Peterborough Cathedral in crisis: £300,000 urgently needed to keep 900 year-old building open 7 days a week

Peterborough Cathedral has launched an urgent appeal to raise £300,000 to help it out of its cash crisis.

The cathedral has warned that without raising this figure by the end of March, it may no longer be able to keep its doors seven days a week.

Maintaining the Grade I listed building, which was first founded in 654AD, comes at significant cost, however, with the annual running costs has now exceeded £2m.

These rising costs have been blamed on the rising price of energy, staff costs and essential maintenance that have created “immense pressure” on the Cathedral’s resources.

The building is run with a small amount of grant funding from the Church and nothing at all from central government and therefore relies heavily on the generosity of visitors, supporters, and its own commercial activities.

The Cathedral has hosted a number of hugely successful exhibitions over the past couple of years, including T.rex: The Killer Question, Unofficial Galaxies Star Wars Collection and the most recent Monsters of the Sea as well as concerts and other events.

Events in 2024, contributed to a record breaking year but have not proven enough to keep up with escalating costs.

The funds that need to be raised would help the Cathedral maintaining worship and musical programs, continue educational initiatives and carrying out essential repairs.

With stable finances, the Cathedral could look to enhance the interior of the building and continue to improve the experience for all who visit.

The Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, expressed the urgency of the situation, he said: “This appeal is about more than preserving a building; it’s about safeguarding a shared treasure and ensuring that it continues to serve future generations as it has for centuries.

“This Cathedral has been at the heart of Peterborough and the diocese for nearly 1,400 years. It belongs to everyone in this city and beyond. We urgently need your support to keep its doors open and ensure it remains a place of inspiration and sanctuary for all.

“Together, let us stand united as stewards of this magnificent heritage, ensuring that Peterborough Cathedral continues to inspire and unite our community for the next 1400 years.”

A means to donate to the Cathedral is available at https://donate.kindlink.com/Chapter-of-Peterborough-Cathedral/7703.

To find out more, visit https://peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/