Rats are pouring from a ruined Liverpool landmark into neighbouring homes, residents say. The Welsh Presbyterian Church on Princes Road in Toxteth, known as the Welsh Cathedral, has been empty for more than thirty years. No remedial work has been carried out for several years, and the building has lacked a large section of its roof for three years.
Neighbours Report Rodent Infestation
Abeera Shoaib, 27, lives next to the church, once Liverpool's tallest building. In 2023, a temporary timber and tar roof was blown off the nave in high winds, crashing into front gardens. Shoaib said: “We think that it's taking too long for them to fix the state of this church. It's taken so long that people are taking advantage and using it as a bin, throwing rubbish over the fence. ... But our main concern is the amount of rats and mice we have seen coming out of the church. One appeared in our living room. It's really difficult for us. We've tried everything to get rid of them.”
Owners Respond to Allegations
The owners of Audsley Holdings Ltd, which purchased the site in 2022, told the Liverpool Echo the roof was replaced in 2005 by the council—18 years before it fell off under their stewardship—and added that rodent issues had not been raised directly with them. They have employed security, erected fences, and said the site is cleared annually.
History of Neglect
The church has been vacant since the early 1990s after the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star abandoned it. In 2002, the council served an urgent works notice, spending seven years on repairs and recovering £380,000 from the Brotherhood in 2009. The council then sold it to Merseyside Building Preservation Trust for £1 in 2013, but a £7m creative development plan failed. In 2018, Stephen Yip proposed turning it into a children's charity headquarters, but funding fell through. Audsley Holdings Ltd bought it in 2022 and has since used the building as collateral against a loan.
Directors and Future Plans
Audsley Holdings is run by four people: NHS GP Dr Tatiana Tchikhiaeva, NHS consultant Dr Mustafa Abu Rabia, solicitor Adonis Michael, and hotelier Mathew Berridge-James. Mr Berridge-James told the Echo: “We are trying. People feel that nothing is being done about it. The building will be saved. ... In the next six to eight weeks, an application will be going in [to the council]. I am confident that this time we will be pushing at an open door.” The group initially planned a GP surgery, ADHD clinic, and pharmacy, but after unsuccessful lottery funding in 2024, they now plan a residential development with affordable housing. Mr Berridge-James blamed red tape for delays, saying: “You're walking into closed doors and red tape constantly.” Dr Tchikhiaeva added: “If the local authority will work with us then we'd love to go through with it. We come to this with good intentions.”
Council and Community Frustration
Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for growth and economy, expressed frustration, saying: “The owners need to consider their options. If they are not going to bring a planning application forward themselves, then they should hand it over to someone who will.” He acknowledged a problem with listed buildings in Liverpool, noting: “We've got more listed buildings than anywhere outside of London. And there is a problem in the combination of having so many listed buildings alongside a viability gap.” Residents remain sceptical. Elena Dinoi, 46, said: “It's such beautiful architecture, but it's now in a state of despair and ugliness, and it just makes my heart sink every time I go past it.” Alex Germain, 51, added: “I'll believe it when I see it. I think a lot of people feel like that.”
Lottery Funding Denied
A spokesperson for The National Lottery Heritage Fund confirmed that an expression of interest from Audsley Holdings in 2024 did not meet criteria for funding in its current form, and feedback was provided.
