Fire damage clean up starts in Wakefield Cathedral

Scaffolding is going up in Wakefield Cathedral next week as work begins to clean up the smoke damage left following a small fire earlier this year.

A small electrical fire broke out in March in the crypt – luckily it was spotted and contained very quickly – but the damage – most of which is smoke and soot damage just below the ceiling – is estimated is around £200,000.

Scaffolding will go up on Monday closing off the East End of the Cathedral to allow conservators, Hirst Conservation to start the clean up.

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Work is expected to continue for six weeks and a celebration of the clean up is expected to be held in the new choir term in early September.

Worship and events will continue as normal throughout the summer – but with a slightly different programme to accommodate the closure which includes the Children’s Discovery Area, St Mark’s Chapel and the Quire.

The acting Dean, Canon Tony Macpherson said: “It was a surprise and a shock to us that such a small electric fire could cause such extensive soot damage to the upper reaches of our beautiful building.

“We ask our visitors and our worshipping community to be patient with us this summer as we restore the Cathedral to its former glory.”

Wakefield Cathedral’s services will now change to its summer service times with main Sunday morning services at 8am and 10am; Evening prayer and hymns at 3.30pm.