ONE of the last surviving German U-boats will be forced to leave the Mersey following the decision last night to close the Warship Preservation Trust's historic collection.
The 11-strong staff at the trust in Wirral learned yesterday that they are to lose their jobs next month following the decision to place the organisation into liquidation.
The trust, which every year attracts thousands of visitors to East Float Dock in Birkenhead, has been told it has to move because of the conversion of the nearby corn warehouses into apartments.
Landowners Mersey Docks and Harbour Company gave six months' notice last September to Wirral Borough Council, who held the lease on behalf of the trust.
Last night MDHC, now owned by Peel Holdings, said an alternative site for the historic collection had been offered to Wirral council.
Trust chairman former Conservative MP Sir Philip Goodhart, has written to the chairman of Peel Holdings, John Whittaker and said the requirement that the collection moves twice within the next 18 months was a death blow for the trust.
"I hope that having accidentally killed us off, the MDHC will look after our ships," Sir Philip says in a letter to the chairman of Peel.
"The loss of what is the finest collection of 20th century warships in the country is a calamity for our maritime heritage," he said.
As well as a proposed double move, another big stumbling block is the £250,000 needed to move the collection of ships, submarines and artefacts. The trust, which has not been given any public assistance, operates on ticket sales, souvenirs and donations.
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