PRAYERS are finally on the menu of a former York restaurant.

The Pentecostal RCHG Church, which is based at Clements Hall on Nunthorpe Road, but has been temporarily using Acomb Parish Church, can now change Luigis Ristorante in Upper Poppleton into a place of worship.

Earlier plans sought to remove the restaurant bar and have seating for 84 people, plus kitchen facilities in Cedar House on Northfield Lane, but they were refused by City of York Council.

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The council previously determine the scheme lacked sufficient parking and relied too much on the use of cars for the congregation to get to church.

However, the church supplied extra information on parking issues to the city council saying there was much car sharing involving its members.

There would also be a peak demand for 30-40 car parking spaces, 20 of which would be accommodated on-sire, with a further 17 outside without harming nearby properties.

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Council planners also agreed that the parking associated with the use of the church can be satisfactorily controlled subject to parking restrictions along the adjacent section of Northfield Lane.

Last year, the church’s Michael Askew bought the property from its former owners for £900,000. It had operated as a restaurant for 17 years.