Northampton sikh community move holy scriptures into new 'long-awaited' temple ahead of formal opening next month

Northampton's Sikh community is making the final preparations to welcome its congregation to a 'long-awaited' newly-built temple when it formally opens next month.

A procession of over 50 cars travelled through Northampton's streets over the weekend to deliver the holy scriptures - the Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj - from the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara temple in St George's Street to a new home in St James Mill Road.

The temple's congregation have been worshipping in St George's Street for more than 40 years - but now, after nearly a decade of planning and three years of construction, then new temple in St James is set to open in August.

The St James Mill Road gurdwara has been part-funded by donations from the Sikh community and a loan from Natwest.

Amarjit Singh Atwal, who is one of the project leaders and trustees, said: "in St George's Street for 40 years and in the past 10 to 15 years we've struggled to hold larger functions like weddings and funerals.

"The new building is as much as four or five times larger than what we have now., and will have parking which we never could have has in St George's Street.

"It's been a long time coming but it's something the community has really got behind it."

The new temple will have room for more than 300 worshippers at a time and will feature a museum, classrooms and a gym.