Williamson Tunnels face closure after rent hike

The heritage centre has been operating on a peppercorn-lease for 25 years

A heritage centre dedicated to preserving the legacy of Liverpool's mysterious labyrinth of underground tunnels could close forever "unless a miracle occurs", its manager has said.

The Williamson Tunnels, built by local people in the early 19th century for eccentric businessman Joseph Williamson, were rediscovered by volunteers in the 1990s and opened the public in 2002.

Manager David Bridson said the centre which manages visitor access has been told by the owners of the site that it must now pay a commercial rent after 25-years paying a nominal rent.

He said the new demand had come from property receivers acting for Goldcrest Finance, which has been contacted for comment.

Mr Bridson said if volunteers could not raise the cash needed then the centre "has to be out by 6 June".

The heritage centre has said the site had been occupied by a freeholder who had defaulted on a payment, which meant Goldcrest had stepped in.

'Out of reach'

Joseph Williamson was a rich tobacco merchant who lived in Liverpool in the early 19th century.

When he retired aged 49 he spent a huge part of his fortune building tunnels in the Edge Hill district of Liverpool.

After he died in 1840, work on the tunnels stopped and fell into disrepair and, after being used as rubbish dumps, the local authority filled them in during the 1860s.

In the 1990s, a group of volunteers set about excavating the tunnels and the Joseph Williamson Society was created, with the tunnels opening to the public in 2002.

Mr Bridson said while the receivers had offered the society a new lease it would be at the commercial rate of £20,000 which he said "is way beyond the society's means" and the proposed cost of buying the freehold at £275,000 was "way out of our reach".

"Unless a miracle occurs in the next few weeks, the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre will be closing for good," he said.

"So the last day we are going to be open to the public is going to be Sunday."

He said if the society could raise the money needed for the annual rent it would give them a year potentially identify other means of funding.