WEE EXCLUSIVE - CHURCH SLAPS 2-YEAR BAN ON SOHO RECTOR - Diocese removes Father Dave Gilmore from his post at St Anne’s

Published: 17 December 2010
EXCLUSIVE by JOSH LOEB

ONE of the most sought after parishes in London has been left without a formal leader a week before Christmas after its rector was dramatically removed from his post by senior clergymen.

In a statement released late yesterday (Thursday), the Diocese of London said that Father David Gilmore of St Anne’s Church, Dean Street, had been removed from office with immediate effect after being found guilty at an ecclesiastical tribunal of “conduct unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders”. 

The West End Extra attempted to contact Fr Gilmore for a response via email and answer-phone messages but was unable to reach him.  

Parishioners expressed shock at the revelation, which follows a bitter row over Fr Gilmore’s decision earlier this year to evict amenity group the Soho Society from its base in the tower of the church and his dismissal, after a vote of trustees in December 2009, from the board of the House of St Barnabas.

House of St Barnabas chairman David Evans last week said the dismissal had been the result of a “mutual breakdown of trust” which he said had been “regrettable”.

Fr Gilmore arrived at St Anne’s in 2008, after serving in a village parish in Essex, to take up the post formerly occupied by Claire Herbert. 

A former mental health social worker, who grew up  in Belfast, he told the West End Extra at the time that he wanted the church to “play our part as a kind of social service”.  

He extended the church’s opening hours to make it more inclusive and in 2009 he supported a group of prostitutes who faced having their brothel closed.

It is not yet known who will officiate at services at St Anne’s over the festive period, one of the busiest times for churches across the country.

A Diocese of London spokesman said: “We can confirm that a Provincial Tribunal convened under the provisions of the Clergy Discipline Measure found Fr David Gilmore, Rector at St Anne’s Church, Soho, guilty of conduct unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders. 

“He has been removed from office with immediate effect and will be prohibited from exercising ministry as a priest for two years. The Diocese will ensure that services at St Anne’s will continue as normal and is making arrangements for the spiritual care of the parish.”