The headline is a very good question and isn’t one which is going to be answered in this article as it seems no-one really knows! You’ll recall earlier this year that Wirral Borough Council had confirmed the removal of previously earmarked funding, £4.5 million of it, which was due to be used by new operators of the museum, Big Heritage, to expand the museum and update it to cover the complete history of transport in Birkenhead. Now, recent media reports have apparently seen a leaked report (used to make the decision on removal of funding) which casts doubt on the reasons the Council gave for taking the cash away.
At the time that the Council decided to divert the funds elsewhere (including conversion of the town’s old Argos into a new market), it was said part of the reason was because the funding (from the government) had to be used by a certain date (March 2027) and the Museum upgrade would not be able to meet this. However, the leaked report – which was labelled as “FINAL” – stated that it was anticipated it could be completed by March 2027. This version of the report was sent to Big Heritage in error which led to this latest controversy.
This apparent final report (based on information from consultants IMB) was anything but though and was not presented to councillors or businesses on the committee making funding decisions as a further final report was prepared shortly afterwards which painted a different picture in when they expected the project to be finished.
Ultimately councillors voted in private to remove the full £4.5 million funding from the proposed project, although they did offer £1.5 million instead. This secondary offer has since been confirmed as rejected by Big Heritage because of what they considered as unreasonable conditions attached (including the CIC becoming responsible for the tramway infrastructure, which the Council had apparently promised to keep responsibility for up to 10 years when the contract between the two for the museum and tramway was originally signed in 2023).
Where does that leave us now? According to Big Heritage all is not lost as they do remain committed to the project and have been talking to alternative funders who “share our vision and appreciation for the region’s rich transport heritage” (in a hardly disguised dig at the Council!).
A spokesperson from Big Heritage went on to say: “We remain open to fresh dialogue with Wirral Council in the future, should they reconsider their decision after a period of reflection. We extend our sincere gratitude to the council officers and members who have supported and contributed to the development of this project thus far, and despite this unforeseen delay, we remain committed to deliver real generation for Birkenhead’s future by unlocking its incredibly rich and diverse past.”
For their part the Council and their consultants at IMB issued their own statement: “Wirral Council has been informed by Big Heritage, the leaseholder for the Transport Museum, that they will be declining the offer of £1.5 million for the museum’s upgrade.
“While this is disappointing, we continue to offer support to ensure this popular museum is preserved for the people of the borough, as well as looking at how it can continue to complement the wide ranging and extensive regeneration taking place in and around nearby Woodside.
“The independent review of the Simplification Pathfinder Pilot programme was conducted to allow clear recommendations to be made to the Simplification Pathfinder board at its meeting on 25 February 2025, and subsequently the Economy, Regeneration and Housing committee on 12 March.
“The earlier versions of the report drafted in January were developed as more information was reviewed and received from key stakeholders as part of the project review, which concluded in February.
“Regarding the independent report shared with Big Heritage in April, it has become clear that an earlier draft report with the initial recommendations was accidentally tagged as the final version and then sent to Big Heritage, for which we sincerely apologise.”
Tram wise the Wirral Transport Museum still houses Hong Kong built trams 69 and 70 and Liverpool 245 along with the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society’s part restored Warrington 28.
Hmmm… I smell a rat the size of an elephant! If the council was doing such a good job at regeneration, that Argos store wouldn’t be empty to turn into a market. And as markets across the country struggle to attract customers in the age of internet shopping, building a new one ANYWHERE seems like an idea only an idiot would think of.