Diocese responds to eviction claims

the diocese of Westminster has rejected claims that it evicted an Ethiopian Orthodox congregation from its central London church in order to sell the land it stands on, writes Rose Gamble.

St Anne’s Church in Laxton Place was used for some years by the Eastern Syriac Chaldean Catholic Church before being leased, in 2012, by the Debre-Genet Holy Trinity Ethiopian Tewahedo Church.

According to Private Eye, the satirical newspaper, its 500-strong congregation was unexpectedly served with an eviction notice after the diocese sold the church to the developer British Land. A diocesan spokeswoman said: “When we offered the lease we were specific that we were selling the property and thus [the] occupation of the space could only be temporary … After the sale they have been given additional
time to find alternate accommodation.”