Freemasons' PR drive is a sign of panic

After centuries of secret handshakes, the society is seeking to rebrand itself in a bid to halt falling membership in the UK

- Martha Gill

It was not until 1987 that "beheading and ripping out the tongue" were officially struck from the books of Britain's Freemasons as punishments for revealing their secrets.

"It has upset some people who got squeamish about it," a masonic source said at the time.

Now this PR campaign is going further still. For centuries, lodges have been off-limits to outsiders, but in a sudden flurry they are opening their doors. In the past two years, lodges all over Wales, London and Liverpool have opened up, and next February the 600 meeting halls of the Grand Lodge of Scotland are to start giving public guided tours.

Meanwhile, Scottish masons have said they will seek later this month to "create a more inclusive, engaging and culturally resonant event that reflects the values and aspirations of our modern global membership" in their annual St Andrew's Day festival. A far cry from secret handshakes and rolled-up trouser legs.

Is this a sign of panic? There are still about 175,000 Freemasons in Britain, but their numbers have fallen drastically since the 1950s.

Part of this is a failure to attract younger people - the average age is estimated to be 60, and members are dying off - but the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) notes that much of the decline is also driven by resignations. About 17% of new initiates leave within three years.