An article has appeared in today’s Manchester Evening News about the proposal by Church Converts which states ‘The chapel was last used by the Islamic Academy of Manchester until it closed in 2005 because of safety fears’.‘
The article is extremely inaccurate! It makes no mention that the Islamic Academy has occupied the annexe since 1974 (as tenants of Manchester City Council) and is an active, flourishing mosque.
The claim that we closed in 2005 seems to be referring to the Welsh Baptist Church. However, the Academy has not used that building since 1987!! The Council were intending to carry out repairs then and return the building back to community use but this never happened. In 2005, they carried out emergency repairs on that building after years of neglect but the annexe has continued to flourish as a mosque.
We request your help in contacting the council and clarifying the situation with the Manchester Evening News:
0161 211 2323 (MEN)
0161 211 2920 or newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (to correct inaccuracies)
Note the ‘Save the House of God’ banner visible in the picture the MEN have included with the article.
