Bethesda Chapel in the 20th Century

In the 20th century a declining congregation created different needs, and the subsequent loss of revenue increasingly impacted on the maintenance of the fabric. The direction in that century is typified by proposals for its conversion.

1930s

In 1935 the Home Mission Department of the Methodist Church (London) had plans to convert Bethesda into a great mission centre for the Potteries. The idea was to redefine Bethesda as a town centre facility, and in so doing move away from the idea of Bethesda as being a 'local' chapel. The Bethesda Trustees, however, considered the alterations too extensive, preferring instead to broaden the Chapel's activities in a more incremental way.

The Home Mission Department thought the Trustees' approach comprised half-and-half measures that would not succeed and that 'making a place one thing in the morning and another thing at night had not proved successful in other places'.

One of the schoolrooms constructed about 1940, as it is today

Wartime

The roof and ceiling were highlighted as requiring special attention. During the Second World War, the ceiling was replaced and three schoolrooms were constructed (using pews) at the back of the gallery, after the Sunday School was taken over for the war effort.

1940s

In 1947 the Conference Commission reported proposed changes in the organisation of the Circuit at Handley. In the 'spirit of the progressive tradition' of Methodism, it was proposed that the three Hanley Circuits would be amalgamated, with the exclusion of Bethesda, which should become a separate Circuit. The Commission anticipated that the centre of Hanley would undergo considerable changes 'as a result of town planning', and, though wishing to retain a presence in the town centre, also anticipated that this would eventually be at a new site. The numbers attending Bethesda had been falling steadily over the previous 25 years, with no sign of a reversal in the trend. By 1946 only 150 members were attending worship. The recommendation was that work continue 'aggressively' at Bethesda while a new site was being secured, and to this end the Commission noted the urgent need for temporary buildings, although it was anticipated that in the medium term Bethesda would be sold.

A schedule of repairs by architects W Campbell and Son (Hanley) at this time identified extensive repairs needed to the exterior and interior of the Chapel. The major items included rebuilding the boiler house; refurbishing all the sash windows; repointing; replacing or refixing rainwater goods; and (the single most costly item) redecorating the inside of the Chapel. Extensive repairs to the front entrance off Bethesda Street were also advised. At this time the leaders of the Chapel had laid down the foundation of Youth and Community work. Drawings were later prepared by Campbell's practice for the proposed formation of classrooms on either side of the pulpit and for a new platform and choir. These ideas were not followed through.

During 1948, the reconstruction plans for Stoke led to many discussions about Bethesda, including concerning its possible purchase by the Water Board. Although the exhumation of the graveyard was a particular cause for concern, many of the congregation at Bethesda were against relocation, thinking that the Chapel could not be improved upon, particularly following the town centre improvements when it would overlook Piccadilly (once the buildings at the bottom of Piccadilly were demolished).

1970s

During 1974, records indicate that there were problems with the roof. The continued upkeep of the building included the replacement of the ceiling and related timber treatment and replastering, as well as the turnerising of the newly sheeted asbestos section. The original decorative plaster ceiling was taken down and replaced with a suspended ceiling of acoustic tiles. The windows were redecorated and the gold of the pulpit rails repainted.

In 1978 various repairs were identified by the Manpower Services Commission, a scheme that trained young people in the trades of carpentry, building and decoration.

The repairs included pointing the vestry and the chapel (where the former boiler house had been demolished); replastering the wall of the staircase to the gallery following the removal of dry rot; replacing wooden panelling and skirting boards to the staircase; decorating the church up to gallery ceiling level; staining/sealing the pew area; decorating the gallery staircases; and demolishing an air-raid shelter.

1980s

In 1982, facing the cost of ongoing repairs, the Trust commissioned a feasibility study to investigate the potential of the building for reuse, while also retaining space for continued worship. Five proposals were investigated. The option considered the most viable was based on conversion to offices, given the town centre location of the building. The scheme involved horizontal subdivision to create a first floor at gallery level. This new first floor retained the raked gallery seating at the north end as well as the organ. The pulpit and communion rail were to be relocated from the ground floor. All pews were to be removed from the ground floor to enable subdivision, which included a community room. External alterations would include two new entrances in the rear wall to give access to the offices.

A similar proposal was subsequently put to the Trust to offer the lease of the site to a developer at a low ground rent in exchange for car parking (approached from Bethesda Street), a ground-floor chapel and multi-purpose community centre approached from Albion Street, and such other accommodation as might be required. The proposal was that the developer would then provide as many floors of office accommodation (at the former Sunday School) as considered necessary to make the scheme economically viable. At the time, the advantages were considered many, not least that the Trust retained the freehold.

The end of worship at Bethesda

The congregation considered all potential options and decided that their efforts would be better focused on supporting the Ministry elsewhere. In 1985, facing a declining and aging membership, the Methodist District Redevelopment Commission was called in and recommended to the Church Council that listed-building consent to demolish Bethesda should be sought. The Bethesda Society closed on Sunday 29 December 1985, following the 6.30pm service.

Listed-building consent to demolish was refused. Subsequent proposals for the building's reuse included one for a combined exhibition and workshop/studio space, put forward by West Midlands Arts and designed to encourage young artists and sculptors to stay in Stoke. At the same time, Ansells Brewery also showed interest in converting the building to a restaurant/wine bar. In 1987 a private owner purchased Bethesda. One of his main aspirations was to convert the building into a nightclub, a proposal not supported by the City Council.

Into the 21st century

In 2000 the Bethesda Heritage Trust acquired the building. The Trust's reuse proposal aimed to retain part of the building for worship while also providing an office for The Saltbox (a local Methodist organisation), alongside community meeting rooms and an educational resource that included a permanent exhibition on Christian Heritage. A subsequent bid for funding to realise the proposal was unsuccessful. The Historic Chapels Trust acquired Bethesda in 2002.