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| Cash concerns for England's Anglican cathedrals | Cash concerns for England's Anglican cathedrals |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Almost two-thirds of those running England's Anglican cathedrals are concerned about their finances, a BBC survey suggests. | Almost two-thirds of those running England's Anglican cathedrals are concerned about their finances, a BBC survey suggests. |
| Of the 38 cathedrals who responded fully, 68% said they were "worried" or "very worried" about the future. | Of the 38 cathedrals who responded fully, 68% said they were "worried" or "very worried" about the future. |
| Last year, the Church of England gave £8.3m to the historic buildings but the cash does not cover all of their needs. | Last year, the Church of England gave £8.3m to the historic buildings but the cash does not cover all of their needs. |
| Some cathedrals are now looking to new ways of fundraising including hiring the buildings out as venues. | Some cathedrals are now looking to new ways of fundraising including hiring the buildings out as venues. |
| Of the 42 Anglican cathedrals in England, 38 are Grade I listed and expensive to maintain - with some absorbing daily running costs of £4,000. | |
| The challenge lies in maintaining a balance between needing to raise large sums of money and keeping the building as a spiritual space. | The challenge lies in maintaining a balance between needing to raise large sums of money and keeping the building as a spiritual space. |
| But cathedrals are often also the largest building available for public use in their area and are increasingly being used as places for concerts, lectures and even banquets. | But cathedrals are often also the largest building available for public use in their area and are increasingly being used as places for concerts, lectures and even banquets. |
| Southwark Cathedral in London has been running a conference centre since 2000, which its dean, the Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, said was essential. | Southwark Cathedral in London has been running a conference centre since 2000, which its dean, the Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, said was essential. |
| "You have to be really imaginative and think what's going to be the most appropriate business model for my cathedral in this place at this time," he said. | "You have to be really imaginative and think what's going to be the most appropriate business model for my cathedral in this place at this time," he said. |
| "We're next to the Shard, very glittery, very glamorous, people want to access us for conferences. That wouldn't necessarily be the case in other parts of the country. | |
| "Very few places have historic funds. People imagine we're sitting on large treasure chests from the past. That isn't the case." | "Very few places have historic funds. People imagine we're sitting on large treasure chests from the past. That isn't the case." |
| The Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong, dean of Blackburn Cathedral in Lancashire, said he was "very worried" about the future. | The Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong, dean of Blackburn Cathedral in Lancashire, said he was "very worried" about the future. |
| "We're a northern cathedral, we're not on the tourist track, so we don't get any money from tourists. | |
| "Like most cathedrals, we are in the red most of the time and if we are going to be sustainable we're going to have to change that." | "Like most cathedrals, we are in the red most of the time and if we are going to be sustainable we're going to have to change that." |
| Three-quarters of those running cathedrals agree that turning their buildings into multiple use venues is "essential" and say they should be "open to non-faith based and commercial organisations". | Three-quarters of those running cathedrals agree that turning their buildings into multiple use venues is "essential" and say they should be "open to non-faith based and commercial organisations". |
| Blackburn is just about to complete an £8m redevelopment in partnership with the local council, which they hope will put the cathedral in the black. | Blackburn is just about to complete an £8m redevelopment in partnership with the local council, which they hope will put the cathedral in the black. |
| Canon Andrew Hindley, who is in charge of the project, said he planned to rent out a new refectory, conference room, library and spaces in the cathedral garden. | |
| He sees no contradiction in using a sacred site for non-religious purposes. | He sees no contradiction in using a sacred site for non-religious purposes. |
| "William Temple, the Bishop of Manchester who founded Blackburn Cathedral, wanted this place to do all sorts of things including recreation. In the 1930s he even wanted it to have a cinema, it was to be state of the art," Canon Hindley said. | "William Temple, the Bishop of Manchester who founded Blackburn Cathedral, wanted this place to do all sorts of things including recreation. In the 1930s he even wanted it to have a cinema, it was to be state of the art," Canon Hindley said. |
| "We've tried to follow and update that vision to make sure that people actually want to come and be a part of life in Blackburn. It's all about being part of the whole, not just one little bit of Sunday worship once a week." | "We've tried to follow and update that vision to make sure that people actually want to come and be a part of life in Blackburn. It's all about being part of the whole, not just one little bit of Sunday worship once a week." |