Row after church is bought back for a pound

james73 · Row after church is bought back for a pound

Row after church is bought back for a pound (Evening Times)

A HISTORIC Gorbals church which has been a community centre for 15 years
is to be brought back as a place of worship - for the princely sum of £1.

But the move may mean some community groups which have used St
Francis Catholic Church in Cumberland Street have to find a new home.

The St Francis building was sold to Glasgow City Council for the same
token fee when the Gorbals population dropped and it became surplus to
requirements.

But, after fire ripped through the area's other church, Blessed John Duns
Scotus, three years ago, the Archdiocese of Glasgow opened talks to buy
back the building.

Archbishop Mario Conti announced his decision to accept the council's
offer to parishioners of Blessed John Duns Scotus this week - and was
greeted by a spontaneous outbreak of applause.

But a number of organisations, including mother and toddler groups,
pensioners' groups and ballroom dancing, yoga and tae kwon-do classes,
currently use the building.

And Linda Muirhead, who runs the mother and toddler group, said: "It's
unfortunate, there really isn't anywhere else for us to go and we don't
know if the council will make any provision for us.

"They should sort something out - they are taking away the only community
facility we have. The council haven't said that anywhere else is going to
open and we might have to close the group."

Philomena Porter, who runs community group PATCH, (Parents And Their
Children's Hopes), said: "We were based in St Francis for eight years but
last year we moved because it was a month-to-month lease.

"If they weren't selling it back to the church we would probably still be
running a service on a Tuesday night.

"It was a central location for the parents and carers who came to the
group. It was the only community centre in the Gorbals."

The area's MSP Frank McAveety said: "We need to work with the groups
to ensure their needs are met."

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Glasgow said: "We would be keen for
the groups to continue to use the building as far as is possible.

"We want to make sure that people are not disadvantaged by the change
of ownership. The space at the current John Duns site could be used, or
the church hall or the interior of St Francis."

A council spokesman said they were in discussion with the Catholic Church
about the sale of St Francis and a resolution would be be reached soon.

St Francis Church - an A-listed building - opened in 1881.

It was designed by the Peter Paul Pugin, whose firm was responsible for
the decoration of the Palace of Westminster. A casket said to contain the
remains of the Christian martyr St Valentine, used to be kept in a side
aisle of the church.

James H

escotregen

I can't see what the supposed 'controversy' is all about. Most churches of most main denominations are, in my experience, happily making their meetings and social spaces available to all sorts of social and community groups.

I would, however, hope that the Council sell-back deal does not enable the Church authorities to sell the building on at some time for a killing to housing developers.

Anyhows... it makes a pleasant change to hear about an old listed building that there is a variety of uses and demands for... and well done Glasgow City Council for its good stewardship in the intervening years that has ensured the building survived