This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:
Church is yours for £175,000
A buyer with £175,000 and a little imagination is needed to take over an empty city church.
St Barnabas, in New Humberstone, closed in 2010 when the Diocese of Leicester decided congregation numbers had dwindled too low to maintain the Grade-II listed Victorian building.
It has room for hundreds of worshippers but, before it closed, only about 20 people attended the Christian services in what has become a mostly Hindu neighbourhood.
The church has now been put on the market with Andrew Granger & Co.
Estate agent Elizabeth Lewin said: "St Barnabas is a fine example of Victorian architecture – it's a beautiful building and the gothic interior creates a great first impression.
"It's really important that we find a buyer who will be sympathetic to the building and its past.
"When we've sold churches in the past it's been about finding someone to stick around to get planning consent because applications about a church are going to be more considered than with another building of a similar age."
The church has planning permission for class B1, which means it could be used as a creche or for education, as well as its former use as a place of worship.
Other possibilities suggested by the estate agents include health centre, art gallery, museums or library.
Elizabeth said: "Because there's no parking it's limited to further development such as flats, but that's not to say someone can't come up with a far-out idea. A community use is most likely."
She said the new owner would find it challenging to get any major changes to the building approved by Leicester City Council.
Most churches are sold on to the open market, but a few are adopted by the Churches Conservation Trust because of their heritage value.
David Gillman, who works as a consultant on getting the best use out of empty churches, said St Barnabas could be hard to sell.
He said: "The church is very near a well-appointed Hindu temple, so there is little requirement for it as a place of worship for the large Hindu population in that area.
"It is a large building and it's not going to be easy to find a new use for it."
Leicester Victorian Society spokesman Graham Lees welcomed the decision to try to sell the church.
He said: "St Barnabas is one of the buildings we identified as one of the 10 most important city buildings at risk of falling into ruin.
"What we hope happens is that someone buys the building and is sympathetic to its character and significance.
"It is a great example of Victorian architecture and it is vital to retain this part of the city's past.
"We do not want it standing empty for ages. A quick sale would be most welcome."
Anyone interested in the building can ring Elizabeth on 01509 243720 or e-mail: elizabeth.lewin@ andrewgranger.co.uk
Is the diocese "turning its back" on four historic city churches?
The Leicester Citizen, journal of the Leicester Civic Society, is always an interesting read and its thought-provoking articles are never afraid to broach difficult subjects.
In his chairman's page, Stuart Bailey states the visit to Leicester by the Queen at the start of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations was "a highlight of recent months".
He observes the Queen visited Leicester Cathedral for the first time and that "from her reaction (she) was suitably impressed by this beautiful building and its setting".
Mr Bailey then goes on to say that our cathedral, "while not one of the great historic cathedrals with monastic origins and world heritage status… can claim an intimate connection with the ancient city".
He says: "When you enter the cathedral closes at Exeter, Lichfield or Wells, you are instantly in a world apart. In Leicester, however, the cathedral has always felt to be an integral part of our city."
Mr Bailey states that the society is working with the cathedral authorities over the proposed Cathedral Gardens that will, it is hoped, "create a truly attractive open space and undo the damage inflicted by the poor 1980s design, which itself replaced the churchyard".
This is all very positive and encouraging. However, Mr Bailey adds a sobering paragraph: "Of course, it's not all sweetness and light.
"In being welcomed at our cathedral, the Queen would have been unaware of the Diocese of Leicester's heritage at risk, in the form of no fewer than four historic churches, all listed buildings, three Victorian and one early Medieval – St Saviour's, St Paul's, St Barnabas and the 12th century St Peter's Belgrave – now closed for worship."
Elsewhere in the journal we read: "One church building at risk is one too many, but Leicester now has four.
"Their plight is the result of the Diocese of Leicester deliberately turning its back on its own built heritage."
So how does the diocese answer this?
"In no sense has the diocese 'walked away' from these beautiful buildings," says a diocese spokesman.
"It is always a matter of sadness when a church building is no longer able to be used for its original purpose, because these places have always played a very important part in the life of the community and carry vital memories for many.
"This sense of loss is heightened when the building also has significant architectural or historical features.
"The diocese, which has responsibility for seeking alternative uses for closed Church of England buildings, works very hard to safeguard this heritage, even though it is often very difficult to find a suitable new use.
"Meanwhile, we do all we can to protect and maintain these empty buildings against the ravages of time, the weather and, increasingly, thieves and vandals.
"At the same time, we face the challenge of resourcing the churches which remain open.
"We welcome such practical and financial support as is available from other agencies, but the majority of the money has to come from the Church's own resources. We never shirk our responsibilities."
Church prepares for final service
A church is to close its doors for the final time next week.
St Barnabas', in North Evington, Leicester, is the latest of several city churches to be shut in the past few years due to dwindling congregation numbers.
Services will continue to be held at St Barnabas' Primary School next door once the building is officially closed.
A final eucharist will take place on Sunday, followed by a transitional service – which will see pupils taking part in a procession from the church to the school – on Wednesday.
Minister Derek Brown said he was expecting up to 70 people to attend on Sunday.
He said: "The church building is closing, but the people of God continue. The church is the people, not the building.
"I would just like to thank all the people who have been very supportive during a difficult time. The school has been very helpful and the congregation has been wonderfully supportive."
Father Brown said while it was sad to see the building close, it marked a new beginning for the members.
"This is a new chapter. We'll keep going and hopefully get a few more people along the way."
The first service at the school will be held next Sunday, July 10.
The grade II listed church has not been put up for sale, but options for the building will be discussed after it is officially shut next week.
The closure follows that of St Peter's, in Belgrave, and St Gabriel's, in Rushey Mead, at the beginning of 2010. Both buildings are now up for sale.
When churches are closed, some are sold on to become businesses or flats, others are used by different religions and some are adopted by the Churches Conservation Trust.
Others, such as St Christopher's, in the Saffron Lane area of Leicester, are demolished.
St Barnabas' fate was decided in October last year.
The building, which has space for about 200 worshippers, saw numbers fall to as low as 20.
The Church Commissioners for England decided the building was "too large and expensive to maintain for the small congregation".
David Gillman, of Clarendon Park, who specialises in pastoral reorganisation, was the only person who objected to the proposal to close the church when it was made last summer.
"I firmly believe, in my opinion, that the visible presence of a church in use in the community is priceless," said Mr Gillman.
"I think that sometimes there is too much insensitivity shown to the commitment of faithful worshippers."
Tragedy of St Saviour's
The plight of Leicester's redundant churches is an ever-increasing problem.
What is going to happen to St Peter's Belgrave, St Gabriel's and St Barnabas? Will they stand dejected and rotting like the once magnificent edifices of St Paul's and St Saviour's, or even end up like the burnt-out shell of St Augustine's?
There is a serious problem here and it needs to be addressed, as is made all too clear in an article by Karen Green in the November edition of the Leicester Citizen, journal of the Leicester Civic Society.
It is entitled "The Threat to St Saviour's" – now a heartrending sight of neglect and dereliction, but was once the pride of the area. Here is just part of what she has to say:
"From christenings to funerals, the generations who lived in the densely populated area had their own personal attachment to St Saviour's and many stories to tell. I recently received contact from a lady who informed me about one of the windows located in the Memorial Chapel. Here great grandparents lost their son in France during the Great War; they worshipped at St Saviour's and paid for the window to be installed. Depicted is the image of an angel with vibrant halo and robes, the angel's face is the actual face of the fallen soldier.
"All very poignant and one example of how St Saviour's provides a tangible link to the social history of our city.
"Sadly in 2005, St Saviour's closed its doors as a functioning church and has subsequently been declared redundant. In 2010 it presents a sorry sight sitting in unkempt grounds where discarded waste and overgrown flora are the norm.
"The impression that no one cares has been seen as a green light for drug users, drinkers and vandals, and the result of their unwanted attention is devastating. The window I mentioned is half-gone, having been used as a means of entrance, what is left is peppered with holes. The once beautifully ornate pulpit is obliterated and several small fires have been started which fortunately didn't take firm hold.
"It is heartbreaking to witness such a precious building awaiting a dreadful fate."
St Saviour's if of architectural significance — not just because of its size, but the fact that it was the last project of one of the greatest of all Victorian architects, Sir George Gilbert Scott – whose designs include the frontage of the magnificently restored St Pancras Station and the Albert Memorial.
In her last paragraph Karen Green writes: "There have been too many historic buildings and monuments lost in Leicester in recent years through ignorance, apathy and wanton destruction and enough is enough! We must do all in our power to ensure that buildings such as St Saviour's are brought into use for future generations. It's time to insist that the privileged guardians of Leicester's heritage do all they can to adequately protect what is – when all is said and done – our true and rightful inheritance."
To join the Leicester Civic Society call 01509 520 904.
This week it was announced that St Saviour's was to be sold.
