LOTTERY Heritage Fund officials have refused to hand out any money for planned improvements at Edgworth village's Barlow Institute.

As a result, the scheme has had to be put on hold.

North Turton Parish councillors have been left bitterly disappointed by the rejection.

They were hoping money would be given towards substantial improvements for the red brick building which has hardly changed in half a century.

And they thought they had a strong case because the building is so well used by many community organisations.

But the Lottery Heritage Fund has turned it down because "Barlow Institute is not a Listed Building and is not within a Conservation Area."

And the letter of rejection says photographs submitted by the parish council "gave the appearance that the building overall was in a reasonable state of repair."

All the funds the parish council has available are for electrical rewiring and decoration of the main hall, with disabled access and kitchen improvements planned for later.

But it does not have the cash to carry out wide ranging improvements to attract more user groups.

But the parish council has not given up. Clerk Geoffrey Hughes is investigating whether the scheme might qualify for a straight lottery bid, based on the building's vital community role.

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