AT a time when the number of bums on seats in churches is falling, one church has revealed its soaring popularity has forced it to move to bigger premises.

Full Life Church, a non-denomination Christian church based in Holmfirth, has been looking for a new base for many years.

Now the church has got the green light to revamp a former furniture shop into its new place of worship.

The church’s minister, Rev Ian Gooch, said they were set to move to a unit at Thongsbridge Mills after being based in an old house on Huddersfield Road for many years.

Rev Gooch said converting the unit would be relatively easy and they would then be able to hold up to 200 worshippers – four times as many as at their previous base.

He said: “From our point of view we’ve outgrown our current premises. For probably seven years, we’ve been looking, and praying, a new property would come up in Holmfirth.

“It’s never seemed to happen but then we spotted this space on Miry Lane.

“We approached the guy that owned the place and he was happy to lease it to us.

“We’ve applied to Kirklees for a change of use from a shop to a place of worship and it’s been approved.”

The premises were a showroom for Lion Heart furniture, but the owners have now moved into central Holmfirth.

Rev Gooch said he thought the church’s modern take on services and its community work had boosted its popularity.

He said: “We are growing and this gives us the opportunity to fit everybody in.

“We’re a really lively church and we cater for all areas of people’s lives.

“I think we’ve been popular as we’re a little bit more up to date with regards to our songs.

“We have modern hymns and we play music using guitars, drums and keyboards.

“We plan to move the whole church and everything related to it down to Miry Lane.

“We want to do more, especially with young people, and hope to do more events and run youth groups.

“Our long term plan is to re-do the warehouse so it’s a youth centre.”

The church hopes to have its new premises ready by the end of January.

Info: www.fulllifechurch.co.uk