ACCUSATIONS of prejudice have been made against the church battling to run Caterham's flagship historic building.
Caterham Baptist Church has been competing with a residents' alliance for the past 18 months to take over the running of the 100-year-old Soper Hall, from Tandridge District Council.
With the long-waited decision looming at July 21's full council meeting, the church has come under fire from those who may be barred from using the hall if it succeeds.
In its submission to the council, the church said:
Booking requests from masonic lodges "are likely to be refused".
Alcohol at the Soper Hall may be frowned upon – it has an "internal agreement" that its current Beechwood Road base should be alcohol-free.
Yoga would be permitted – as long as it did not pursue any branch of Buddhism.
Andy Parr, who chairs the annual Caterham Festival, has been a freemason at the Caterham Lodge – which meets at Soper Hall – for the past decade.
He said: "It would be a real shame if we could no longer meet there.
"William Garland Soper – in whose honour the hall was built – was himself a senior mason.
"And freemasons have met there for as long as the building has stood.
more This is Surrey | Church would bar some groups from site
Caterham Baptist Church has been competing with a residents' alliance for the past 18 months to take over the running of the 100-year-old Soper Hall, from Tandridge District Council.
With the long-waited decision looming at July 21's full council meeting, the church has come under fire from those who may be barred from using the hall if it succeeds.
In its submission to the council, the church said:
Booking requests from masonic lodges "are likely to be refused".
Alcohol at the Soper Hall may be frowned upon – it has an "internal agreement" that its current Beechwood Road base should be alcohol-free.
Yoga would be permitted – as long as it did not pursue any branch of Buddhism.
Andy Parr, who chairs the annual Caterham Festival, has been a freemason at the Caterham Lodge – which meets at Soper Hall – for the past decade.
He said: "It would be a real shame if we could no longer meet there.
"William Garland Soper – in whose honour the hall was built – was himself a senior mason.
"And freemasons have met there for as long as the building has stood.
more This is Surrey | Church would bar some groups from site
