Wednesday June 4th 2025
41 to 43 Chapel Street closed since 2020
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A bid for a new place of worship at a former retail outlet in Galashiels has been withdrawn after it failed to win the blessing of some concerned townsfolk.
The Bonmarche woman’s clothing retailer at 41 to 43 Channel Street closed early in 2020.
Plans were submitted to SBC for the the conversion of the outlet to provide a home for parishioners of a Pentecostal church – and to act as a resource for the whole of the community.
The application came from The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), a pentecostal church with a multi-cultural congregation.
The change of use was to form a place of worship aimed at providing a space where “people can come from the community for social interaction and have coffee and snacks”.
But the application is now marked ‘withdrawn’ on SBC’s planning portal after the bid generated a number of objections, with the town’s community council also raising concerns that the proposed church was an “inappropriate site” and that “Channel Street should be for shops”.
One objector also raised concerns over the church’s views on homosexuality and LGBT+ rights, stating: “These beliefs include ‘homosexuality is evil’ and that gay marriage could bring about the end of human civilisation.
“How can SBC possibly support and pass this application when the beliefs of this organisation clearly contradict SBC’s support for diversity and the LGBT+ community in flying the Rainbow Flag over their headquarters. I am very surprised it is even being considered.”
A submission with the application stated: “We are proposing the downstairs of the property as a community social engagement area where the people of the Galashiels community will come and sit down for meeting new people, counselling, prayer and books reading.
“The upstairs will be used for place of worship on Sundays and Wednesdays for Bible study and prayer meetings.
“There will be a demarcation for the open plans to create more space for the elderly and people with kids with a play area.”
There is an international network of RCCG places of worship under the leadership of Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the mission.
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