The much-loved St Luke’s – better known as the Bombed Out Church – will reopen its Gardens for the first time in nearly two years, since it closed for extensive repairs in September 2015.
Following a public consultation, a bidding process was launched and Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet approved the bid from community-based company, Bombed Out Church Ltd, to run the Grade II* listed church for the next thirty years. St. Luke’s Church, which can be viewed from Bold Street, aptly stands bold at the top of the street after being badly damaged during the Liverpool blitz in 1941. It now stands as a memorial to those who lost their lives. The reopening has been a long time coming for Curator and Artistic Director Ambrose Reynolds and he says, “We’re delighted to reopen the church to the public once again, a chance to start thanking all of the people who have backed us through this process”.
On Saturday 17th June The Stratford Festival Orchestra & Choir will be performing a live version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. There will be two recitals at 1.00pm and 5.00pm. The Orchestra’s Musical Director, Simon Kemp, says, “The Beatles material really lends itself to an orchestra and has rich opportunities for vocal harmony. We’re looking forward to taking those songs that everyone knows and loves, and creating an epic event“. This will be a seated fundraising event, first release early bird tickets are priced at £10.00 and general sale tickets are £15.00. Refreshments will be available from their licensed bar, serving bottled beers, wine and all the Prosecco you can handle. Food will be available, provided by local catering firm Relish.
photo by Peter Titchen
If that wasn’t already spectacularly sounding enough, on Sunday the 18th of June the gardens of St Luke’s Church will open from 12.00pm – 5.00pm. Members of the public are encouraged to bring their own blankets and seating to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the gardens. There will be entertainment, refreshments and food available. Entry to the gardens will be free of charge. A lot have been asking about the interior of the church and the guys and girls behind it have announced it will reopen in mid-July. The venue will continue hosting exhibitions, theatre and classic cinema and now wants to open itself to weddings, parties and festivals too.
Tickets for the opening event on Saturday 17th June are available on Eventbrite here. We’ll see you there.
