Photos from the archives show the grand ballroom at the time it became Liverpool Irish Centre
The long-empty landmark in Liverpool's city centre was once the home of Liverpool's Irish Centre but has been empty since the late 1990s. Constructed in 1816, the Wellington Rooms served as a ballroom for much of its history.
The once-grand building, situated on the corner of Great Orford Street and under the shadow of the Metropolitan Cathedral, was then formerly operated as Liverpool Irish Centre from 1965 to 1997. It was once a place that staged elaborate dance events and operated as a function room, but closed down in the late 1990s and has not been in use since.
Since its closure, the Grade II* listed building has fallen into a significant state of disrepair, with the centre being a central focus of the ECHO's Stop the Rot campaign. Urgent works were carried out on the neoclassical building in a bid to plug gaps in the roof and slow the impending decay on the structure.
edit: the Echo's typo in the title was niggling me
It's neglect is borderline criminal. I'm sure the fact that it's being allowed to rot away to the point it'll have to be demolished has nothing to do with it sitting on a prime chunk of real estate.