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Lord Taylor (left) with Commonwealth Christian Fellowship leaders Rod and Julie Anderson |
Lord slams St Mark’s ‘Gekko greed’
Conservative peer attacks diocese over decision to sell off historic church to beauty magnate
A TORY peer has accused the Diocese of London of being “greed obsessed” for pressing ahead with plans to sell off a historic Mayfair church to a beauty magnate.
Lord Taylor of Warwick compared the diocese, headed by the Bishop of London Richard Chartres, with Michael Douglas’s character Gordon Gekko in the hit film Wall Street.
He said it was aping the mantra of Gekko and pursuing a “shameful greed is good” mentality in planning to sell the Grade-I listed church to George Hammer to be transformed into a health spa.
Lord Taylor was speaking to hundreds of campaigners gathered on the steps of St Mark’s church in Mayfair as the pews were filled for the last time.
On Wednesday, 180 years after opening, the organ fell silent and the candle wicks were snuffed out. It leaves the 200-strong congregation of the Commonwealth Christian Fellowship, who have occupied the building for the past 14 years, without a home.
Summoning the spirit of William Wordsworth, who once preached in the 19th-century church, Lord Taylor was joined by Lady Sainsbury and actor Roy Emmett Brown, in warning the diocese it will have a battle on its hands if it follows through with plans to sell the North Audley Street building to Mr Hammer.
The diocese has submitted plans to redevelop the building into a health spa, complete with swimming pool and juice bar.
Lord Taylor, the first black Conservative peer, said: “We don’t need another spa. You can go to Selfridges for that.
“The philosophy of the diocese is shameful. It reminds me of Gordon Gekko’s ‘greed is good’ attitude.
“This church is about community not commerce, and it is up to us to tell the diocese and the council that the church should stay in the hands of the local community.”
Ward councillors have confirmed they will support the opposition campaign at a planning meeting expected to take place on November 13.
Mr Hammer lives in the vicarage next door to St Mark’s. His empire already includes The Retreat at Harrods and Aveda hair products.
Lady Sainsbury made her first public appearance as president of the campaign. She said: “We are here to protest at the diocese’s failure to try to keep this wonderful building, and even worse wanting to evict a thriving congregation and then to be willing to sell it for a wellness centre – pampering for the few.
“We deplore the way the diocese is treating it, as no more than real estate to be sold for 30 pieces of silver.
“English Heritage regard this church as one of the most important buildings in Mayfair. It has seen anti-slavery debates, Eisenhower worshipping here, D-Day landings planned, society weddings, work with the poor.”
In response, the diocese issued a statement. It read: “St Mark’s Church Audley Street has been a redundant church and ceased to be a parish church 30 years ago. Between the 1970s and 1990s various uses were considered but none were successful in either raising the funds required or obtaining planning permission.
“In 1994 the Commonwealth Church moved into the building. In 2000 the lease was surrendered as the Commonwealth Church was unable to raise the funds necessary to undertake the repair work.
“The diocese allowed the Commonwealth Church to remain in occupation of the building while it looked for a new occupier and in 2005 entered into a contract with Mr Hammer to use the building as a health and wellbeing Centre and to undertake sympathetic restoration works.” |
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