THE future of Ripon Cathedral will be debated, it was announced yesterday.

More than 1,000 groups and individuals have been invited to a meeting on Saturday, October 22.

Members of the Cathedral chapter and council will unveil a wide-ranging plan for the building.

The plan outlines the cathedral's future on worship, tourism, education and community use.

Cathedral sub-dean Canon Michael Glanville-Smith said: "We are looking at the way we welcome people to the cathedral, the way we worship and the effectiveness of our witness as a Christian community.

"We would like to invite anyone who is concerned for the cathedral and its future direction.

"The idea is to outline our plans for the next five years.

"People who come along can criticise if they want to get things off their chest. They can also give us ideas on how we can make the plan effective."

Those invited to the meeting include civic leaders and politicians, teachers, community groups who use the cathedral, clergy and members of the public.

People who have not received an invitation can also attend. The event will be chaired by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Reverend John Packer.

As well as speeches outlining the plan, people will have the chance to comment on the proposals.

One issue to be discussed will be the future of the cathedral's pews.

Church leaders have suggested the wooden benches could be replaced by chairs.

Canon Glanville-Smith said the pews had only been in place since about 1960 and that chairs were used throughout the 19th Century.

Church leaders believe that previously, people stood or sat on the stone seating around the edge.

Canon Glanville-Smith said: "There is nothing very comfortable or beautiful about the pews.

"We will be asking the congregation if it thinks it would be better to have modern comfortable chars which can be moved more easily."

Church leaders have spent about three years drawing up the plan.

Another meeting will be held in six months to present findings from the consultation.

The meeting will be held in the cathedral at 9.30am.