Leicester Cathedral announces plans for restoration closure

Leicester Cathedral will remain closed until autumn 2023

A cathedral will soon host its last service for more than a year before closing for major restoration work.

As well as repairs, a visitor and learning centre is being built on the Leicester Cathedral site.

While closed, the Diocese of Leicester said the cathedral choirs and clergy would work with other churches across Leicestershire for services and events.

The tomb of King Richard III, who was reburied at the cathedral in 2015, will not be disturbed during the works.

The last service in Leicester Cathedral will be held on Sunday 2 January.

The cathedral will then remain closed until autumn 2023.

During this time, a base will be retained at St Martins House for Sunday worship, and weekday services will be moved to the nearby St Nicholas Church.

On Sunday afternoons, the cathedral choirs and clergy will visit churches across the county in a project called "Together with Leicester Cathedral".

So far, more than 50 churches have invited the cathedral to collaborate with them.

Video footage of Richard III's tomb will be shown inside the visitor centre

Leicester Cathedral would usually welcome more than 100,000 visitors each year.

Simon Bentley, who is project managing the restoration, said a video had been prepared for tourists during the closure.

"The King Richard III Visitor Centre will display the coffin pall created for the reburial of the King Richard III, which would normally be on display in the cathedral, and show video footage of the tomb of King Richard," he said.

Work has already begun on the £12.7m restoration project

Some demolition work at the cathedral has already begun.

One of the first stages of the £12.7m scheme was to dismantle an annex known as the Old Song School.