A LEADING civil engineer says figures claimed by Catholic authorities to repair a historic church due for closure this weekend are “gross over-estimates”.
Ss Peter and Paul’s church, in New Brighton, is to be shut by the Diocese of Shrewsbury this Sunday, despite a lengthy campaign by its parishioners to retain the building for worship.
Brian Morton, formerly the engin-eer overseeing maintenance of Canterbury Cathedral for 10 years, said the landmark Ss Peter and Paul’s was “a stunning church internally”.
But he said: “Seeing the tired appearance and, sadly neglected yet wonderful building brought to mind the old adage of ‘A stitch in time’.
“Given the nature of the essential repairs, it is my opinion that, had regular maintenance been carried out, even within the confines of the parish finances, the building would today be in good condition.”
He said: “Today’s repairs, and their costs, have been exacerbated by the lack of essential maintenance.”
It is this point which campaigners under the banner Soul (Save Our Unique Landmark) have made re-cently in their complaints that the church authorities had accepted their donations which they believed would be used for the upkeep of the church and parish, but spent none of it on Ss Peter and Paul’s church for almost a decade.
