CHURCH'S HOME MAY BE DEMOLISHED

For the past three years the sizeable congregation of the evangelical King's Church have worshipped in a former industrial unit, leased from Tesco, adjacent to Homebase.

The unit, along with others, will be demolished if Tesco gets its planning permission.

The King's Church building is not only used for Sunday services, which have an average attendance of 100.

It is also used every day for a range of social activities, including a King's Tots group for 50 local pre-school children and their carers, a Kidz Klub for some 75 primary school children, and The Reef for younger secondary school children, providing a social but alcohol-free environment for between 100 and 200 teenagers.

Said spokesman John Kay: 'The church was not able to undertake regular social activities for the wider community on this scale until it had its own premises.

'Few of the children attending King's Tots, Kidz Klub or The Reef are from church families.

'King's Church spent about 100,000 clearing out, renovating and equipping the former industrial unit, which has been a great facility for us.

'A good proportion of this investment was on equipment and facilities which we can take with us to a new venue, if we can find one.

'King's Church are very grateful to Tesco for having accommodated us for the past three years at a very reasonable rent.

'We were always aware that Tesco intended to demolish the premises in due course to expand its store and we have no complaints of any sort.

'But if the Tesco planning application is approved, then we will be in desperate need of a new home.'

The congregation need a large space for worship with ancillary rooms for offices, refreshments and small meetings.