FEARS are rising that Portishead will lose another of its historic buildings following the announcement that the United Reformed Church is to be sold off.

The congregation says it can no longer afford the upkeep of the church, located at Cabstand on the junction with Woodhill Road, because the building, which dates back to 1870s, is in need of refurbishment.

The URC Sunday morning services have been held at St Nicholas Church in Nore Road during the winter months because the Cabstand church needs a new heating system and is too cold for the services to be held there.

The church also owns a small cottage, which has been vacant for some time, next to the main church building and a hall in Woodhill Road.

United Reformed Church South Western Synod Trust secretary Raoul Hewitt confirmed that the church has asked the Synod, as its trustees, to look into the selling of the property.

Mr Hewitt says he wants to make it clear that they are not yet actively marketing the property and do not expect to do so until much later in the year. He said: “We have been instructed by the church’s executive body to look in to disposing of the building.

“We are currently taking external, professional advice which we are obliged to do under the charities act, before deciding how and when it should be sold, it could be months before we have any indication of the route we will be taking.”