Would you pay £15 to go to church?

On April 1, 2011 / By maggi dawn / Reply

After last Saturday’s protest in London, I’m dismayed to read that austerity measures are biting yet deeper into our ecclesiastical heritage. Some of England’s greatest Cathedrals – including Canterbury, St Pauls, Westminster Abbey and York Minster – are raising their entry fees rather sharply – the highest price quoted being a fantastic £15 for basic entry (and more if you want to climb towers or view the museums)- the rationale is that people will spend more than that to go to the theatre, and it costs just as much to keep these fine old buildings open as it does to put on a show.

Charging for entrance to cathedrals has caused controversy in the past, but what’s new about this announcement is that two cathedrals are proposing to charge the entrance fee even to those who are coming to worship.

A spokesperson for the Church of England defended the decision, saying that while it was desirable to keep churches open free of charge, if people really want to worship surely we shouldn’t be afraid to ask them to put their money where their mouth is. And anyone who can’t afford the entrance fees to services will be allowed free entry – all they have to do is show a form of identity and sign a form.

It sounds to me like madness – surely the bureaucracy of the forms will cost more than the money raised. And isn’t there a principle at stake here? What do you think, blog readers?

EDIT: yes, this was an april fool! not a shred of truth in the story at all, as those who clicked the link below discovered…
For more details, (including whether you will qualify for free entrance) read the press release in full here.

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20 Responses to “Would you pay £15 to go to church?”

Comments

  1. Muriel Sowden
    On April 1, 2011 at 7:41 am

    I would rather that visitors were asked to make a donation on entry, instead of a fixed fee. Buying prayer space seems wrong!

  2. Faith Hope & Cherrytea
    On April 1, 2011 at 7:43 am

    actually unbelievable …
    don’t the attendees/parishioners contribute weekly already?

  3. LankyAnglican
    On April 1, 2011 at 7:44 am

    Will the paying worshippers be expected to put money in the plate too? Is the offertory to become a way of leaving a gratuity if the sermon was too our liking?

  4. mark
    On April 1, 2011 at 8:29 am

    Immediately came to mind about the widow who gave all that she had in order to pay the temple tax. Shameful.

  5. Fraser Dyer
    On April 1, 2011 at 8:30 am

    Tough one isn’t it? In the parish we struggle to balance the same issues – helping people to understand that our running costs (about £1k a week) need to be met, but not wanting access to worship to be closed to anyone or – heaven forbid – means tested.

    Cathedral services attendance is said to be on the rise. This does have a slight whiff of cashing in. On the other hand, I envy their boldness in confronting people with financial necessity. Perhaps a better time to approach them is on the way out….?!

  6. dennisthemennis
    On April 1, 2011 at 8:32 am

    i think i know what day it is :)

  7. Sally
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:06 am

    My beloved and I visited Canterbury Cathedral on a recent and rare day off. He was appalled that the entrance price to just get into the grounds was £8. He reckoned he knew another way via a back car park, so off we go, me muttering and yes we find a car park but a guard blocking our way. My beloved protested that he was a vicar and that was the magic word, we were both let in, yes vicar and wife for free, no proof of identity required.

    Of course if we were all living in the kingdom of heaven there would be no reason for Cathedrals or churches to ask for funding for the upkeep of the buildings, we would all be giving generously.

    Though on a practical note I think cathedral gift shops could contribute more on a commercial basis, seriously, who buys lavender products?

  8. seethroughfaith
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:07 am

    I think it’s appalling.

    I think the whole idea of saying I can’t afford it and having to show ID smacks of shaming people into giving.

    Have collections yes. Encourage visitors to give generously yes. Encourage regular members to give regularly yes. Take another collection on their way out yes. Invite them to tea and coffee afterwards and charge for that too (and their visit to the loo if needed) yes.

    But to charge someone to attend a worship service is to put a worship service on par with ‘entertainment’ … and that is not God’s way or honourable to Him. I mean what next … acts like Sister Act … or re-runs of REV to get people laughing … And what about signing on more popular priests to draw in ever bigger crowds, (£50 today cos the archbishop is the celebrant, £100 today cos he’s preaching as well) and well why not pay to view on iphones etc. for those who can’t be squeezed in and the bigger the choir (who are, in the main volunteers) the more expensive the ticket … it’s ludicrous!

    I know Will and Kate’s wedding will have made West Abbey a No.1 tourist attraction and that some will go the service … I think that’s good because its then being used as the church is supposed to be used – for worship – not as a historical place of interest.

  9. Andrew
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Disgraceful…. but then the Anglicans tended to prefer the rich during worship services historically. Have you not learned anything since Wesley?

    Lets face it though, who are the museum pieces in many of these services….. Is there some kind of bigger and better God in Cathedrals? Having said that, lets not forget the museums called Parish Churches (£1K per week!), these buildings are not fit for purpose….. so who really are more important? Buildings or people? Jesus overturning the tables in the Temple spring to mind…

  10. Christine
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:41 am

    I would have thought this is obvious… but it seems to work!? Well done!

  11. confused and suspicious
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Is this an April fool?

  12. maggi dawn
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:46 am

    click on the press release, Andy – it makes more sense if you read the original…

  13. Sunil
    On April 1, 2011 at 10:05 am

    Ah suspicions confirmed!

  14. Karin
    On April 1, 2011 at 10:36 am

    It seems to me the churches and cathedrals need to have a good think about their priorities.

  15. Andrew
    On April 1, 2011 at 10:50 am

    We were discussing the matter re April fool on Spybook….. we got there before your request to follow the link :-) Relieved!

    Note to self…. follow the original source :-)

  17. Hugh
    On April 1, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    I think you shouldn’t charge people to come into church but charge them for leaving instead :)

  18. seethroughfaith
    On April 1, 2011 at 9:49 pm

    Yes I should have read the link…

    silly me and a lesson learnt (I hope)

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