Overview

• The dean and chapter have proposed converting unused first- and second-floor offices into a one-bedroom holiday let with an open-plan kitchen, a breakfast bar, a biofuel fireplace and modern amenities.
• The cathedral faces about £30,000 in daily running costs and a £1 million annual tourist income deficit, prompting the search for new revenue sources.
• Purcell Architects and conservation specialists are reviewing the plan to ensure minimal irreversible work on the gate’s Tudor-era fabric.
• Local heritage groups, including the Canterbury Society, and critics such as former royal chaplain Dr Gavin Ashenden argue the project commercializes a key religious landmark.
• Built around 1520 and Grade I-listed, Christ Church Gate was externally restored this year after a £1 million renovation and has historically housed offices, festival space and storage.