Tesco - One step too far?

[Skorpion]

http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/15800205
Tesco is hoping to rake in some extra pennies from heaven - after opening its latest branch in an old church.

 
Spiritual nourishment: Now the aisles are full of food



Biblical characters depicted in ornate stained glass windows now look down on shoppers browsing the aisles in the historic building near Bournemouth.

But the conversion of the former Westbourne Methodist Church has divided opinion.

Christians opposing the scheme have highlighted a passage in the Bible detailing Jesus' efforts to rid the Temple of Herod, saying 'Get these out of here! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise'.


The building looks beautiful now and they've really cleaned it up, but it's just a shame it's Tesco

Sandra Jones, manager of nearby Help The Aged charity store

A Tesco spokesman would not reveal whether the firm planned to target the increasing numbers of derelict churches across the UK for new branches.

But he did say the Westbourne store was "proving to be extremely popular with our customers".

Permission for the shop was granted only after Bournemouth Council agreed to a 'change of use' application to allow a retail operation in the building.


 
Tesco said the new store had gone down well with shoppers



Sandra Jones, manager of the nearby Help The Aged charity store, told Sky News: "If the church could have been used for something else I would have been delighted but who else has the money to bring it up to scratch?

"The building looks beautiful now and they've really cleaned it up, but it's just a shame it's Tesco."

The Rev Dr Bob McKinley, ex-minister at the church, which had lain empty for three years, was also sad about the unusual conversion.

He said: "You could say it is not appropriate to have a Tesco Express in a church but once it is sold it is no longer under our control."

Other small business owners in the area have supported the new store, saying it will attract more shoppers

Source is from sky news.

EDIT: I was here on my 2 week holiday to Bournemouth. I also saw a Catholic church that was titchy, crowded by stores.

[Ad Bot]

[DrenDran]

Now one of those buildings finally serves a real purpose!

[Riot]

This is funny.

[blaman]

Really the only use for churches.

[BladeOfTheHorizon]

There are plenty other churches. Can't be that bad. :/

[james4115]

surprised there arent loads of uptight christians complaining of the retail devil fornicating fruits of sin into the house of god

[Nickelob Ultra]

Although it's funny to see this, it's still a pretty big disrespect to churches.

[Max4344]

Now one of those buildings finally servers a real purpose!

[Pentium]

Good to see a church actually being useful

[Nikki]

The building looks vaguely similar to my church.

But building a fast food place in a church isn't really respectable to the people. A church near my house was recently turned into a house with a movie theater.

[Skorpion]

The building looks vaguely similar to my church.

But building a fast food place in a church isn't really respectable to the people. A church near my house was recently turned into a house with a movie theater.

Pictures please.

[Stocking]

Christians opposing the scheme have highlighted a passage in the Bible detailing Jesus' efforts to rid the Temple of Herod, saying 'Get these out of here! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise'.

Eww NIV disgusting gross

[Barnabas]

I remember going to a pub in London which used to be a church.

[Tokthree]

That church was no longer being used as a church, once people stop practicing Christian acts in a church it just becomes a regular building.
I am proud of Tescos for not letting religious asshats stand in the way of progress