Upset over halted prayer meetings

A decision to stop holding prayer meetings at a homeless hostel in Devon has upset some local Christians.

The Factory Row night shelter in Torquay was set up by Christian groups in the area about 20 years ago.

Regular prayer meetings have always been held there, but the new Christian management team which is to take over has decided to put a stop to them.

A spokesperson said it was thought the move would help residents foster contacts in the outside community.

'Bitterly disappointed'

The original shelter was demolished and a new £2.5m hostel is currently being finished and should be ready for residents in August.

It will be jointly run by the charities Shekinah Torbay and Chapter 1, which was formerly known as Christian Alliance.

Barbara Smith, a spokesperson for Chapter 1, said: "We are very surprised by what a big issue this has become.

It was very low key and was done to meet the spiritual needs of people who were at a low point in their lives Nick Pannell, Friends of Factory Row

"We don't want residents to feel obliged to follow a particular faith when they are with us."

She added that the aim was to encourage people to make contacts outside the community.

However, Nick Pannell, chairman of the Friends of Factory Row, said they were "bitterly disappointed".

"This wasn't a compulsory prayer ritual - it was held in a side room once a week or fortnight for about 20 minutes," he said.

"It was very low key and was done to meet the spiritual needs of people who were at a low point in their lives."

Mr Pannell's group plans to appeal to the trustees of the two charities to see if they will change the policy.