Rector of St Anne's, David Gilmore divided Soho. 'Now community needs to rebuild itself’

Published: 14 January 2011
by JOSH LOEB

A HISTORIC church remains at the centre of a row that has divided Soho, despite the shock departure of its figurehead.

Father David Gilmore was last month removed from his role as the rector of St Anne’s Church in Soho after an ecclesiastical tribunal upheld a complaint that he had walked in naked on two guests he was hosting in his rectory.

His decision earlier in the year to evict amenity group the Soho Society from a room in the church tower – the so-called tower room – sparked a defiant sit-in protest by members of the group.

The Soho Society are now desperate to repair relations and return to the room, where they had been based for 35 years.

The group’s chairwoman, Fiona Rhys-Jenkins Bailey, said following Fr Gilmore’s removal they had requested to be allowed to return to the tower room but were told by church administrators that this was not possible until the Chancellor of the Diocese had adjudicated on the matter.

An application to convert the room into a health clinic was made in Fr Gilmore’s name and it is unclear whether this is still valid. 

The church is one of two sites in Soho currently under consideration by Imperial Healthcare, an NHS Trust, as a base for its My Action Clinic – which would aim to ­combat stroke and heart disease. 

It is not known when Imperial Healthcare will announce its decision.

Having removed Fr Gilmore, the diocese now wishes to draw a line under a controversial year for the parish.

However, prominent Soho residents have privately told the West End Extra that there remains mistrust in the community and that some members of the St Anne’s congregation suspect the Soho Society of having orchestrated a “witch hunt” against Fr Gilmore – something the society vehemently denies doing.

President of the Soho Society Leslie Hardcastle this week told members: “The Soho Society should state that this [the tribunal’s] decision res­olves a different matter raised by others.” 

A well-known community activist in Soho, who did not wish to be named, said: “The parish now needs a fresh start.

“No one in Soho cares what people do in their beds or in the privacy of their own homes, as long as they are doing their job properly, which is to unite the community,” she said. 

“Unfortunately, Fr Gilmore divided the community. Now it needs to rebuild itself.” 

A spokesman for the Diocese of London said: “The issue of the Soho Society’s licence at St Anne’s has been referred to the Chancellor of the Diocese of London, The Worshipful Nigel Seed QC, who is reviewing the matter. 

“In the meantime, the Chancellor has directed that the former status quo should be maintained until a decision has been reached.”