Anger over churches closing their doors

AN HISTORICAL buildings charity has criticised the Evangelical Church for failing to keep facilities open for visitors outside of services.

The Victorian Society said the public were being denied the chance to experience the interiors of buildings run by Holy Trinity Brompton because they were “shuttered and barred”, despite best-practice guidance from the diocese .

Christopher Costelloe, its director, said: “These churches are an important part of our heritage.

“They should be open both for visitors to appreciate their architecture, history and beauty, and for people who want to pop in and pray.

“What sort of message does it send out if its churches are shuttered and barred?”

He added that members had recently “tried fruitlessly to access a number of times” St Augustine’s Queen’s Gate in west Lon- don, a Grade II*-listed church built in 1865 and designed by William Butterfield.

Three churches visited by this newspaper were locked on a Friday during the daytime, including Onslow Square church in London and churches in Brighton and Hastings.

A gardener outside the Hastings church, who gave his name only as Ronnie, said: “I’m afraid we won’t be open today. It is mostly because of concerns about vandals and thieves, really. People come in when no one is around and just take things, and so on.”

At the main Holy Trinity Brompton site near South Kensington station, a café was open in the crypt but staff said the church was not open on weekdays.

The Ven Luke Miller, Archdeacon of London, said: “Churches in London work hard to remain as open as possible, but for security reasons, many have to close their doors at times.”

A spokesman for HTB declined to comment.