Dismay at church closure plan

Some of the city's most outstanding landmarks are threatened with closure in an effort to help other Church of England parishes become more financially viable.

A report written by the Brighton and Hove Deaneries Pastoral Strategy Review Group described the difficult decisions needing to be made concerning the city's two most famous churches - St Peter's in the centre of Brighton and All Saints in Hove.

Although it is hoped they will welcome worshippers for several years yet, the group could not rule one or both closing down indefinitely.

The drastic measures are being discussed because of a dramatic drop in church attendances, which has seen numbers fall by almost a fifth in just two years.

Last year, it cost £2 million to provide stipendiary clergy for Brighton and Hove and running costs stretched to £1 million. Each parish has promised to provide £1.2 million but the Diocese of Chichester has said it can no longer afford the shortfall.

The Venerable Douglas McKittrick, Archdeacon of Chichester and vice chairman of the review group, said: "It is a terrible pity and breaks my heart but the reality is we cannot expect the diocese to keep on pouring in hundreds of thousands of pounds of grants.

"On the whole, I think this is an upbeat report that speaks of opportunities to work together and acknowledge that for the church to survive in this new city, it needs to be lean, healthy, fit and open to all.

"We have tried to be very sensitive and will continue to listen to people but there has to be an air of realism."

The review group visited all 56 Brighton and Hove parishes over a two-year period. They have recommended 15 churches close unless they can be shared with other faiths or found new uses.

Some places of worship are almost certain to be shut forever. Such buildings include St Matthias Church in Brighton and St Philip's in Hove.

Choir mistress at St Matthias Church, Jayne Potter, said some members of the congregation were in tears when it was announced, at Sunday morning's service, the church had been earmarked for closure.

"We could not believe it. The reaction was, 'How can they do this?' There is anger over what the report says about St Matthias and it is appalling they should say this about our church.

"We have Scouts, Guides, choirs, and children's playgroups. Our congregation is confident and increasing under a popular vicar.

"People feel at home in this church and we are attracting the young. We will fight to prove St Matthias is a viable church that needs to stay open."

Father Stephen Terry, rector at St Phillips Church, described his 60-strong congregation as being "very disappointed" with the news.

He said: "No one likes to see churches closing but equally, there is no doubt Brighton and Hove is over-churched. I feel great sympathy for the people of our church at this difficult time.

"I feel it is a shame that any have to close but we are still in the very early stages of these proposals and I need to speak with my congregation when we have had more time to study the report in depth.

"We will have a discussion and I am sure we will agree a very intelligent, mature and sensible response."

The report highlights several options to safeguard St Peter's and All Saints.

Mr McKittrick is more confident over the future of the Hove church because of its greater historical importance as it is regarded as one of the best works by Pearsons the architects.

He said: "St Peter's needs at least to raise £2 million and it is not a growing congregation. The people who attend are faithful and fantastically musical but that does not sustain the building.

"All Saints also needs about £1.5million but the architecture is far more important and English Heritage will not want it to be closed as they have a special eye on it.

"Do we need both? It is not the building that preaches the gospel but the people. If a building could be sold to provide affordable housing, I think that is a very powerful demonstration of putting the gospel into practice."

If St Peter's is to survive, according to the report, a new congregation will be moved in from nearby St Luke's. This will see the traditional service replaced by more a modern style of worship.

This has upset church treasurer Alan Longley, who said: "I am disappointed as I have been going for 50 odd years and am now told our form of worship would not be celebrated any more.

"There is nothing to say that the congregation of St Luke's moving in will make the church viable but they are in a better position to make a go of it.

"But as long as St Peter's survives I will be happy."

Other people will not shed any tears if the huge structure is pulled down. John Parry, columnist for The Argus, who provoked a storm of protest in January 2000 when he suggested in his first column that St Peter's should be pulled down, said: "I am glad the Church of England is following my advice.

"There are too many churches in Brighton and the powers that be are at last realising this."

St Peter's, designed by Charles Barry, the architect for the House of Commons, was built in 1824.

Mr Parry added: "It should be knocked down with something more practical put in its place. It is not a very good example of Barry's work."

Property developers are waiting to see which churches are definitely closing.

Sussex property developer Paul Packham said: "A lot of people, including big national companies, would be interested if some of the church sites in prime positions came on the market.

"The problem with Brighton and Hove is that they want 40 per cent social housing on large sites and that puts off a lot of developers.

"But even with such a restriction, the Church of England would have no problem in selling some of these sites. I certainly would have a look at some of these sites."

Sussex estate agent and property developer Phil Graves, of Graves Jenkins, said: "There would be huge interest if the site of St Peter's, Brighton, came on the market but I would hate to see that happen. Some of these churches are part of Brighton's heritage.

"Putting houses on a little used church in a fringe area of Brighton is fair game, but not a listed church. Money should be found from the National Lottery to keep these churches."

Copies of the report will be handed out to all parishes in Brighton and Hove for consultation. Suggestions and comments about the recommendations should by made to the Diocese before the end of September.

Here's what the report said about a number of Sussex churches:

St Peter's Brighton: "Maintaining St Peter's present tradition cannot, regrettably, be considered an economically viable option."

St Matthias: "The church has little contact with its community and in many ways seems to have lost its direction."

St Luke's Prestonville: "... Of no architectural merit and is neither sufficiently large or located in the best place ..."

St Mary, Kemp Town: "The present church community is ill equipped to address the growing and pressing pastoral concerns of this area, parts of which are increasingly socially deprived."

St Martin: "... Far too large for the average Sunday Mass attendance. Despite having a large residential community, including local university student bed-sit accommodation, few have been drawn to this church."

St Mary Magdalene, Coldean: "... Cannot afford to maintain the services of a full time stipendiary priest."

St Albans: "Questions regarding the continuing upkeep of the building."

The Chapel Royal: "Given the small size of the chapel we cannot recommend its continuation ..."

Stanmer Church: "... Should be closed."

St Julian, Kingston Buci: "... Should either become a chapel of ease or, if declared redundant, offered to Shoreham college for their use."

St Andrew's, Portslade: "We can see no future for the church which is currently in a derelict condition."

St Philip's, Hove: "... Consistently failed to pay its allocated parish cost and does not even meet the cost of one stipend."

Holy Trinity, Hove: "We can see no future for the use of this church."

All Saints, Hove: "... Faces a large and substantial repair bill ... beyond the ability of the present congregation to manage ... The Review group has serious doubts about the sustainability of this fine church ..."

St Peter, Fishersgate: "... Should be closed unless negotiations with the local Methodist and community churches in Southwick are brought to a successful conclusion to create a Christian worship and community centre in this very needy and deprived area."