Council seeks operator for historic Liverpool landmark

A search is now underway to find an operator to run one of Liverpool’s best loved and most distinctive landmarks.

St Luke’s Church, better known as the ‘bombed-out’ church, is set to reopen later this year following a £500k project to carry out structural repairs. Now, Liverpool City Council is seeking an operator to take over the site from December.

Potential candidates must demonstrate an ability to make the site financially viable, with profits to be ploughed back into the church to pay for maintenance and improvement.

Cllr Mark Norris, the council’s Mayoral lead for heritage, said: “We are absolutely committed to preserving and protecting St Luke’s Church. It is one of Liverpool’s crown jewels and is of huge cultural and historical value to the city.

“The huge response to the public consultation demonstrated how much affection there is for the Church and people gave us a very clear message about the type of development and events that they wish to see.”

He continued: “We now want to find the right operator that is sensitive to the very special nature of the site and can come up with an events programme that respects the surroundings and is consistent with the results of the public consultation.”

A survey carried out last year found that most people want the site to be turned into exhibition space, with the majority of respondents favouring limited development.

As part of the six-figure repair programme, which is being jointly funded by the city council and heritage organisation Historic England, crumbling high-level stonework is currently being replaced. In the coming months, the project will look to repair parts of the church’s 133-foot tower and low-level stonework.

Built in 1832, the Gothic Revival building was badly damaged during the Liverpool Blitz of 1941.

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