£7m backing for Bevis Marks plans

THE CITY of London has awarded a £240,000 grant to Bevis Marks Synagogue in the latest contribution towards the development of a heritage centre.

Around £7 million has been raised for the planned opening of an educational centre, a display room for historic silver and artefacts and a café in autumn 2022, as well as for repair work on Britain’s oldest synagogue which began in December.

But fundraising is continuing in order to subsidise a schools programme planned to take place four

Vmornings a week in association with the Jewish Museum and to create an endowment fund for future repairs to the building and updates to the exhibition.

Outlining the progress so far to hundreds of people on a Zoom presentation last week, Howard Martin, the chairman of the Bevis Marks Synagogue Foundation, said the aim was to create a “must-visit attraction for all who live and work in the City”.

The project was kick-started with a £2.8 million grant from the National

Lottery Heritage Fund and earlier this year, the government awarded £497,000 from its Culture Recovery Fund to cover additional costs incurred through Covid.

The remainder is being raised through an appeal launched under the patronage of Prince Charles.

The centre — which will be built in the area around the Sephardi synagogue — is expected to attract 40,000 visitors annually to the only non-Christian house of worship in the City. A new space to display the silver is being developed in the old undercroft.

Mr Martin, whose family came here in the 1670s, hoped the repair work would be completed by Rosh Hashanah.

Meanwhile, Bevis Marks leaders are anxiously awaiting the outcome of planning applications for two tall blocks close by which are expected to be discussed by the City of London next month.

They fear the proposed buildings will have a detrimental impact on the synagogue, depriving it of natural light and altering wind patterns which could affect its ventilation.