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Lady Sainsbury |
‘Church’s spa plan is a wicked destruction of a place of worship’
Lady Sainsbury defends St Mark’s in exclusive interview
SUPERMARKET heiress Lady Sainsbury has launched a withering attack on the Church of England, branding the planned transformation of the historic Mayfair church where she worships into a health spa “tantamount to sacrilege”.
In her first interview since becoming President of the Save St Mark’s campaign, the committed Christian and billionaire wife of the Labour peer Baron Sainsbury spoke of her frustration with the Church of England over its indifference towards the plight of the Grade-I listed building.
Taking time out from her holiday in Greece, she said dwindling congregations were no excuse to sell off the family silver, calling proposals to redevelop the 19th-century church a “wicked destruction of a place of worship”.
For the past three years Lady Sainsbury has been a prominent member of the women’s bible study group at the church in North Audley Street, which meets every month, and has hosted some of the most influential women in Britain as guest speakers.
Under plans approved by owners the Diocese of London, the church where American presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Franklin Roosevelt once worshipped, would become a health spa overseen by Icelandic developer George Hammer.
Lady Sainsbury spoke of wrestling with her conscience about speaking out against the church, but with just weeks before the crunch planning meeting that will seal its fate, admitted she had little choice.
Last week she wrote a letter to the Lord Mayor of Westminster to express fears that the council did “not know what is going on” after its top planning chief wrongfully claimed the church had been empty for 30 years.
She said: “Putting a commercial temple into a church is tantamount to sacrilege. It really upsets me.
“What a wicked thing to want to destroy such a beautiful building. It’s a terrible thing to do when there is a strong congregation and it does so much for the community.
“Yes it needs work doing to it, but I am convinced there is another way. I think the Church of England needs to have more faith. It’s very difficult for me to say that because the whole episode really doesn’t show the church in a good light.”
Despite living in Kensington, Lady Sainsbury fell in love with the church after discovering it through a friend three years ago. A committed Christian all her life, she never misses the women’s prayer group run by the vicar’s wife, Julie Anderson.
“I didn’t really know about St Mark’s until three years ago,” she said. “But I love everything about the church. It is a beautiful haven so close to Oxford Street. It does so much good for local people and I really think people should start paying attention. I go along to pray, worship and feel empowered. I really do think there is a way of saving it.”
The meetings known as “D-Days” are attended by around 200 worshippers, but some have seen up to 800 women crammed into the church.
Mrs Anderson, who leads the meetings, said they were about “empowering women” although she was keen to point out they were not a feminist group.
She said: “The group has become really popular. It is about women’s values and [Lady Sainsbury] has been a strong supporter of the group and the church. I honestly can’t believe they want to turn it into a spa. Can’t they just go to Selfridges? It’s scary to mess with a church like that.”
Original proposals for the church lodged with Westminster Council, which have since been toned down, included a swimming pool.
If given the go-ahead, the altar will make way for a juice bar and the church will become an expensive spa.
To add insult to injury to the 1,000 strong campaign group, Mr Hammer lives in the vicarage next door to the church.
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