Petition to protect Coventry church Christmas star backed by hundreds

People are petitioning the city council to protect the original section of Hearsall Baptist Church



More than 500 people have signed a petition calling for a 1928 church building which displays a Christmas star on top of a tower to be protected.

Hearsall Baptist Church, in Coventry, said buildings and land would be put on the market, following a decision taken on financial grounds.

People are petitioning the council to "locally list" and protect part of the site from any future demolition.

The authority stated it had not had a formal application to locally list it.

The petition, which was started on Saturday and runs until 17 February, said the council was being urged to "actively work with partners in the public and community sectors to preserve community use for this building".

The church said services were currently held in a building established in the 1960s.

The community building erected in 1928 - featuring the tower, as well as the star from November to January - was built as a church school.

One of the deacons, Nick Leonard, said: "We have no choice, because we couldn't afford to keep it running.

"Since the closure became public knowledge, there have been several approaches to the trustees with possible ways forward, which we will be considering as soon as possible."

A wide variety of uses, including community use, had been proposed, he added.

The city council said it was aware of the petition and concerns around the sale.

A spokesperson stated at this stage the authority had not received an application to list the building.

They added: "We would encourage all residents interested in listing a building to visit our website to check the criteria.

"[These] would include meeting the government's definition for being capable of being a heritage asset, as well as other elements including artistic interest, community interest and evidence relating to the significance of the building."

The church said it would merge with Holyhead Road United Reformed Church at the latter's site and be called Sherbourne Community Church, named after the nearby river.

Coventry church with beloved 'Star of Hope' set to be preserved



A Coventry church with a beloved festive 'Star of Hope' is set to be preserved. There has been a bid for the original Hearsall Church Hall building to be included on Coventry’s Local List of Heritage Assets.

Only a few years ago, more than 1,000 people signed a petition to locally list and protect Hearsall Baptist Church, including the spire and the Christmas star from any future demolition as it was put up for sale. Then, last year, a public nomination was received for it to be locally listed.

It staged a public consultation and received 59 public responses, of which six were in favour of the local listing, four abstained and the rest were largely unsupportive of the listing yet strongly recommended retention of the Christmas fixture - the 'Star of Hope' - which is mounted on the hall and has been described as having 'high communal and historical value to the local community.'

Also, during the consultation process, the council said it was made aware of the commitment received from the new owners of the church to ensure the 'Star of Hope' continues to be a monument within the community.

"Officers concur with the recognition of the artistic and architectural value alone which is considered to be medium to high for the Hall (with/without the temporary fixture) and assigns weight in support of the nomination accordingly," a council report states.

"The overall findings from public consultation predominantly relate to local interest in gaining continuity for the ‘star of hope’ fixture to the Hall however does not fully demonstrate the weight of opinion in favour for the Hall’s rarity, architectural and artistic local value within its setting and wider community."

It is being recommended that the council rubber-stamps the proposal for the building, encompassing the ‘star of hope’ as a moveable fixture. If approved by Cllr Naeem Akhtar, cabinet member for housing and communities at a meeting on Wednesday, then the process will start to officially locally list the building.