as to the merits of using church ground for such a purpose.

Councillor Cooper stated that not so long ago the building had been used by the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance as a group office, adding:

“I would have thought that the church authorities must have been in agreement with the premises being used for these purposes.

“It does not detract from the church grounds and the sacredness of the church, I would have thought that the church would be glad of the income to be derived by letting off the building and if the council wants to help the church then let them rent off the rooms.

“I would further presume that this workshop would be inoffensive and not in operation day and night”.

Councillor Woodrow said that it would appear that the church authorities were going to move across the road and merge with the Trinity Methodist Church but if that were so the building would become empty and become a target for vandals who would smash windows and steal lead off the roof.

However Councillor Bradley spoke up:

“We must realise that television and radio service is a seven day week service and I think it would be wrong to mix this workshop with the Church.

“It is wrong for Councillor Cooper to refer this matter back for this is drafted on the Town Map as being for religious purpose only.”

The application was turned down by the Planning Committee and Bridge TV had to take their holy plan elsewhere.

However further research led me to discover that the owner of Bridge Television Mr Naylor was the father of Doug Naylor who went onto fame as the co author the cult TV series Red Dwarf, how many people know that?

The Ebenezeer Chapel was finally demolished in 1972 and a became a Mormon Church, was built on the site, which in turn was demolished and the site is now the Springfield Medical Centre.

Finally the merger between The Ebenezeer Chapel and the Trinity Methodist Church did take place, but that building is now the Theatre Organ Heritage Museum in Peel Green and a new Methodist Church on Liverpool Road was built and opened in the 1990s.