Keith Brymer-Jones restoring chapel in North Wales

Keith Brymer-Jones and Marj Hogarth are restoring an old chapel and Sunday school in North Wales. The couple has faced many challenges during the three-year project, including dealing with dry rot and other damages. They bought the chapel for £200,000 but plan to spend six times that to restore it. The couple's journey began during the pandemic when they found the Grade-II listed chapel, which had been empty for 14 years. They initially aimed to find a larger studio for Brymer-Jones, a pottery expert known for his emotional moments on the TV show "The Great Pottery Throwdown." They were surprised by the chapel's condition, which lacked basic utilities like heating and hot water. After months of waiting for planning permission, the building continued to deteriorate. They began working on it, capturing their efforts in a Channel 4 series called "Our Welsh Chapel Dream." Recently, they completed the first phase of their restoration, which included creating living quarters. They finally spent the night in their bedroom for the first time, after previously sleeping in a shipping container. The couple is now focusing on getting Brymer-Jones’s pottery studio up and running by the end of the year. They envision turning the main chapel into a community space for events, which includes plans for a catering kitchen and exhibitions. Although they acknowledge the ongoing need for maintenance on such a large building, Brymer-Jones and Hogarth express pride in reaching the end of the first phase. Their design choices reflect their love for mid-20th-century styles and aimed to make the chapel feel cozy despite its size. The project's impact has been felt in the local community, with businesses reporting increased customer traffic since the couple's arrival. Brymer-Jones hopes to engage with the community further by offering apprenticeships and being active contributors, rather than outsiders. The journey has been both challenging and rewarding for them, strengthening their partnership and giving them the chance to bring their creative vision to life.