Cathedral choir walks out during service following redundancy proposals

Martin Shipton

Members of a Welsh cathedral choir staged a walkout during a service days after being told that some of them were likely to be made redundant.

Worshippers at Bangor Cathedral at the 11am Holy Communion service on Sunday August 31 watched in surprise as the approximately 20-strong choir left their places early and walked away into the vestry.

The priests, who were still ministering at the altar after distributing wafers and wine to the communicants, carried on as if nothing unusual was happening.

Upset

An observer told Nation.Cymru said: “I have never heard of anything like this happening before. It indicates how upset members of the choir are after being told they are likely to lose their jobs.

“They walked out in a dignified manner. Members of the congregation were clearly thrown by what happened and didn’t immediately start singing the next hymn, as usually they would have followed the choir’s lead.”

A member of the choir using the pseudonym Scarlet Cassock has published an essay online which reveals details of the Cathedral’s proposals. In it the writer states: “It was a dark and stormy Thursday morning when the Director of Music and the Lay Clerks were called into a meeting with the powers that be of Bangor Cathedral. I wasn’t there, so I can’t speak directly for what was said, but I’ve seen the paperwork and been told much of the detail.

“The headline news was a proposal for sweeping redundancies to cathedral staff (five out of eight permanent roles) and swingeing cuts to the choir (no choral scholars, no deps [deputy singers], no chorister bursaries, the Director of Music’s hours cut by half).

“In one stroke, the hard work of the last four years was eliminated and the hopes of dozens of choir members and congregants dashed to the ground. It was said, I am told, with a slight smile and with the platitudinous assurance that ‘the chapter loves and supports the cathedral and its choir’.

“Throughout the day various meetings were held at various levels of volume and anger, but it quickly became clear that the chapter at large had not been informed or consulted about the proposals, nor had it approved them.

“I could write at great length regarding the apparent institutional corruption or the pastoral inadequacies of the church, but I have already done that. Instead, I want to write about the human impact and the injustice at the heart of what has occurred. The people being made redundant from the cathedral (both within and beyond the choir), the people at the heart of this moil of tumult and suffering, are the most vulnerable of the church’s employees, engaged on short hours at low pay and yet expected to come and go at the clergy’s behest and carry out essentially whatever duties the chapter fancies.

“At least two are housed by the cathedral as part of their roles and would therefore be made homeless as well as unemployed.”

Scandals

Andy John, the former Archbishop of Wales, stepped down in June following a series of scandals in the Bangor diocese, where he was also the Bishop. He relinquished his role as Bishop of Bangor at the end of August.

In May 2025, independent investigators reported incidents of inappropriate sexual behaviour and other serious safeguarding concerns that left people feeling unsafe.

The cathedral had been led by its Sub Dean Sion Rhys Evans, whose appointment by the Archbishop had been controversial and who eventually left his post under a cloud after 10 months gardening amid concerns about alleged financial irregularities and other matters.

The Charity Commission subsequently confirmed that it had opened an inquiry into two Church in Wales charities in the Bangor diocese.

Responding to our request for a statement on the recently announced redundancy proposals, a spokesperson for Bangor Cathedral said: “Due to financial pressures, the Chapter of Bangor Cathedral has begun a consultation process with employees regarding potential redundancies.

“The Cathedral Chapter was fully aware of and involved in the process. All relevant policies and procedures are being followed.”