To me locking the doors during a service is much more concerning to me as a fire risk more than anything else. I can't see how it could be best practice from a safeguarding perspective - fire is a much more likely risk than an intruder, and wouldn't having the doors locked impact insurance claims in case of a fire? Of course I understand people wanting to be more cautious after Southport and the synagogue attack etc, but locking the doors brings its own potential harm that simply keeping the doors closed with perhaps someone on duty just inside would not.
Our external doors all have crash bars - it is not possible to lock someone inside the church, because they can always open the door from the inside.
(We don't lock our doors during the service, but if we did, it wouldn't stop people leaving.)
Not anything recent, but in response to those who have mentioned that locking church doors during the service can be illegal: in 1954 my great uncle (who was vicar of a parish in rural Somerset) took as his second wife a Sunday school teacher (his first wife have died two years previously). He was 59 at the time and his bride was 22. As the local newspaper article (which I still have)relates: he told his congregation "I do not want people coming to the service out of idle curiosity" and shortly before the service a notice appeared on the church gate, signed by the churchwardens, saying that the wedding service was for ticket holders only and the doors would be locked during the service.
However the bishop of Bath &Wells, who was officiating at the wedding, pointed out that locking the doors would be illegal and so the notice was taken down.
The couple were happy, by all accounts, and remained married until his death thirty years later.
Afaik the illegality is preventing public access to the wedding ceremony rather than locking the doors specifically, so it would be equally as illegal to have a bouncer on the door not allowing people in - I'm curious as to whether it applies to civil wedding ceremonies in England and Wales too.
It's a big issue for weddings where security is a genuine concern, eg celebrities who quite reasonably want to marry without the paparazzi crashing the ceremony.
I think crash bars are required by most building codes now.
I have definitely been in multiple churches in the UK where the only exit from the main body of the building is an old wooden door with an older style lock. Many rural older churches in the UK will have only one entry/exit and usually those won't have crash bars.
To me locking the doors during a service is much more concerning to me as a fire risk more than anything else. I can't see how it could be best practice from a safeguarding perspective - fire is a much more likely risk than an intruder, and wouldn't having the doors locked impact insurance claims in case of a fire? Of course I understand people wanting to be more cautious after Southport and the synagogue attack etc, but locking the doors brings its own potential harm that simply keeping the doors closed with perhaps someone on duty just inside would not.
Fully agree. The reason why I chose to ignore a Diocesan edict a few years ago instructing churches to keep outer doors locked during services. In my daytime secular job at the time in facilities management a point drilled into us was the need for quick emergency egress. Any troublemaker with the brains of a rocket salad could find other ways to cause trouble. Something lacking in our local LGBT militant protesters whose best efforts amounted to mis-spelt graffiti. Since then we've worked with the 'Living Out' charity to publish a statement on our website which we hope quashes accusations of homophobia - even though we're orthodox on the issue - and we can also demonstrate a good friendship with the local mosque. Far more effective weapons, we hope.
I think crash bars are required by most building codes now.
I have definitely been in multiple churches in the UK where the only exit from the main body of the building is an old wooden door with an older style lock. Many rural older churches in the UK will have only one entry/exit and usually those won't have crash bars.
Sadly they are unlikely to have large crowds at worship - although a high percentage of those who do attend may have limited mobility.
However some rural churches get used for concerts which may have hundreds attending.
I would think risk management and legal liability would be a consideration in not locking doors which lack crash bars. Lawsuits are much more expensive.
I would think risk management and legal liability would be a consideration in not locking doors which lack crash bars. Lawsuits are much more expensive.
Indeed. I guess that all new (and maybe older but re-ordered) churches in the UK have to comply with current regulations.
Comments
Our external doors all have crash bars - it is not possible to lock someone inside the church, because they can always open the door from the inside.
(We don't lock our doors during the service, but if we did, it wouldn't stop people leaving.)
However the bishop of Bath &Wells, who was officiating at the wedding, pointed out that locking the doors would be illegal and so the notice was taken down.
The couple were happy, by all accounts, and remained married until his death thirty years later.
It's a big issue for weddings where security is a genuine concern, eg celebrities who quite reasonably want to marry without the paparazzi crashing the ceremony.
I have definitely been in multiple churches in the UK where the only exit from the main body of the building is an old wooden door with an older style lock. Many rural older churches in the UK will have only one entry/exit and usually those won't have crash bars.
Fully agree. The reason why I chose to ignore a Diocesan edict a few years ago instructing churches to keep outer doors locked during services. In my daytime secular job at the time in facilities management a point drilled into us was the need for quick emergency egress. Any troublemaker with the brains of a rocket salad could find other ways to cause trouble. Something lacking in our local LGBT militant protesters whose best efforts amounted to mis-spelt graffiti. Since then we've worked with the 'Living Out' charity to publish a statement on our website which we hope quashes accusations of homophobia - even though we're orthodox on the issue - and we can also demonstrate a good friendship with the local mosque. Far more effective weapons, we hope.
Sadly they are unlikely to have large crowds at worship - although a high percentage of those who do attend may have limited mobility.
However some rural churches get used for concerts which may have hundreds attending.
Indeed. I guess that all new (and maybe older but re-ordered) churches in the UK have to comply with current regulations.