MORE than 40 people attended a peaceful protest at India Buildings to voice their concern about the fate of Liverpool’s Grade II-listed Holt’s Arcade in India Buildings.

Arcade tenant Wayne Colquhoun, 52, who runs Circa 1900 antiques shop, organised the “sit-in” to highlight the possible closure to become building maintenance offices.

The exquisite traventine marble and bronze arcade was designed in 1923-37 by Herbert Rowse for Alfred Holt’s Blue Funnel Line, in an US-city block style.

Mr Colquhoun said: “I’m very touched at how many people turned out to support our Save Our Shops campaign after it was in the Liverpool Post. I want to do everything I can to help India Buildings’ owner Green Property make a success here.”

Veteran conservation campaigner Florence Gersten said: “Closing Holt’s Arcade would be an outrage. This is the only arcade left in Liverpool and one of the best in Britain.”

Jonathan Brown, of Liverpool Civic Society, said: “This has been an excellent turn-out and shows the public’s commitment for these people’s palaces.”

Mike Tapp, Green Property director, said: “Protests are the stuff of democracy and we share much common ground with Wayne, but we can’t buck the market we can only react to it.”