City centre church to become mosque and Islamic education centre

A former city centre church is to be transformed into a mosque and an Islamic education centre. St John’s Church in Town Road, Hanley, was bought for £140,000 by the Darul Falah centre before it was due to go under the hammer at auction.

Bulldozers have already begun work clearing the site but the group has a meeting with Stoke-on-Trent City Council later this month when they will discuss what work they can do on the building. The centre is expected to open next year.

Vice president of the Darul Falah centre, Sayyad Hashemi, aged 46, of Hartshill, told StokeonTrentLive: “We are trying to open a community centre for the use of the community. They can also pray there if they want to.

“It is a mosque, a community centre and an education centre.

“We are waiting for a response from the council to do a little bit of work and tidy it up. It needs plastering and flooring.

SOURCE: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/city-centre-church-become-mosque-8646912