Community hub opens in seaham after former worship hall leased for £5 and a stottie

A former worship hall in County Durham has been brought back into community use after being leased for a peppercorn annual rent of just £5 and a stottie.

The new CRT Seaham Hub, based in the former Ebenezer Hall at Seaham, is run by the
Coalfields Regeneration Trust, a charity supporting former mining communities across
Britain.

The hub has been opened to provide a welcoming space for people to get together,
access support, build skills and improve health and wellbeing. It will also enable
organisations to deliver activities and support services under one roof.

To open the Seaham Hub, the CRT secured funding from believe housing and Durham
County Council’s Easington and Seaham Local Network, alongside a unique lease from
the building’s owner, Peter Vine, a surveyor from Sussex.

Peter bought the hall several years ago after discovering his grandfather, John Watson,
had helped to build it during the 1920s as a place of worship and support for local people.
For five years he leased it to a beauty academy and, when that came to an end, he was
keen to find a new community use for it.

Peter said: “I bought it so it wouldn’t be flattened, and I wanted it to be used by a charity
doing good work for local people. That’s exactly what’s happened.

“I’d been trying to find the right use, and when I found the CRT and saw what they do, it
just felt right. It looks fantastic and I’m sure it will do a lot of good.”

Explaining the lease, he added: “I’m a surveyor and, in my role, I negotiate leases worth
£300,000 to £500,000 a year in rent for corporate clients, so this is a bit different.
“£5 was the rent we agreed, but I needed to come up with a consideration in kind and
that’s when we came up with the stottie.”

The unusual agreement was inspired by a memory from Peter’s teens of hearing about the
traditional northeast bread and serves as a nod to his family’s roots.

Andy Lock, Chief Executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, said: “We were set up
with a clear purpose: to help communities recover from the closure of the coal industry and
create new opportunities for local people.

“The new CRT Seaham Hub is a great example of that work in action.
“I’ve never seen a lease agreement with a stottie cake as a prerequisite, but hopefully
Peter saw something in us as an organisation and gave us this deal and the opportunity to
bring this space back into community use. By working with partners, our team can provide
support and opportunities people in Seaham need.”

Not-for-profit landlord believe housing supported the project with a £5,114 community
grant towards equipment including laptops, a tutor, and gardening and craft supplies.
Colleagues also helped clear the garden as part of the transformation, while its
Employability Team offers outreach support by working with partners such as the CRT.
Alan Smith, Chief Executive of believe housing, said: “There is a strong link between the
work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and housing associations like believe housing in
supporting healthier, more sustainable communities.

“We know people can face real barriers around training, employment and wellbeing, and
having the right support available locally can make a big difference.

“We’re pleased to support the new hub and to continue working alongside partners to help
residents build confidence, develop skills and take positive steps forward.”

Alan leads the Better Lives workstream of the North East Housing Partnership, focused on
improving residents’ life chances through tackling poverty, boosting skills and employment,
and supporting family wellbeing.

The North East Housing Partnership is a group of social housing providers working
together to support the North East Mayoral Combined Authority to deliver a
comprehensive housing plan for the region that drives inclusive economic growth, supports
net zero, and helps residents live healthier lives.

The CRT was also awarded £5,000 from Durham County Council’s Easington, Seaham
and Surrounding Areas Local Network Welfare Fund.

The CRT Seaham Hub was officially opened by Peter Vine and Easington MP Grahame
Morris, on Friday, 6 June 2026, at an event attended by partners and civic leaders
including the Mayor of Seaham Councillor Milford Lingard.