Victorian palm house 'thriving' since restoration

The "much loved and iconic" Grade II-listed conservatory was restored to its former glory in 2001

The successful revival of a Victorian palm house, which fell into disrepair prior to its restoration nearly 25 years ago, is a testament to "passion and tenacity", a charity has said.

Sefton Park Palm House, a three-tiered glass-domed building built in parkland in Liverpool in 1896, was gifted to the city by Henry Yates Thompson.

It became rundown and dilapidated until a fundraising campaign was launched "to restore it to its former glory".

David Ellis, chair of trustees of the Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust, said the Grade II-listed building, which reopened in 2001, had become "a special place for many people" since its restoration.

"The building, as we see it now, nearly 25 years on, is testament to that passion and tenacity to restore, not only the fabric of building, but also protect its beautiful botanical collection - and ensure people can continue to enjoy it in such a beautiful place," he said.

The octagonal iron-framed glass conservatory, which will be 130 years old next year, was designed and built by Mackenzie and Moncur of Edinburgh, who were experts in the construction of hothouses.

It was originally built as "the magnificent centrepiece of Sefton Park, and to house more than 70 species of plant", a charity spokesperson explained.

The Palm House was lauded as a "piece of incredible Victorian engineering", but suffered war damage during the May Blitz of World War II, leading to "a period of complete disrepair and inaccessibility".

It was restored following a "passionate" fundraising campaign" by local residents.

Economic benefits

The building, which is run by the charity and owned by Liverpool City Council, was visited by more than 14,000 people between 2021 and 2024, the charity said, as it released its social and economic impact report.

This resulted in an additional £6m spend in the local economy over this period, it claimed.

The building was also featured in an episode of BBC One's Antiques Roadshow which aired in July.

Since its restoration, which included the building of a function room below ground level, the building has been used for weddings and events.

Mr Ellis said the report demonstrates "the results of what has been achieved over the past 24 years".

The charity's CEO, Kate Johnson, said the report marked the first time they had formally assessed the impact the restored building had had "on local people and place".

She said: "In its long life, it has evoked joy, inspiration and memories for many people who were born in the city and made it their home", adding that its "beautiful collection of plants" also supported the health and well-being of the local populace.