New glimmer of hope for campaign to save church

Jan 19 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

St Peter and Paul church New Brighton. L-R June Hargreaves, Catherine Nelson and Cllr Tony Pritchard _180

CAMPAIGNERS say they believe there is a “glimmer of hope” for the future of a landmark Catholic church in Wirral.

St Peter and Paul’s parish in New Brighton was told last Easter by the Diocese of Shrewsbury that it planned to close the historic building.

Since then a vigorous campaign has been organised by parishioners in a bid to save the church – known to sailors as the “Dome of Home” – for continued worship.

They have put together a plan which would see the church, which was built with the goodwill and fundraising of local people, used for a wider range of community activities.

Just before Christmas, representatives from the Save Our Unique Landmark (Soul) campaign group met Bishop Brian Noble to present their plans and lobby for the church hierarchy to keep St Peter and Paul open.

Soul representative Paul Murray said the meeting had proven “amicable” and they had been invited back for another meeting later this month.

He said: “It’s a glimmer of hope for us. We think it could just possibly be a sign they might be prepared to shelve the closure, and at last give us a year or two to try and run the church in a new way. We would be very happy if that happened. We think there is a little opening and we have to jump into it.

“However, we’re still being very careful and nervous about it, but think we just have to take any crumbs that are offered.”

He said at the meeting last month the Bishop, when pressed, had described the closure of the church as “not irrevocable” and had promised to look at the proposals for greater community use of the church building.

Mr Murray said: “We have suggested that it would be straightforward to adapt the back of the church without any major structural change.”

He said by removing benches at the back of the building, they could open up space which would be used by the adjacent primary school as well as many different local community groups.

Mr Murray said: “I’m sure Cllr Pat Hackett would be interested in it for community activities, and we have suggested things like language clubs and the junior orchestra.”

Fr John Joyce, spokesman for the Shrewsbury Diocese, confirmed the bishop had been in talks with members of Soul, and added: “The discussion are ongoing and will continue, but until there is an outcome there is nothing further we can add.”

liammurphy