Private School News

New Sports Hall is Under Starters Orders

Merchant Taylors’ Schools are delighted to announce the building of a new £5.5 million sports centre, to be completed for the new school year starting September 2011. The Schools’ Governors gave the final go-ahead for the project last week and the contractor is due to begin work in April.

To mark the commencement of this exciting period of development an official ceremony was held on Wednesday 24th March. Ex-England rugby international World Cup star and Old Boy of Merchant Taylors’, Ben Kay MBE, joined us to cut the first sod.

Leo Coligan, Chairman of Governors, said: “This exciting build underlines our confidence in the future of Merchant Taylors’ Schools and their pursuit of excellence in all areas, academic and sporting, and our determination to provide the very best facilities for our boys and girls.”

Located at the Boys’ School site on Liverpool Road, this ambitious development designed by Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams Architects, will benefit all pupils from the family of Merchant Taylors’ Schools, and will include a dance studio, fitness suite and a large indoor facility equipped to provide state-of-the-art facilities for rugby training, football, hockey, tennis, badminton and many other sports.

Bardsley Construction, a £70m turnover business that specialises in such partnering contracts with the public sector, has been contracted by Merchant Taylors’ Schools to construct the sports centre.

Wayne Bardsley, the chairman of Bardsley Construction, said: “We’re delighted to be working with such a blue chip client as Merchant Taylors’ Schools on this excellent project that will help to enhance our reputation and presence on Merseyside and indeed throughout the wider North West.”

This important next step in the Schools’ development programme, following on from the award-winning Vitreum main entrance at the Girls’ School, will be underpinned by the two year ‘Sporting Start’ campaign of fund-raising and programme of activities.