Soho 'brothel' church has £3million revamp

A West End church built on the site of a brothel owned by one of Casanova's mistresses is due to reopen today after a £3.5 million restoration project.

St Patrick's Church in Soho, one of Britain's oldest Roman Catholic churches, has been closed for 14 months while work is carried out to repair damage caused by dry rot, damp and pollution. A café and classrooms have also been created.

Events this week include a specially composed Magnificat by James MacMillan and a Mass conducted by Cardinal George Pell, who is flying in from Rome. The church was built on the site of Carlisle House, a property bought by Casanova's mistress Teresa Cornelys, who went bankrupt running the alleged brothel there.

St Patrick's and its volunteers feed 80 to 90 homeless people a week, with the Groucho Club supplying the puddings.