A HISTORIC Gorbals church which has been a community centre for 15 years is to be brought back as a place of worship - for the princely sum of £1.

A HISTORIC Gorbals church which has been a community centre for 15 years is to be brought back as a place of worship - for the princely sum of £1.

But the move may mean some community groups which have used St Francis Catholic Church in Cumberland Street have to find a new home.

The St Francis building was sold to Glasgow City Council for the same token fee when the Gorbals population dropped and it became surplus to requirements.

But, after fire ripped through the area's other church, Blessed John Duns Scotus, three years ago, the Archdiocese of Glasgow opened talks to buy back the building.

Archbishop Mario Conti announced his decision to accept the council's offer to parishioners of Blessed John Duns Scotus this week - and was greeted by a spontaneous outbreak of applause.

But a number of organisations, including mother and toddler groups, pensioners' groups and ballroom dancing, yoga and tae kwon-do classes, currently use the building.

And Linda Muirhead, who runs the mother and toddler group, said: "It's unfortunate, there really isn't anywhere else for us to go and we don't know if the council will make any provision for us.

"They should sort something out - they are taking away the only community facility we have. The council haven't said that anywhere else is going to open and we might have to close the group."

Philomena Porter, who runs community group PATCH, (Parents And Their Children's Hopes), said: "We were based in St Francis for eight years but last year we moved because it was a month-to-month lease.

"If they weren't selling it back to the church we would probably still be running a service on a Tuesday night.

"It was a central location for the parents and carers who came to the group. It was the only community centre in the Gorbals."

The area's MSP Frank McAveety said: "We need to work with the groups to ensure their needs are met."

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Glasgow said: "We would be keen for the groups to continue to use the building as far as is possible.

"We want to make sure that people are not disadvantaged by the change of ownership. The space at the current John Duns site could be used, or the church hall or the interior of St Francis."

A council spokesman said they were in discussion with the Catholic Church about the sale of St Francis and a resolution would be be reached soon.

St Francis Church - an A-listed building - opened in 1881.

It was designed by the Peter Paul Pugin, whose firm was responsible for the decoration of the Palace of Westminster.

A casket said to contain the remains of the Christian martyr St Valentine, used to be kept in a side aisle of the church.