​A city centre church which can trace its history back nearly two centuries has been forced to close because of the cost of electrical repairs.

More than 150 people attended the last service at Holy Trinity Church at Queen Square yesterday.

Its parochial church council reluctantly made the decision to close the church because of the scale of the £40,000 repairs needed to bring its electrical system up to date.

Known for many years as the ‘open door church,’ its rooms have been home to dance classes, band practice sessions and counselling groups, as well as lectures from eminent theologians.

The last service - or mass, as the church described itself as Anglo-Catholic - featured eight priests, and choristers from St. Michael’s Church in Broad Street and St. John’s at Bathwick.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Bath and Wells expressed great regret that the church has closed but stressed that it was a matter for the PCC.

“To find £40,000 for repairs from such a small congregation is not possible and they have had to make this difficult decision.”

Churchwarden Robin Thwaites said before the service: “Sunday will be a sad day for many people but once we have settled our affairs and celebrated our last mass, the doors will be locked and we shall wait to see what happens to the future of the building.”

For many people it has been a shock.

Gary Curtis of the Curtis School of Dance, who has used the building, expressed his disappointment at the closure.

“Although we have found new premises at St. Mark’s Community Centre we’re very sad to be leaving Holy Trinity and would like to thank the church for all its support over the years.”

Colin Walters, landlord of the nearby New Inn, added: “ This pub has striven to be part of this community and parish for the last 15 years and we now find that its cornerstone has gone – I’m very saddened.”

A prayer on the church’s website urges people to pray for Holy Trinity’s congregation.

It says: “Forgive us as we confess our negative feelings and fears for the future.”

Its annual parish meeting took place before the mass to elect officers to wind up the church’s affairs and sort out the future of the building, into which the church first established in 1822 moved after its original premises were bombed in the Second World War.