Peterborough Cathedral will struggle to keep its doors open if £300,000 of funding can’t be found before the end of the month.
The Norman cathedral has stood tall in the city for 900 years and is even the resting place of Katharine of Aragon.
However, higher energy bills, increased staff wages and maintaining the Grade 1 listed site, means the space for prayer and the local community could become the country’s first part-time Cathedral, only opening a few days a week.
The Dean of Peterborough, The Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, told GB News the Cathedral provides a range of services to the city.
Peterborough Cathedral has stood tall for 900 years, since the Norman times
GB NEWS
He said: “People can come here any day of the week, just to find stillness, peace, meaning and tranquillity.
“Sometimes it's a bit noisier because we're having other events - we're packed with school children today – but it’s a place of music and delight in wonderful worship music, but also other concerts and so on.
“It's here for all sorts of purposes, for all sorts of reasons, and that's really important for this city and for this wider community.”
Each year more than 100,000 people come for worship and events, but as the prospect of closure looms, businesses worry about the impact.
Pep Cipriano is the Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, the city’s business improvement district. He says the Cathedral is key to the local economy.
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The Dean of Peterborough, The Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, told GB News the Cathedral provides a range of services to the city
GB NEWS
He told GB News: “Maybe half the reason people visit Peterborough is because of our cathedral, so imagine if it’s closed.
“All of a sudden the knock-on effect is less people coming into the city centre, bars closing, restaurants closing, cafes closing and retail operations struggling with footfall.
“It’s a footfall pleaser that brings people into the city centre and our job as the BID is to make sure we highlight this wonderful building and what it brings, but also highlight the rest of the city centre and make that half-day experience something real or something that people can enjoy and take advantage of.”
Running the Cathedral costs over £2million annually, which works out to almost £6,000 a day. A grant from the Church of England only covers around 15 per cent of income needed.
This week, a spokesperson for the Church of England said: “The central church, through the Commissioners, does provide money to Cathedrals in a variety of ways.
Running the Cathedral costs over £2million annually, which works out to almost £6,000 a day
GB NEWS
“Through grant funding, we give varying amounts to 34 cathedrals, based on need and income. This is a cash transfer. Peterborough received this funding in January.
“The Cathedral Sustainability Fund (CSF) has given out £20m to Cathedrals over past six years.”
Trustee, Connor Butler, says increased costs have made it harder for the Cathedral to operate.
He said: “It’s a matter of fact that as the National Insurance contribution increases have gone up for for the Cathedral, that has had an impact. For all businesses, that’s had an impact.”
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