One of Elgin’s most recognisable landmarks could be boarded up – to provoke residents into taking action to preserve its future.
The fate of St Giles Church in the town-centre is in doubt after supporters asked for – and were refused – council funding for a £14,000 study into alternative uses for the building.
Churchgoers have set up the St Giles Development Group to fight for the “iconic” property’s future amid speculation that the Church of Scotland is about to sell it off.
However Moray councillors rejected their bid for financial support yesterday, insisting local people should be able to safeguard the B-listed building without local authority assistance.
Forres councillor George Alexander proposed boarding up the church to rally locals into acting.
He said: “If St Giles Church has to be boarded up, the best thing the council could do is go ahead and do it.
“I’m sure the people in Elgin would rise up and find a way to solve the problem – and not by holding out their hands and asking for money from the council.
“Necessity is the mother of invention, and I’m definitely against dishing out this £14,000.
“Other local groups are able to run these assets without asking the council for a penny.”
A report to yesterday’s meeting of the local authority’s economic development and infrastructure service committee said that as services are no longer held in the property, the Church of Scotland “will be looking to dispose of it”.
Members were told the development group had been set up to explore alternative options for the building.
Spokesman for the volunteers, James Macpherson, said it would be “a great sadness” if the landmark was permitted to fall into disrepair.
He said: “I understand the building is not council property, and elected members may have a reluctance to offer us funding, but Moray Council has an interest in making sure the church has a future in the town.
“Ultimately the Church of Scotland will find it very difficult to sustain both the St Giles Church in the centre and the St Giles and Columba’s South Church on Greyfriar’s Street.
“It could be that it closes in the short-term, and the congregation would need to find a way to seal the building’s future.
“It is an iconic building, and it would be a great sadness if it were to fall into disuse and be boarded up.”
A Church of Scotland spokeswoman last night said: “St Giles is not for sale at present and there has been no decision to put the building on the market.
“However, it is true that there are concerns about the amount of money needed to maintain this listed building.
“As a Category B listed building it is in everyone’s interest to make sure it is maintained for future generations to enjoy.
“Sensibly, the congregation is exploring a variety of solutions that will ensure the building can continue to be a valuable community resource.”
Plans were mooted earlier this year for the property to be run as a music school, but councillors heard that this alone would not be enough to sustain it.
The committee agreed to defer any decision on the future of the building until the results of a recently completed survey on Elgin’s future are announced.
At public design charrette took place in March, where locals put forward their ideas for the town-centre.
The results of the week-long consultation exercise will be factored into future decisions affecting the heart of Elgin.