A FORMER Newport church has gone on sale after its congregation were forced to move to a one-time post office because of a £500,000 bill for repairs.

St Paul’s decided to leave its Grade II listed home at Commercial Street last summer and the church is holding its first service at the old post office on Bridge Street on Sunday.

Reverend Justin Groves, 47, who has been based at the church for 10 years, likened the task of raising the repair funds to a “financial miracle” and instead St Paul's are paying £20,000 a year to rent their new premises.

He said: "It’s been emotional really, particularly for one or two people who have had a much longer history than me.

"It’s just been a time of reflection on some fantastic memories since we have moved. We have to move on.

"I hope it will go to really good use and that somebody who buys it will be serious about spending the money on it and making sure it has a useful and even longer life than it has."

Still in the hands of the Church of Wales, the 180-year-old building has gone on sale on Newport-based Hutchings and Thomas chartered surveyors’ website.

Advertised with a guide price of £275,000, the building is described as a “rare example of Gothic style architecture in Wales” with its office, two counselling rooms, kitchen, staffroom and toilets all up for grabs.

The description also notes the building’s partially stone walled memorial garden, as well as its 13 car parking spaces.

It adds that the property has a number of stained glass leaded windows, which are in “very good condition”, but the surveyors are not certain if some of these may be removed prior to the sale of the property.

Following a number of viewings in recent weeks, a spokeswoman for Hutchings and Thomas said: “We have had quite a lot of interest in it.”

For more information, visit http://www.hutchings-thomas.co.uk/property_567