New way of life at St George's church

A FAMOUS city centre church earmarked for closure could be given a new lease of life as a community hub.

St George's West in Shandwick Place was declared surplus to requirements after its congregation merged with St Andrew's & St George's in George Street at the beginning of the year.

However, a separate charitable trust could be set up to take over the building, develop existing projects and make space available for new community activities.

The St George's West building - where people once queued around the block for Sunday services - could be used for worship again, on a temporary basis, while major renovations are carried out at the George Street building. The two churches united in January and are hoping to call a minister soon.

The St George's West building is an established Festival Fringe venue and home to the Olive Tree Cafe, operated by paid staff, assisted by volunteers with varying levels of special needs. It also houses the Hadeel fair trade shop, supporting craftspeople from Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. It also provides offices for about a dozen charities.

Barbara Finlayson, joint session clerk, said: "It would be impossible to transfer everything that goes on there and have it in the George Street building, but to allow it to fizzle out would not be right."

The new congregation, known as St Andrew's and St George's West, has approved studies into the feasibility of establishing a separate charitable body which could buy or lease the building, build on the existing projects and develop the place as a resource for the community in the West End. The group looking into the trust idea is made up of members from both the former congregations, and if a trust is set up it will include people from the wider community.

Ms Finlayson said: "This is not about people from St George's West clinging on to the building. We have spoken to lots of people in the West End and beyond who see the church as a landmark building and feel what goes on from there is well known and deserves to be built on rather than dismantled."

Meanwhile, the St George's West building is expected to see a brief revival as a place of worship while work is carried out on the George Street building, selected as the permanent home of the united congregation. Plans to redecorate and install new sound and light systems at St Andrew's & St George's were put on hold during the merger discussions.

The Rev Russell McLarty, interim moderator, said the extent of the work had yet to be decided but it should be carried out within a couple of years.