Coventry Central Hall has stood at the heart of the city since 1932, but our story begins much earlier.
Since John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, first preached in Coventry in 1779, Methodists in Coventry have been driven by a calling to live out our faith in Jesus in ways that contribute to the flourishing of the city.
Between 1886 and 1945, 99 Methodist Central Halls were built across Britain to embody this vision: places where the sacred and the everyday came together for the good of all. Our own Central Hall was part of that movement.
As our earliest members dreamt of what would one day be Coventry Central Hall, they didn’t set out to simply build a chapel for Christian worship, but to also create a community centre where neighbours could gather, needs could be creatively met, and the diverse peoples of the city could find space for joy and celebration.
Designed to feel as much like a concert hall as a church, Coventry Central Hall welcomed thousands through its doors for worship, concerts, public meetings, and community events. It survived the Blitz, hosted campaigns for justice and renewal, and provided a spiritual and social home for the people of Coventry in decades of change.
When Coventry Central Hall was first built, it was surrounded by housing. But in the decades following the Second World War, the city centre evolved: many of the nearby homes gave way to a new pedestrianised shopping precinct under the Gibson Plan, reflecting mid-20th century urban renewal and the modernist vision for post-war Coventry.
Over the years, from its prominent position in the city centre, Coventry Central Hall, bore witness to many changes as well as key moments in the life of the community. In 2012, Macdonald Road and Cornerstone Methodist churches merged with the congregation at Central Hall in a beautiful blending of people, energy and resources. And in 2021, Coventry Central Hall played a key role in hosting art and cultural events as part of Coventry’s year as City of Culture which has a lasting legacy in our space and across the city.
Today, we are seeing Coventry come full circle.
The City Centre South regeneration is bringing homes back into the heart of the city and back to our doorstep. These new developments will combine residential living with shops, public art, green spaces, and communal gardens.
As our city enters this new phase, the original calling of Coventry Central Hall feels more vital than ever. We remain a vibrant church, passionate about following Jesus and welcoming all. We remain a community hub at the heart of the city—home to choirs, theatre groups, support services, advice centres and community meals. Hundreds of people, of all backgrounds and beliefs, enter our building every week. In doing so, they help embody our founding vision: to be a place of encounter, belonging, and hope.
As we aim to refurbish our historic building for the decades ahead—making it more accessible, flexible, and welcoming—we do so with the same spirit that inspired those who laid its foundations.
Coventry Central Hall has always been more than just a church: it is a living sign of faith in Christ expressed in service, hospitality, devotion and justice. As we prepare to celebrate 100 years of Coventry Central Hall, with God’s help we look to the future with hope, ready to continue serving the city we love.
Would you like to be part of it?
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Written with thanks and reference to:
Coventry Central Hall Archives
Coventry Local History Centre at The Herbert
Connelly, Angela. Methodist Central Halls as Public Sacred Space, 2011
Coventry City Centre South Regeneration Project, 2025
Harris, Michael J. John Wesley & Methodism in Coventry: The First Century, 2003
Singlehurst, Mark. “Methodist Central Hall in Coventry,” 2008
