On Wednesday 1st March we received the shock news that the Governors of the Blue Coat School had voted in favour of a move to a new building on a new site. The following evening, the Society's Executive Committee discussed the matter at its monthly meeting. Our Committee resolved, unanimously, that the move should be opposed. The Liverpool Blue Coat School has been in Wavertree since 1906, and occupies a building described as 'spectacular' by the late Prof.Nikolaus Pevsner. Both the school building and its Chapel are listed Grade II* ('two starred'), which means that they are regarded as 'particularly important' - nationally - in terms of their architectural and historic interest. The buildings are in a very poor state of repair following years of neglect, but plans had been drawn up for their complete refurbishment and - we understood - £7 million had been promised by the Government to allow this work to go ahead. Now we are told that the Government is insisting on that money being spent on a new building - to act as a 'flagship' project, it seems, for the regeneration of the Kensington area of the city. It is difficult to see any logic behind such a move: the Wavertree site is far more accessible by public transport from virtually every part of Liverpool. There is also the clear danger that the existing school and chapel buildings will remain empty and decaying for years to come, while awaiting a new owner. Wavertree is very fortunate to be the home of the 'best' and most historic school in Liverpool, and we shall do our best to keep it that way.
Please help us by writing to your M.P. at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA (the Member for Wavertree is Jane Kennedy) asking for a Government re-think.