CHURCHES should take a leaf out of McDonald's' and Asda's books when it comes to having 'greeters', says ex-Blackpool vicar, Alison Gilchrist.

The former church worker has written Creating a Culture of Welcome in the Local Church, a booklet including basics for those manning the church doors during services.

"For a lot of people church doesn't seem very welcoming," said Rev Gilchrist.

"McDonald's is one company whose entire ethos is geared around making us feel welcome and ensuring that we'll 'call again'.

"Its prescriptive 750-page training manual, for those who take the 'McJob', includes a section on how employees are to greet customers, directing them to make eye contact and to smile.

"And ASDA (Wal-Mart) have of late installed greeters at the entrance to their stores."

Rev Gilchrist, a former outreach and schools' worker at Blackpool's St Thomas' Church, Caunce Street, wrote her booklet after hearing of visitors to one church being told 'move, that's my seat' by regular churchgoers.

She has also knows of visitors to a church being given a 'telling off about a chattering toddler'.

Now assistant curate of Fulwood's St Cuthbert's Church, she wrote to around 100 churches asking for ways to welcome new church-goers. Suggestions included tidier toilets, clear instructions for following services, keeping 'happy bags' of quiet toys - and greeter training along the lines of McDonald's and Asda.

Both the fast-food firm and the retail giant were delighted with the heavenly praise!

"McDonald's understands that the success of its business rests on the quality of the people within our organisation," said a head office spokeswoman.

"We are very proud of our team and are pleased that the warm and friendly atmosphere they help to create within all of our stores has been validated by the comment in the reverend's book."

Lisa Munday, customer care manager at Blackpool's Asda, Cherry Tree Road, added: "Not everybody can greet, it takes somebody with just the right skills. It's seen as quite an art really and one of the most important roles in the supermarket.

"They're there to welcome and help the customer and provide an invaluable service.

"It's quite fantastic that our greeters are being recognised as it's something that other supermarkets don't do."

And Rev Gilchrist is planning to follow up her first published work with a book about her own experiences of faith and those of people she has worked with.

Creating a Culture of Welome in the Local Church is published by Grove Books Limited, priced £2.75, and can be ordered through bookshops.