Kenmore Church - Your questions
- Q- Why is the Church of Scotland selling the kirk?
A- Falling congregation numbers mean that the Kirk Session has decided that the parish can no longer support two churches. The Kirk Session has decided to retain Fortingall and dispose of Kenmore church. - Q- What is the offer?
A- We have been given an exclusive option to buy before the church goes on sale on the open market as long as we are acting in good faith and are following an agreed process towards investigating the purchase. We have just six months to complete the sale. If we take an alternative position then that offer will cease and the church will go to private sale. - Q- Can we not stop the sale?
A- We have contested the sale with the Kirk Session and the HQ of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. It has been made very clear to us that the decision to sell has already been made. - Q- Were we aware of the sale before a decision?
A- We were informed of the decision at the end of April 2025. When it became clear that the churches were under review we had requested that the community should have first option to buy should a sale of Kenmore church be decided. However, our understanding until very recently, was that Kenmore church was unlikey to be disposed of. On announcing the sale in April, the Kirk Session expressed its wish that the building be retained for the community and confirmed that the Community Council would have an exclusive option to buy the church at market valuation. - Q- Why did we offer to buy it?
A- The Community Council has not made any offer to purchase. We made clear that, should a sale go ahead, we wished to retain the church as a community asset but would need to first ascertain the facts and risks, and that nothing would happen without first consulting the community. - Q- What is the offer?
A- We have been offered the church at valuation price of £80,000 on an exclusive basis for a six-month period. So, we must move quickly if we want to take advantage of this. - Q- Does the CC support a purchase?
A- We are very keen to save the church for the community and would be concerned if it went to an open market sale. However, the purchase would bring significant risks as well as opportunities, and would require the full support of the community, not just the council. The consultation is vital to inform our decision. - Q- Could the church be purchased by the community but retained as a church?
A- It is possible that religious services of any denomination could be carried out in the building after sale. - Q- Why not let it go on sale on the open market?
A- The Community Council considers this a risk in that the community would likely lose any use of the building and perhaps have no say in its future or use. - Q- What happens to the graveyard?
A- The graveyard and land immediately adjacent to the church is owned and maintained by Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) and that will not change. Early discussions with PKC suggest that we may have some flexibility over use of the immediate surrounds, eg for heat surce pumps or storage. - Q- What would happen to the fittings and fixtures, and other items, in the church?
A- The fittings and fixtures, including memorials, belong to the Church of Scotland General Trustees. Some items may be moved to another location. Furnishings and other moveable items are the property of the congregation, which will decide what to do with them. Items such as war memorials may be removed and possibly relocated. Further info on disposal of redundant churches. - Q- Can we afford this?
A- There are very significant sums involved. We are looking at all the issues, and will consult with the community, before deciding whether we can support the building long-term. Clearly, the project would need to provide evidence that it could be supported and financially sustained in the longer term, and that would be a challenge. - Q- How much will it cost?
A- The Church of Scotland valuation is set at £80,000. We may commission our own valuation. - Q- Is finance the only issue?
A- It is certainly a big one, but the Community Council would also need to be confident that the community will actively support the initiative in the longer term. - Q- Is the building not in good shape?
A- Generally it is in good condition but it is an old building that will require constant maintenance and new services such as heating systems installed. It would need substantial work to turn it into a flexible community space. - Q- Where would we get funds?
A- There are many options for fundraising and sources of capital grants and loans. We are already investigating the possibilities. Crowdsourcing is also an option. - Q- Will Taymouth Castle contribute?
A- We have been told that TC will support the venture should we decide to go ahead with purchase. But we don't yet know what that support might look like. - Q- Will Taymouth Castle buy the church?
A- While wishing to retain the church as a village asset, the owners feel that they have already come under much undue criticism from certain quarters for buying properties in the village, and therefore are reluctant to purchase more. - Q- What would we use the building for?
A- That is a question we need to put to the community. It is a wonderful building that could provide flexible space for many purposes but it has its limitations. We have some thoughts already and have shared these in the consultation. We will be keen to hear other ideas too. - Q- Is the building listed?
A- Yes, it is classed as Category B listed which could seriously restrict what we could do with the building. - Q- What is wrong with the Reading Room?
A- The Room has been great for supporting the many events we, or the Reading Room Management Committee, have hosted or supported over the past few years. Events such as our Winter Warmer afternoons, quiz and music nights have proved very popular but we are short of space for any expansion. The Room also has practical issues that prohibit development. - Q- What happens next?
A- The consultation runs from 24 July to 7 August 2025. We will review the results immediately after that, then the Community Council will need to decide what direction we might take from there. - Q- What are the options?
A- The Council may decide to: do nothing and let the church go on the open market; offer the project to another community group; wait till the church goes on the open market and submit a low bid; purchase the church to protect it and pause before proceeding any further or; purchase the church and proceed directly to a full-blown development project.
- Q- How do I contribute to the consultation?
A- You can find the online survey and further info here. - Q- How do I find out more?
A- The feasibility report is available on our website and contains much more detail about the issue. You can also contact the Community Council by email or come along to our regular meetings. - Q- What if I don't have access to the internet to submit my views?
A- People can ask relatives, friends or neighbours to fill in the survey for them, or get in touch with a Community Council member who will help with this.