The UK’s last working lightship – rescued from a breaker’s yard – is to be transformed into Liverpool’s newest bed and breakfast hotel.
Liverpool Planning Committee today (Sept 18) gave the go-ahead for the lightship Planet to become an eight-cabin floating hotel, heritage centre, restaurant and bar.
The 52-year old vessel, a familiar sight anchored in Liverpool’s Canning Dock, just opposite Liverpool ONE, has been living on borrowed time since being decommissioned 23 years ago.
Local businessman Alan Roberts, who bought the Planet from Manchester music promoter Gary McLarnan, says the lightship now has a bright future.
Alan RobertsThe plan faced opposition from several residents living in the One Park West apartment block opposite the dock. They raised fears about loud music and noise from the proposed late night bar.
Planning officers said a string of conditions have been imposed to control any potential nuisance from noise.Mr Roberts re-mortgaged his home to raise money for his dream project after hearing the Planet was up for sale.
It was built for the old Mersey Docks and Harbour Board and anchored at the Mersey Bar to guide ships from across the world heading to the Liverpool.
The Planet’s powerful light was visible for 20 miles out into the Irish Sea and its foghorn could be heard 10 miles away.
It was the last thing crews of thousands of ships saw before hitting the open sea, and a welcome sight for ships arriving in the Mersey from every continent.
In 1972, the Mersey Bar Lightship, as it was known, was replaced by an automatic navigational buoy. It was then transferred to Trinity House and continued to operate as a manned lightship around the UK coast. It was finally decommissioned in 1989 after working in the English Channel, off the Channel Islands.
Mr Roberts, who travelled the world as a submarine metal specialist, said: "The Planet is a fabulous piece of Merseyside’s maritime legacy, the very last of the old manned lightships vital to the safety of shipping around our shores.
Cabin fever
“Next year marks the 200th anniversary of the first guidance lamp for Mersey bound ships, and saving the very last lightship will be a fitting tribute.
"In the darkest days of World War II, the Planet’s predecessor was the waiting point for convoys of merchant ships before they made their dash across the Atlantic.
"Now I have planning permission I can ensure the much loved Planet will have a new life. It will also give visitors to Liverpool a chance to learn something about our maritime history, as well as a most unusual hotel, using the original wood-panelled cabins."
Bar facts
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Councillors in Liverpool first suggested a "light" at the approaches to the Mersey in 1759. It wasn’t until 1813 before the first light was provided, -
The 500-tonne Mersey Bar Lightship, the Planet, was built in 1960 by Philip and Son of Dartmouth.
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It had a crew of eight and was anchored 15 miles from the Pier Head.
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Santa made sea journey every year to the Planet to ensure the crew was not forgotten at Christmas -
The light had a 658,000 candle power – visible 20 miles away.
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Planet replaced the lightship Alarm, first anchored at the Bar in 1913.
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In 1972 Planet was replaced by a Lanby buoy – a Large Automatic Navigational Buoy.
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Planet was finally retired in 1989. Three years later it was rescued from a breaker’s yard.
