Old Schoolhouse in Coxgreen opens for business after major transformation into coffee shop in shadow of Penshaw Monument

The Old Schoolhouse, in Coxgreen Road, Offerton village, taught thousands of young children from nearby villages during its time as a school from 1878 until the bell rang for the final time in 1939.

As the decades passed, it was used for everything from a chicken coop to artists’ studios before more recently just being used as storage.

Now, it’s been brought back to life spectacularly by businessman Scott Richards from nearby Herrington who’s opened it as Old Schoolhouse Kitchen Coxgreen.

Scott has long known of the old schoolhouse and its neighbouring school master’s house, which he would cycle past as a child after tackling Shanky Banks.

The coffee shop has been a real labour of love including a £400,000 investment, 18 months of painstaking restoration, navigating planning issues and storms which destroyed the roof – but it’s finally open and it’s in a real class of its own.

Scott has done much to honour the heritage of the site, restoring its period features, including a picture of the last kids to be taught at the school taking pride of place on the wall, alongside a letter from the school from 1939 found in a time capsule.

"A lot of people thought it would never open because of all the troubles,” said Scott, who also runs his own IT company. “But once I start something, I never stop – and it’s been worth it.

"When I first came to see it it had been derelict for so long, but I knew I could do something with it. Me and my family loved it from the start.”

The new coffee shop has been open a fortnight and it’s already proving popular.

"A lot of people have been following the transformation and when the planning decision was finally granted by the council there were 40/50 people in the public gallery all cheering,” said Scott, who is dad to Libby, Harry and Charlotte. “We’ve had overwhelming support. People come in and say it’s not the kind of coffee shop you see everyday, it’s got so much detail. Some people have been back 4/5 times already.”

As well as seating in the main schoolroom, the coffee shop has a large courtyard and grassed area with seating.

It also has its own car park which can be accessed at the bottom of the bank. People are asked not to park directly in front of the school due to tractors which need to pass.

Food-wise, it’s starting with a limited menu of coffees, using tunki coffee, English and green tea, breakfasts, cheesecakes and desserts. But moving forward it will be offering open sandwiches, jacket potatoes and more which are all homemade. The venue also displays and sells artworks by local artists.

The new venture, which Scott runs with wife Joanne, has created nine new jobs including a team of local chefs including Scott’s father-in-law Stephen Greenlay.

The neighbouring old schoolmaster’s house, meanwhile, has been turned into an Air BnB.

:: The Old Schoolhouse, Coxgreen, is open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10am to 3pm on weekdays and 9.30am to 3.30pm on weekends. However, it will be closed on Tuesday, August 22 due to maintenance. The venue is dog-friendly.