Last month the city council and Historic England embarked on a programme of urgent repairs to save the 202-year-old neo-classic building, which has been used as Liverpool’s Irish Centre from ruin. Tony McDonough reports

People in Liverpool have been given a say on the future on the Grade II-listed Wellington Rooms in Mount Pleasant, briefly the base of the city’s Irish Centre.

Last month the city council and Historic England embarked on a programme of urgent repairs to save the 202-year-old neo-classic building from ruin. It was originally used for high society balls and latterly the Irish Centre but has been empty since 1997.

Repairs are ongoing and plans have now been drafted to resurrect the building and the public were able to view those plans at a consultation event this week. Merseyside Building Preservation Trust (MBPT) hosed the consultation based on results of an options appraisal of the site which has suffered from a leaking roof and dry rot..

Following the consultation the MBPT, in partnership with Liverpool City Council Historic England & URBACT, is hoping to secure a development partner by the summer and will look to make a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to secure its full restoration.

Bill Maynard, chair of the Wellington Rooms steering group and MBPT, said: “With the works now underway to stop the Wellington Rooms deteriorating we now want to hear from people as to its future uses.

“There are a number of options on the table and we want to make sure that we realise the full potential of this remarkable building and secure its use for future generations.”

Charles Smith, North West assistant planning director and Heritage at Risk principal adviser for Historic England, added: “The Wellington Rooms is our number one Building at Risk priority in Liverpool.”