Further funding has been announced for the Cutty Sark restoration project which should see the famous tea clipper open to the public again by 2012.
Greenwich Council has agreed to donate £3million, central government is contributing £3million and the Greater London Authority has stumped up a million too. There’s also a donation of £1million from the Michael Edwards Foundation.
Councillor Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council said:
“In Greenwich we are tremendously proud of our heritage, of which Cutty Sark is an iconic symbol. After the fire it was clear that our sense of place was shared by people across the world. We are proud to play our part in restoring and conserving the ship for generations to come. I would also like to pay a personal tribute to the Late Chairman, Maurice de Rohan OAM, who was such an inspiration to everyone involved in this project.”
Councillor Nigel Fletcher, Greenwich Conservatives’ Spokesman for Culture and Olympics, said:
“Restoring the Cutty Sark is a hugely important project for Greenwich, given its status as a world-famous tourist destination. The extra funding needed to finish the job would ideally have been found from private donations, but in the current economic climate that avenue has been all but exhausted.
“This is actually the first time Greenwich Council has provided direct financial support to the project, which demonstrates the hard work the Trust has itself done to raise funds. With the Mayor of London and Central Government now contributing to make up the shortfall, it is right we should play our part. Hard-pressed taxpayers may find it a tough pill to swallow, but pulling the plug on the project at this stage would be unthinkable.”
The Cutty Sark was devastated by a fire in March 2007 whilst work was being undertaken on it. Completion of the restoration was then put back to 2010 but in October last year, a further delay was announced with Richard Doughty, Chief Executive of the Cutty Sark Trust telling the BBC he was “confident we will open in spring 2011”.
Once complete, a new public space will be created with improved access to the dry berth by raising the ship up by three metres.
Update: “Cutty Sark restoration turning into a fiasco” – Andrew Gilligan, Telegraph
“In Greenwich we are tremendously proud of our heritage, of which Cutty Sark is an iconic symbol –“. Why then is Chris Roberts supporting the Olympics in Greenwich Park, now that it is clear from the planning application that there WILL be damage to this most important heritage site in the world?
“After the fire it was clear that our sense of place was shared by people across the world”. Let that be a lesson that accidents can and do happen in construction sites. If the equestrian events were to go ahead, there would be cranes, lorries, bulldozers and JCBs in this fragile Park. With ancient trees close by, unmaintained conduits below and archaeology a few inches below the ground, severe risks would be taken. The wildlife would be affected too.
Spin, spin, spin – “funding secured, restoration to finish by 2012”
Or not.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7173900/Cutty-Sark-restoration-turning-into-a-fiasco.html
“Far from being “confident” the ship would reopen in 2011, the (2008) accounts say: “At the end of the year, the trust faced the possibility of being unable to complete the project as originally envisaged.” ”
“Following the appointment of two new trustees, Lord Sterling, the respected former chairman of P&O, and Chris Roberts, leader of Greenwich council, the project manager, Heery, part of the giant Balfour Beatty construction firm, was no longer involved. ”
“Julian Harrap, the architect behind the restoration of Brunel’s SS Great Britain, said: “They are actually putting the artefact itself at risk, and that’s a fundamental issue.” “
we are trying to get information on the cutty sark the progress and latest news for a dear friend who lives in Australia One of his family worked on the cutty sark.
How do I get the lastest information. Please can you help us please DVD or BOOKs or news letters. Veronica Thank you