A HAMPSHIRE café has re-opened to the public after a major makeover.

Dozens of residents flocked to the Dovetail Centre Café at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church to take part in the ceremony and enjoy the recently revamped facility.

The Rev Peter Cornick, minister of Chandlers Ford Methodist Church, welcomed the guests and thanked all the volunteers who helped with the project before Chandler’s Ford and Winchester MP Steve Brine cut the ribbon.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the venue was originally opened 25 years ago and has been used as a cafe in the morning and as a centre to host events and activities organised by clubs and charities in the afternoon.

Now, thanks to the effort of dozens of volunteers and church members, the site has been refurbished.

Residents and residents will be able to enjoy a new lounge area with chairs and low coffee tables as well as a wider range of drinks and snacks which will include cakes and toast served with butter and jam.

Volunteer Barbara Lowe, from Chandler’s Ford, is one of the volunteer who helped with the project andsaid:”It was wonderful to see such support and enthusiasm for the newly refurbished Dovetail Centre! A team of church volunteers worked over a period of 18 months to identify specialist tradesmen to achieve the ambition of brightening and lightening the room, and are delighted by the results.”

New books, magazines and toys will also be available in a bid to keep youngsters amused.

The makeover cost £30,000 and was possible thanks to the support of members of the church.

There have also been grants received from the National Lottery, the Southampton District of the Methodist Church, Methodist Insurance plc, Denplan Community Fund, Hampshire County Council and Chandler’s Ford U3A.

The work started in February 2016 and has been carried out without closing the centre.