A church in West London has overturned a legal ban that prevented it from preaching in Uxbridge town centre.
The Kingsborough Centre, which was once attended by England football star Bukayo Saka, launched legal action after the London Borough of Hillingdon introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in 2023. The order banned religious groups from using amplification, handing out leaflets, and displaying Bible verses in public spaces.
Church members said they discovered the ban during a prayer meeting and were shocked to learn their outreach activities could lead to a fine of up to £1,000. They described the PSPO as “oppressive” and claimed it criminalised their efforts to share the gospel.
Pastor Tunde Balogun, who leads the church, told The Telegraph street evangelism is a vital part of expressing their faith: "As Christians who are committed to our faith, carrying out street evangelism is essential to manifesting our Christian beliefs. These rules threatened to not only prevent us from loving our community as we are commanded by the Bible, but also to criminalise us for doing so.
“We had no choice but to pursue a legal claim and were deeply concerned how it would impact, not only us, but other churches across the borough. We were also alarmed by the precedent such legislation could set for Christian freedom and freedom in general for everyone across then UK."
The Christian Legal Centre, which supported the church, said the day after the legislation came into effect, a group of Christians were approached by police officers while carrying out their usual outreach in Uxbridge town centre, which included preaching, handing out leaflets, and displaying Bible-based posters.
Officers informed them that their activities were in breach of the new PSPO and warned they could face fines if they continued. They were also told to turn their signs around so that the messages—such as “Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings” from Revelation—could not be seen.
Among the materials facing censorship were evangelistic leaflets titled How Can I Know God? and What is Christianity: An Introduction to the Story of Jesus.
Lawyers for the church argued that the order breached their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. A review and consulation, the council later confirmed a U-turn and said religious leafleting and preaching would be allowed under a revised order introduced in May 2025.
Pastor Balogun said he was "relieved and grateful" following the decision: “Our mission is to bring hope and the love of Jesus Christ to the people of Uxbridge. The service we provide to the community should be supported, not suppressed, and we hope that this case and the awareness it raises will set a precedent across the country.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said in a statement: “Christian open-air preaching has a long and respected history in the UK and is seen as a pillar of free speech and expression, whether passers-by agree with the message or not.”
The local authority denied targeting Christian groups and said the original PSPO was intended to address public concerns around unlicensed events and disturbance in the town centre.
Hillingdon Council said in a statement to The Telegraph: “It is utterly misleading to suggest there was a ban on ‘sharing Christian beliefs’ or any censorship on preaching".
It added: “It was only intended this would tackle the disturbance to shoppers, residents and visitors caused by unlicensed or unpermitted events, including pop-ups, street trading and promotional stands."
The council has also agreed to pay the church’s legal costs, amounting to around £20,000.
