Churches to install grocery stores

The Church of England is unveiling plans this week to install supermarket-type facilities in its churches in order to entice more people through its doors.

Designed to improve the church’s contribution to the local community, the Guidelines and Best Practice for the Provision of Community Shops in Churches and Chapels proposals will recommend that churches sell groceries, offer dry cleaning services and issue prescriptions, according to The Telegraph.

Speaking to the newspaper, the Rt Rev James Bell, Bishop of Knaresborough and chairman of the Church of England’s Rural Affairs Group, said that opening such shops was an important step in fulfilling the Church’s duty to serve parishes, particularly those in rural communities where there are a limited number of public buildings.

He said: "Church buildings may often be the only community space in a village or a deprived urban area and can provide the perfect location for a community-owned shop."

The newspaper reported that one church in Essex has already trialled the new plan. St Giles in Langford opened a shop called Heavenly Supplies in its vestry last year after winning a £10,000 grant from Essex County Council.

Every church considering installing a grocery store is being urged to seek out approval from its local community before making the decision.

Many of the buildings in rural areas tend to be listed and would require a faculty, a licence from the diocesan consistory court, to allow for any structural changes made in opening up a shop.

Jane Parkinson, 13.12.2010