Friends of Williamson's Tunnels

.....News added on 20th February 2000.....

· Joint working

We continue to have discussions with all parties involved in the future of the tunnels. Among these, in January FoWT committee members had a meeting with Liverpool City Council leader Cllr. Mike Storey with regard to several issues, including our desire to see the Council adopt a coordinating role in the tunnels' development. From this and other meetings, it would appear that Council involvement may be possible but that this would be subject to a 'joint approach' by FoWT and the Joseph Williamson Society. The latter has hitherto focused its activities on the Stable Yard site and intends that once its renovation work on two of the tunnels at that site is complete, it will seek to expand to the house site. Alongside the JWS's securing funding for the renovation and opening of the two Stable Yard tunnels, Liverpool City Council also recognises the sterling work (e.g. saving and making accessible the Paddington tunnels) and sheer size of FoWT. However, the Council is convinced that the existence of two societies can prejudice the possibility of further funding being won (we are not entirely convinced of this, but the view is firmly held). Therefore, the Council would like any application for the lease or purchase of the house site to be a 'joint' bid by FoWT and the JWS. Discussions are already under way with the JWS as to how this might work and initial ideas have been exchanged. Naturally there is some guarding of respective corners but, though it may take time, an answer will no doubt be found and FoWT will continue with its full range of plans and activities in the meantime.

· Media coverage

There has been a lot of media coverage of the tunnels in recent months - some of it accurate, some of it inaccurate. All exposure of the tunnels serves a purpose, however, in raising their profile.

· WSV dig official opening

Thanks to a generous grant from the Edge Hill Neighbourhood Council, we were able to purchase a specially-made metal staircase and platform to provide safe entry and exit from the tunnels at the Williamson Student Village. These were fitted during January and with the metal entrance hatch we had purchased and fitted late in 1999, make the entrance to the 'new' tunnels cleaner, simpler and safer. With the work complete, during the January visits to the tunnels we performed an 'opening ceremony', where Mr. Steve Murphy, director of the site owner AQH Liverpool Ltd., cut the ribbon to the new entrance, witnessed by the local press, the FoWT committee and members who were on the visit organised for that time. The event received prime exposure in the Liverpool Echo the following Monday.

· Members visits to the tunnels

Members may recall that we had to postpone the visit to the tunnels that we had planned for September 1999, due to safety requirements. These requirements were addressed and over three weekends in January 2000 we finally took about 250 of the members who had reserved for the 1999 visit down into the tunnels under the house and under the Williamson Student Village. The days were organised such that members were in small groups and had plenty of time to look round, with a commentary from our guides. Every visitor we spoke to thoroughly enjoyed the day and actually seeing the tunnels in the flesh. We are now turning our attention to arranging further visits for the remaining majority of members to take place some time in the next few months.

FoWT members gather to descend to the Banqueting Hall

· Stables site

Work has not yet started on the tunnels at the stable yards. The developer's builders continue to work on the new student flats, though the main construction is nearing completion (above). It is assumed that as soon as the flats are complete the process of clearing and renovating the corner and double tunnels will begin.