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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Harriet Sherwood

Repair bills could force hundreds of UK churches to close within five years

Medieval church with ivy growing on it
A derelict village church in Birch, Essex. One in 20 churches are expecting to no longer be used for worship by 2030, the survey found. Photograph: Roger Ashford/Alamy

Hundreds of Britain’s churches may be forced to close in the next five years as the cost of maintaining heritage buildings becomes unmanageable, a conference at the V&A in London has heard.

Many of the UK’s 20,000-plus listed places of worship contain important heritage treasures, such as stained glass windows, and monuments of historic significance. They are also hubs for community groups and social action projects.

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