Three and a half years since the Lonan church closed, its future is still up in the air and demolition remains the potential last resort.

When All Saints’ church in Lonan was closed after a surveyor’s report into the state of the building’s electrical system judged it to be a health and safety risk, it was believed it might be a temporary measure.

Since its closure, Garff commissioner Stewart Clague and former Manx National Heritage chairman Tony Pass suggested the church could be used as a festival church.

The commissioners did initially vote to support this eight to one.

Their idea would use £70,000 of parish funds for the building, which would serve the people of Lonan.

Mr Clague and Mr Pass initially believed they’d come up with a cheap community venture.

But they then hit stumbling blocks.

A Facebook campaign from ’a small group of people in Laxey’ opposed the idea.

Then projected costs rose as it was discovered Garff Commissioners would have to meet government spending rules, making the whole project ’monstrously expensive’.

Mr Pass and Mr Clague also claim that if nothing else were done with the church, the building would be demolished at a cost of £150,000.

Mr Clague, who runs a business services company, has been accused of having a personal interest in the restoration of the building, which was supported following the commissioners taking legal advice at what he claims was a cost of £3,000.

He said that he did have a personal interest but said that he wanted only to see the church used for ’weddings, funerals and also turned into a building for more regular use such as badminton, indoor bowls and community uses, as there was nothing similarly available in the growing residential area’.

Mr Pass and Mr Clague also say: ’The church boasts two First World War memorials and a pavement all designed by Archibald Knox.

’They are of national and international importance and should be preserved as part of the island’s heritage.’

The Manx Independent contacted the Bishop of Sodor and Man’s office for clarification on the situation from the church’s perspective.

Archdeacon Andrew Brown said he had been working on behalf of the Diocesan Board of Finance for the past few years to find a solution for All Saints.

He said: ’In the late summer of 2014 the building fell due for its routine five-yearly inspection.

’As usually happens, and always if there are any problems, the first draft of the report was sent to me as Archdeacon, and only to me, in September 2014.’

Following this, a surveyor produced a report which listed ’three vital, but not necessarily vastly expensive items as "Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial work required", this raised red flags.

There were a further seven issues noted as potentially dangerous and a further four where work was needed to the electrics.

Following this, the parochial church council of Lonan and Laxey asked the Bishop to give permission for the church to be closed for public worship, immediately, although initially temporarily.

The Archdeacon stressed that the money was available to repair the church and it was a parishional decision rather than a financial one that led to its closure.

The church commissioners and Bishop were asked ’to consider a permanent closure’.

He said this decision was made as Christ Church in Laxey had received a refurbishment and it was felt the area would be better served by the one church.

The Archdeacon added: ’With extreme reluctance, we can consider total or partial demolition. We would like to avoid this if we can.’

He also insisted the church would remove the war memorials if it did ever come to demolition.

While it is usual for decisions to be made within two years of a church closure, the church commissioners have the power to extend the building’s current state of purgatory, one which at current has no end.