Wharf businesses to help launch new look Cutty Sark

By John Hill on April 24, 2008 6:12 PM |

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CANARY Wharf businesses could be set to help fund the Cutty Sark's historic face-lift.

The world's last remaining tea clipper is just £3million away from meeting its £30million refurbishment target. And trustees are reportedly in discussions with two major Wharf businesses to support the re-birth of the Greenwich attraction, which was ravaged by fire in May last year.

Trust chief executive Richard Doughty confirmed negotiations into a possible deal were on-going during an event on Thursday (April 24), in which part of the stern was winched loose for conservation work.

He revealed talks were underway on a mutual benefit partnership, in which money would be donated in exchange for association with the ship and privileged use of the facilities.

He said: "It's very early yet in our discussions. But we're situated in the shadow of Canary Wharf and, once the restoration is complete, businesses are going to be able to see the Cutty Sark in a way they haven't before."

Contractors "jiggled" the counter of the ship free for the first time since the Cutty Sark was built in 1869. It will now be submerged and put through a process of electrolyzation, which will remove all the corrosive salts and chlorides from the seven-tonne wrought iron structure.

Mr Doughty said: "We thought it was better to take it off and treat it separately. Once it's removed, we can spend more time conserving and drying it.
"It's an elaborate lift, but I suppose it's small beer compared to the task we'll have lifting the whole ship."

The Cutty Sark itself will be permanently raised three metres in the air in January next year, to create a 1,000 square metre space for events and conferences. The man charged with lighting the ship will be Patrick Woodroffe, who has provided top displays for acts such as The Rolling Stones and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

The ship is due to re-open as a visitor attraction and event location in Easter 2010.

The money required for the £20million restoration surged by a third after last year's fire, but the coffers were boosted by a £10million Heritage Lottery Fund grant in January.

Mr Doughty said: "The fund saved the project and our vision for the ship. If we had not received that money, we'd probably only have been able to complete the conservation of the ship, and not deliver the exciting visitor attraction we're working on now."

To find out more or donate to the Cutty Sark fund, go to www.cuttysark.org.uk