A GREENOCK church is to close for at least five months to undergo a £700,000 refurbishment.

The baptist church in St Andrew Square will be gutted by builders and completely transformed.

Reverend Paul Coventry says the project signals exciting times for the church and its congregation.

He said: “It will be a completely new building inside, there will be new windows, new central heating, new furniture, walls knocked down and partitions put in their place.

“A small cafe area will be created along with a new toilet block.

“It’s a major refurbishment. The church will be taken back to its shell inside and there will be external jobs done, as well  further work to rectify dampness problems.

“The building will also be painted inside and out.”

Reverend Coventry says the aim is to bring the building up to standard for the 21st century and open it out to the wider community.

He said: “Part of the reason behind the renovation is to make it a more modern and fit-for-purpose building. In turn this should encourage community groups to use the facilities and small cafe area.”

George Square and Orangefield Baptist Churches merged in 2008 to become Greenock Baptist Church and both buildings were sold in 2011.

For over five years the congregation was without a permanent home and met at the Waterfront Cinema and in Greenock Town Hall saloon, before the move to St Andrew Square last February.

Reverend Coventry added: “Financially the congregation and have been very supportive and quite sacrificial towards it.

“We’ve been on a long journey since we sold our two previous buildings.

“We want to get the church up to a standard which will be good for us and the wider community.”

Sunday services will now be held within the saloon at Greenock Town Hall at 10.45am and evening services will resume in August at Greenock Elim Church while other church-run groups – such as parents and toddlers and youth groups – will be put on hold until the work is complete.