A CHRISTIAN centre in Malvern is finally set to plough ahead with a £20,000 extension - almost a year after the project was announced.

Work will start on the kitchen extension - at The Lyttelton Well in the town's Church Street on Monday - and is expected to last about two weeks.

The centre - which incorporates a coffee shop, Christian bookshop, meeting room for community events and a counselling service - had previously planned to extend into its courtyard and the scheme was given permission last year.

However, Severn Trent Water objected as a public sewer runs below the courtyard and new regulations prevent developments being built over them.

Instead, the existing toilet will now be converted into the washing up area for the kitchen.

The toilet next to the kitchen has been closed since December and customers are having to use one elsewhere in the complex.

While building work is underway, the coffee shop will be closed on Monday and Tuesday before temporarily relocating to the Guesten Room downstairs.

Manager Jean Holt said the building work was necessary to meet health and safety regulations as the toilet is too close to the kitchen and washing up areas should be separate from cooking areas.

She added that the extension would allow both chefs to cook at the same time and that it was vital the centre's coffee shop stayed open during the work to continue to serve regular customers.

"It's very important the customers know we're not happy with the situation at the moment," she said.

"We'll be delighted when it is done. Because the cooks have been working in such a small area, it's a miracle what they've managed to produce."

Once the work is complete, the centre is set to start fund-raising to build a small toilet between the coffee shop and book shop as well as extending the coffee shop on to the veranda. Mrs Holt said this work would be done as and when funds were available.