Haverfordwest's St Mary's church faces closure due to bill hike

Father Neil Hook, reverend at St Mary's Church and St Martin's of Tours, both based in Haverfordwest, says the increase in energy bills is so serious he cannot see the church opening next winter.

St Mary’s is an 840-year-old church that sits proudly at the top of Haverfordwest’s high street, while St Martin's of Tours is over 900 years old.

St Mary’s turned their heating off at the end of March when normally the heating would be run on a very low level through summer to protect the ancient stone work.

One of the biggest fears for the churches, along with the threat of closing, is possible damp damage.

“The damp attacks the stone,” said Father Hook. “At the moment we could not afford to open for winter.

"It has got to the point where we cannot meet the bills necessary to open the church building.”

It has been one of the biggest jumps in domestic energy bills in living memory as a 54 per cent increase in Ofgem’s price cap hit households at the beginning of April.

Damage to the walls at St Marys

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Citizens Advice said around five million people would be unable to pay their energy bills from April, even accounting for the support the Government has already announced.

It warned this number would almost triple to one in four people in the UK – more than 14 million – if the price cap rises again in October, which it is expected to do.

The church has proudly stood at the top of high street for 800 years

“I think there is an imminent threat to the ongoing survival of the church.”

Costs to heat the church usually run to about £600 a day.

Father Hook says the church cannot just rely on the congregation to plug the gap as they have also been hit by a massive increase in their bills.

“Every charity is having to pay more for electricity and gas and the donations they are getting is becoming less and they are having to work so much harder. This is going to really effect the charity sector."

There are fears its organ could be damaged

Retailers recently voiced their concerns to the Western Telegraph about the state of Haverfordwest high street and Father Hook laments that it's just another nail in the coffin if St Marys is another premise which has to be boarded up.

“We cannot see a solution at the moment,” said Father Hook.

“I think there is an imminent threat to the ongoing survival of the church.”