Cafe plans for Linkwater church
A Marlborough church sold because of a dwindling parish may become a tearoom for travellers.
The Anglican Diocese announced last December that St Luke’s Church in Linkwater, about 50 kilometres from Blenheim, was on the market.
The decision to sell the church angered some Linkwater and Havelock residents who did not feel they had been properly consulted.
Christchurch resident Stuart Moore said he and his son purchased the church about three months ago.
The pair wanted to keep the appearance of the church, but renovate it so someone could live in the building and run it as a cafe or tearooms.
‘‘It’s quite quaint, actually, and there’s a bit of history there,’’ Moore said.
There was ‘‘nothing being offered’’ for cyclists and tourists between Picton and Havelock, Moore said.
The pair already had a holiday home at nearby Anakiwa, in the Marlborough Sounds.
If running it as a cafe was not possible, they wanted it to be run as accommodation, Moore said.
The Moores bought the church from the Anglican Diocese of Nelson, for an undisclosed amount.
Wells would be put in for the water supply, Moore said.
Havelock parishioner Russell Jackson said on Monday dozens of children who visited the church at Christmas and Easter would miss out because of the sale.
‘‘We were never allowed to consider any initiatives to revitalise [the church],’’ Jackson said.
The church was built in the 1950s, but the land had been owned by the diocese for nearly 100 years.
Jackson said while he was ‘‘outraged’’ by the decision to sell, it was good the building was being preserved.
Diocesan secretary Annie Fraser said reaching a decision to sell an old church building was always an extremely difficult one.
‘‘Parishioners may well have strong historic links to the church,’’ she said.
‘‘Unfortunately, when attend- ance is down, the cost of maintaining the building may become too onerous for a parish.
‘‘In the case of the Linkwater church, proper processes were followed in deciding to sell and the decision had the clear support of most in the parish,’’ she said. Havelock vicar Chris Donaldson said he did not really have any views on the church becoming a cafe, but he thought everyone concerned was pleased the church was not being bulldozed.
Future Christmas services would be held at the Linkwater Community Hall, which had more space, he said.
John Standish, who used to volunteer at the church, said the negative publicity generated by the sale was ‘‘a bit of a shame’’.
However, having the church as a cafe would enhance the area.
‘‘I guess considering that the church is gone now a cafe is quite a good idea really. Good luck to them,’’ he said.