Hull's Holy Trinity Church revamp fund raises £2m

Holy Trinity Church is set to undergo a £4.5m revamp to become an events venue and tourist attraction

An appeal to raise funds for a multi-million pound revamp of a Hull church in time for the city becoming UK City of Culture 2017 has reached £2m.

A £4.5m plan to equip Holy Trinity Church to accommodate large public events, alongside its role as a place of worship, was revealed in November.

A planning application was submitted to the city council on 3 March.

Vicar Rev Canon Dr Neal Barnes said he was "overwhelmed by the generosity" and support for the project.

Under the plans, the church's interior will be restored and remodelled to create a "flexible" space with a cafe.

The churchyard and Trinity Square will be be combined to form a public space, or piazza.

A former Hull man who now works in the financial industry in London and wishes to remain anonymous recently contributed £130,000, one of the largest single sums donated to the appeal.

Rev Canon Barnes said: "It's so encouraging that, by making these donations, people are showing they believe in the vision for Holy Trinity.

"By putting their hands in their pockets they demonstrate that they really want this to happen and they trust in us to deliver it."

Holy Trinity Church's plans to complete the changes in time for the events of 2017