A COFFEE roastery is taking over a former maternity ward in Ludlow.

Hundred House Coffee is a roastery that supplies coffee to local businesses.

As well as being a coffee roastery, it provides work spaces for people to rent desks, and is also planning on running events as a co-working creative space.

Ludlow Advertiser: Co-founders Anabelle de Gersigny and Matthew WadeCo-founders Anabelle de Gersigny and Matthew Wade (Image: Anabelle de Gersigny)

Anabelle de Gersigny, one of the directors of Hundred House Coffee, said: "We have taken on a lease on most of the building.

"Supporting the arts through industry was a founding principle of Hundred House Coffee. Weaving in the non-profit to our day-to-day activities is something that came instinctively and to which we are committed. As the business grows, we can support more speciality coffee workshops and events at the roastery.

"It will be a co-work space from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Early evenings and weekends, we are planning on hosting community-driven events."

Ludlow Advertiser: Team at Hundred House CoffeeTeam at Hundred House Coffee (Image: Anabelle de Gersigny)

In a recent planning application submitted to Shropshire Council, it said: "The planning application says: "We are setting up a co-work creative space. We currently have a class E which covers our activities however we would like to be able to host workshops and small, low-key events along with selling some items online for pick-up from site."

The pre-application advice on the application said: "From talking to you it transpires that the retail shop is in fact more of a pick-up point for online orders. Therefore a formal change of use would be required from class E to class B8. 

"With reference to the events space which you indicated would include workshops, a film club, listening events (live or recorded music but to a small group of 50), reading groups, writer's workshops, and craft classes at weekends. This would not fall within class E and is more likely to fall under use class F1 or F2."

NHS chiefs decided to close the maternity ward in 2017, in a decision that was met with anger.