Fresh blow for campaigners’ hopes of turning former Hoylake Lifeboat Station into a museum

Nov 24 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

CAMPAIGNERS bidding to turn Hoylake’s former lifeboat station into a museum have been dealt a fresh blow.

Last week Wirral Council approved the sale of the car park it owns adjoining the building.

Lifeboat station owner Peel Ports wants to sell the building, ending hopes the company would make it available on a nominal “peppercorn” rent.

A buyer – believed to be a carpet firm – was lined up for the car park and the lifeboat station but the decision was delayed for three months to allow further discussions with Peel.

In a letter to acting council chief executive Jim Wilkie, the company said it needed the money from the building to drive forward other projects.

The council said the museum plan, led by Caldy businessman and lifeboat enthusiast John Parr, is not viable unless the lifeboat station is secured.

Mr Parr is now trying to raise money to buy the building and believes £75,000 would be enough.

He told the News: “We’re at a critical point and going to have to put our hands in our pockets to raise the money pretty quickly.

“I have no argument with the people who want to buy it but I think setting up this museum would have enormous benefits for Hoylake and mark 207 years of lifeboat history.”

Peel Ports met with Mr Parr and the council’s head of asset management in August, when it confirmed that the building would not be made available at a peppercorn rent.

It later reiterated its position in the letter to Mr Wilkie.

Peel Ports declined to comment.

A report on the sale by the council’s director of law Bill Norman said “In order to be certain of the company’s position, the interim chief executive wrote to Peel Developments requesting the company consider disposing of the property on a peppercorn basis. The company has now confirmed to him that it would not do so because it needs to maximise capital receipts from its surplus assets to help drive forward its strategic projects on Wirral.”

He continued: “Peel Port Group is very concerned over the delays and has advised that it wishes to see an immediate commercial disposal of its interest in the lifeboat building.”

Hoylake and Meols Councillor Gerry Ellis said: “I understand John’s enormous frustration. This has been an ambition of his for a number of years and I support him 100%

“The chief executive didn’t meet Peel as we hoped but only wrote to them. That is disappointing but the council did try and we’ve had a firm rebuttal.”

Councillor Simon Holbrook, cabinet member for Corporate Resources, said: “The Council has tried to be as supportive as possible and has met with Mr Parr and Peel Ports to try and find a way forward.

“Mr Parr’s plans are not viable without the building owned by Peel Ports, and there are no alternative proposals that would justify splitting the sale of the car park from that of the building.”

l Mr Parr has organised a public meeting at Hoylake Community Centre on Tuesday, November 30 from 7pm.

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