Churches could be included

The futures of the Methodist Church in Waterloo Square and the United Reformed Church in Linden Road are being discussed, the Observer can reveal.

A meeting took place on Monday when the churches' ministers, the Rev Gavin Hancocks and the Rev John Gordon, travelled to London to talk with a nationally recognised regeneration expert.

The session with Lord Andrew Mawson and two other representatives of his One Church: 100 Uses organisation took place at the Bromley-by-Bow Centre in East London. This is internationally acknowledged as using entrepreneurs and creative arts to transform one of the UK's most deprived areas.

Arun District Councils officer Richard McMann, its Bognor regeneration task force co-ordinator, and St Modwen's senior development manager, Gary Morris, were also present. Mr Morris presented the developers' thoughts about the church's locations.

Mr Gordon, of the Bognor URC, said the meeting provided plenty of issues to think about regarding the future of the two churches.

Initial ideas for the two centrally located sites were discussed and were being considered further.

"There are a lot of regeneration issues swirling around us and we have to decide if we want to take part in that," said Mr Gordon.

"The Methodist church is on the edge of what St Modwen are planning to do on the Hothamton site.

"We want to think about our two church buildings and how we can use them to the best possible way to the benefit of the town centre community. We are not under any pressure to respond to what St Modwen is planning. We want to make sure we do the right thing for our churches and to try to help the wider regeneration in Bognor.

"It looks as though there will be substantial changes in Bognor. We either deal with that positively or negatively. I would rather have a positive view. There is no point saying we don't want to do anything because life just passes you by."

The changes could see the churches combine on one site and improved community facilities provided as part of that proposal.

But Mr Gordon said the views of the respective congregations would be paramount in any alterations.

"We want to maintain our churches' presence and use our buildings and premises to enhance what we are doing," he added.

"The URC has a lot of community groups using it and we want that to continue."