The Muslim community in Burnage - Manchester, is facing a serious crisis as the only mosque serving the area is now at risk of closure. What began as an inspiring initiative to transform an abandoned building into a place of worship and education has now turned into a struggle for survival.
📅 Manchester, 22 March 2025
✍️ The Editorial Team
🏗️ A Vision for Unity and Community
In June 2024, members of the local Muslim community in Burnage launched a project to establish a mosque and community centre. After extensive searching, they identified an abandoned building that was once part of a cricket ground — a location perfectly suited for the creation of the mosque.
Despite initial challenges, the team reached a verbal agreement with the property owner to lease the site for £2,000 per month, with a future purchase price agreed upon at £320,000. By Eid al-Adha 2024, the mosque was fully operational, providing not only daily prayers but also educational programs for children, community gatherings, and dedicated spaces for women during Friday prayers and religious occasions.
Despite initial challenges, the team reached a verbal agreement with the property owner to lease the site for £2,000 per month, with a future purchase price agreed upon at £320,000. By Eid al-Adha 2024, the mosque was fully operational, providing not only daily prayers but also educational programs for children, community gatherings, and dedicated spaces for women during Friday prayers and religious occasions.
📌 The Unexpected Setback
✅ In November 2024, as the mosque leadership prepared to finalize the purchase, they were informed that another party had offered £380,000 for the property — an individual later revealed to be a regular attendee of the mosque itself. Attempting to safeguard the mosque, the administration matched the offer and proceeded with the purchase process. However, in a shocking turn of events, the property was sold to the same individual for £420,000 without informing the mosque's management. The new owner then imposed untenable conditions for continued use of the premises, including a proposed monthly rent of £7,000 and a three-month deposit — far beyond the mosque’s financial capacity
 |
| صورة للمسجد من Google Images |
📌Failed Negotiations and Mounting Challenges
A further attempt at negotiation, with the help of a mediator from Cheadle Mosque, resulted in a verbal agreement to reduce the rent to £4,500 per month with a 25-year lease. Yet, when the official contract was presented, the conditions were drastically altered, including:
✅VAT applied to rent payments
✅ Retrospective rent from December 2024
✅A three-month advance deposit
✅ A shortened lease term of only seven years
✅ Mandatory rent reviews with increases every two years
✅ Full responsibility for building maintenance falling on the mosque
The new owner refused to acknowledge the initial verbal agreement, leaving the mosque with only two choices: accept these unsustainable terms or vacate the building by 4 April 2025.
📌An Urgent Call for Support
With the future of the mosque hanging in the balance, the Muslim community of Burnage and greater Manchester urgently calls on supporters to help preserve this vital institution.
The mosque administration is appealing to the public to:
✅ Sign the petition via the following link (petition link)
✅ Offer prayers for a positive resolution
✅ Share this message widely on social media and community platforms
✅ Contribute financially to support legal and operational costs
✅ Visit the mosque to meet and consult with community members at:
Masjid Kabir, Mauldeth Road, M19 1AB
📌 Support US
📲 07586610478
🕌About the Grand Mosque in Burnage
The Grand Mosque in Burnage serves a diverse Muslim community from various cultural backgrounds. It has become a hub for worship, learning, and community engagement, offering services that go far beyond daily prayers. Its closure would leave hundreds of families without a spiritual home or community center.
🔑 (SEO Keywords):
Grand Mosque Burnage, Manchester mosque crisis, mosque closure threat, supporting UK mosques, donations to save mosque, Muslim community Manchester, mosque fundraising campaign.
نرحب بتعليقاتكم