Fire at Kings Hall Methodist Church, Southall

The members and friends of churches in the Ealing Trinity Methodist Circuit are devastated by the fire which broke out in the King’s Hall Methodist Church building on the night of Sunday 22 February.

King’s Hall Methodist Church is a building of local historical significance, built in 1916 and in which Christian worship took place for nearly a century, until its closure in 2013. Since 1967, an Urdu and Hindi-speaking congregation was present in the King’s Hall alongside an English-speaking congregation; it was one of the first such congregations in the UK. Despite the closure of the King’s Hall Methodist Church building, the Urdu- and Hindi-speaking congregation continues to meet weekly for worship at Greenford Methodist Church.

Since its closure, the Ealing Trinity Circuit has been working with support from the wider Methodist Church and other partners to redevelop the site so that it can play a valuable role in the vibrant, diverse local community of Southall as it has done in the past. The Circuit is developing plans for the redevelopment, which include the creation of a new worship and community centre, incorporating the beautiful, locally-listed front façade. Whilst the Circuit is devastated by the fire damage to the central part of the church building, we are hopeful that an assessment of the building will show that the damage will not significantly hamper the planned redevelopment.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been deeply affected by the fire damage to the King’s Hall Methodist Church building because, for them, it is not just bricks and mortar but a place which holds special memories.

The Ealing Trinity Circuit thanks the firefighters who tackled the fire because the damage to the church building could have been far more extensive. The Circuit is also grateful for the support we have received from the local police and community.

Revd Dr Stephen Day

Superintendent, Ealing Trinity Circuit

Photos courtesy of Revd Dr Stephen Day.