Trinity Methodist Church in Radstock will close at the end of January next year, it has been confirmed. The congregation were informed in March that the future of the historic building in the centre of the town was being considered, in a move that one parishioner said would “rip the heart out of Radstock”.

The Revd Martin Slocombe, Methodist Minister at Chew Stoke, Paulton and Trinity (Radstock & Westfield) Methodist Churches, told The Journal: “For some time, it has been apparent that the Trinity Methodist Church building in Radstock is unsuitable for our needs. being too large for the congregation and increasingly expensive to maintain.

“Last week, the Church Council met and agreed with much regret that the Radstock building should close from the end of January 2022.

“Services and group meetings will continue at Radstock until then, while we work to establish a new, united Methodist community at our building in Westfield.”

Since news of the consultation broke, Radstock Town Council have applied to have the building registered as a community asset, to protect it from redevelopment. However, there have been warnings from some Councillors that the building could be very costly to maintain and will require a six-figure sum in the first instance. Hope House Surgery, next door, will also become vacant once the new health centre opens on Waterloo Road.