Liverpool Cathedral to start improvement works to well floor in January
Work will start in January on improvements to the underfloor heating system. While the cathedral will remain open we will have changes to the ways people encounter the cathedral from January 6th.
Liverpool Cathedral is investing in some major improvement works to the floor of the well at the west entrance. Costing in the region of £175,000 we will be installing a new underfloor heating system to replace the one installed in the 1950s and 60s.
Work will start on January 6th painstakingly removing each of the 672 Hopton Wood Limestone tiles that make up the floor in the well area. Each will need to be individually numbered and located before being taken away to be cleaned and repaired. About 32 that are beyond repair will be replaced by new tiles. Whilst this is happening a new system of underfloor pipework will be installed.
This specialist work is required to provide us with a heating system that is the best possible for the cathedral, our visitors and the environment. And mindful of the beauty of our Grade 1 listed building we want the end result to look as if the place has never been touched.
The cathedral has worked hard to minimise disruption while the works are happening. The project has been carefully programmed to make sure the noisiest disruptive work takes place overnight. And we have put temporary arrangements in place to make sure worshippers and visitors are still free to encounter Liverpool Cathedral for prayer and to enjoy our beautiful surroundings.
So from Monday January 6th to Friday January 31st we have the following arrangements
- On weekdays the cathedral will be open from 8am to 5pm (not our usual 6pm)
On Saturday and Sunday we will be open from 8am to 6pm as normal. - Visitors will be able to enter and exit the cathedral via the Sir Giles Gilbert Scott Suite (off the Queen’s Walk). We will have signs, volunteers and staff to help people find their way
- We will not have Choral Evensong on a Monday to Friday. Instead we will have said Evening Prayer in the Presentation Chapel on the second floor near the shop. This will take place at 5pm. We will still have Choral Evensong at 3pm on a Saturday and Sunday and our other services will not be affected.
- All other parts of the cathedral will remain open and our shop, cafes and Tower attraction will still be open for business.
On Saturday February 1st the cathedral will return to normal although work in the well will still continue.
Before Christmas, we are installing hoardings for work to start in the New Year.
The work is part of our ongoing investment in the cathedral building made possible by the generous support for our £24m for 2024 campaign. We are looking to raise this money to be able to preserve Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s architectural masterpiece whilst keeping it free to enter. Over the last few years we have made significant improvements to our roof thanks to the WW1 Centenary Fund.
The Very Reverend Dr Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, said: “this significant work to the floor of our building will result in visitors encountering a warmer cathedral. Any work we do to Liverpool Cathedral is a massive challenge. You don’t make changes or improvements to a grade 1 listed building lightly and work like this can have a significant impact. So I am delighted we have been able to carry out this work while enabling visitors to encounter our beautiful cathedral”
Support our work
The £175,000 we are spending on these improvements is only part of what we need to do to keep our Grade 1 Listed building open. It costs £8,000 a day to keep open and we rely on the generosity of visitors. A £5 donation from you today supports our work.
Your £5 will help us
Heat and light this building
Provide daily inspirational worship for all to attend
Support our social justice charity Micah Liverpool
Enable more people to encounter Liverpool Cathedral