Hull’s historic Spurn Lightship has returned to the city’s waterfront following a 14-month restoration in the latest stage of a multi-million-pound Hull Maritime regeneration project.
But while the vessel is now back in Hull Marina, visitors will have to wait until spring 2024 to climb aboard the Lightship when a new permanent berth is completed, creating a new-look attraction.
Built in 1927, the ship guided vessels as they navigated the Humber estuary, one of the world’s most treacherous waterways. A Hull landmark since opening as a museum in 1986, it moved for the first time in 35 years for refurbishment in 2018.
Now the restored ship has been towed from the local repair company’s base to a temporary berth opposite Humber Dock Street while work continues on its permanent home near Murdoch’s Connection, the striking new footbridge linking the Marina with the city centre.
From 2024, it will become a floating museum once again with the revamped experience giving more information about what it was like to work on the ship.
It will be the first of a host of new visitor attractions to open as part of Hull Maritime, a £30.3m, five-year project, funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to transform the city’s maritime treasures and celebrate 800 years of seafaring history.
Once the project is completed, which is expected to be early 2025, visitors will be able to chart a course through Hull, exploring its contributions to the UK and the world.
Over the next two years the lightship will be joined by more attractions, including a new visitor centre home for Hull trawler, the Arctic Corsair. The city’s last remaining sidewinder trawler will set sail for her final berth at a new £3.8m visitor attraction in the former North End Shipyard in the Old Town, due to open in 2024, showcasing the trawler’s dramatic story.
North End Shipyard is one of Hull’s hidden gems, reflecting 400 years of shipbuilding history. This atmospheric industrial site will be the new home to the Arctic Corsair trawler, a unique survivor from Hull’s trawling past.
Among other new-look attractions will be Hull’s popular Maritime Museum, which closed its doors in 2019 for a £12m refurbishment, and due to re-open in early 2025.
For more information visit maritimehull.co.uk
For all other tourism information about Hull, see www.visithull.org