Liverpool shul to downsize after £1.76m land sale

MEMBERS OF Liverpool’s Childwall Synagogue have voted overwhelmingly to proceed with a downsizing redevelopment which will secure the congregation’s future.

After what Childwall chair Syd Edels described as “a very positive” EGM, congregants backed the leadership’s plan to sell off the back part of its premises to developers McGoff to fund the construction of a smaller, modern shul on the remainder of the site.

Rather than a 600-capacity synagogue, in which the average Shabbat attendance of 70 looks lost, worshippers will pray in an area designed to accommodate 120, with the facility to extend to cater for 250 on Yomtovim. It will also feature a kosher kitchen and a mikveh.

McGoff will pay Childwall £1.76 million for the land, for which a care home is earmarked. Mr Edels said that after clearance and levelling costs, the building work and legal fees, the shul would have a six-figure surplus to put towards future needs.

“We hope to submit a planning application to the city council in January. If we can get approval in April, we could be in the new shul for Pesach 2020. We have been looking at this since 2002 so the fact we can now talk about it in terms of months is exciting.”

Childwall has 332 full and 42 country members. Mr Edels said it would be important to keep them engaged during the construction phase and the intention was to find a site nearby for services.

The current large and run-down building incorporates a functions hall which can sit 600 for dinner but cannot be used on health and safety grounds.

“We cannot afford to maintain the building,” Mr Edels admitted. “Hopefully with the new shul there will be no unexpected costs.”

The strength of support for the plans was evidenced by the vote of 118 in favour and just three against.

We have been looking at this since 2002’