Earlier this year, Liverpool City Council awarded a 30-year lease to ‘St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Ltd’ to run the venue as a space for arts and events and a place that offers support to the vulnerable. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool’s iconic ‘Bombed Out Church’, St Luke’s, is being removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register.
The news comes as lighting engineers install a spectacular 3-G architectural lighting system to the Grade II-listed building so it can be transformed by any colour in the spectrum from the touch of a button – anywhere in the world.
The dynamic, colour and visual effect changing installation has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council to complete the £500,000 restoration of the 185-year-old, city centre church.
Earlier this year, Liverpool City Council awarded a 30-year lease to ‘St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Ltd’ to run the venue as a distinctive space for arts and events, that supports the vulnerable and provides opportunities for volunteering.
It followed a public consultation on the future use of the much loved, city centre war memorial after the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, made a commitment to secure its long term viability.
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Ltd, run by Ambrose Reynolds, has set out a plan to invest in the venue which, subject to heritage funding, could include reinstating the balcony in the nave, mezzanine floors in the vestries and potentially a glazed canopy in the chancel with the nave remaining open to the elements.
The early 19th century Gothic church, which sits within Liverpool’s World Heritage Site buffer zone, was burned out in the 1941 May Blitz in the Second World War and had been on the at risk register since its inception in 1999.
A special event to mark the milestone and the full re-opening of the church and gardens is being held on Thursday morning with performances by Liverpool’s Pagoda Youth Orchestra Flower Drummers.
It will reopen to the public at 11am at the end of the event.
Mr Reynolds said: “I’ve dreamed of days like today. For me St Luke’s has always been a place of beauty and wonder but now with the support of Liverpool City Council and Historic England everyone else will get to see it with a fresh pair of eyes.
“This venue has so much potential and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help shape its future.”
The light installations has been designed and fitted by Liverpool lighting company, MJ Quinn, who used specialist electrical engineers and stone masons.