Team appointed to plan future for Brighton’s Middle St Synagogue
Consultants will help shape next steps for historic Grade II-listed shul in project led by Foundation for Jewish Heritage
An historic synagogue in Brighton has appointed a lottery funded team to help sustainably plan for its future.
Middle Street Synagogue, designed by the distinguished Victorian architect Thomas Lainson, was opened in 1875 and has been described as the jewel in the crown of the Jewish community of the south coast. It has been closed for worship for 20 years.
The appointments have been made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Architectural Heritage Fund and The Pilgrim Trust.
Leading conservation architecture practice Purcell and heritage specialists Cultural Consulting Network will be working on the project, managed by the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, until December 2024.
The team will produce a report that will give the building’s owners, Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation, a possible road-map to re-opening the building. Their work will set out the works that need to be done and suggest future uses that could mean visitors can once again enjoy the synagogue’s spectacular interior and learn about the city’s Jewish story, while generating enough income to maintain the building for future generations.
Chair of the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, Dame Helen Hyde, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Brighton and Hove Hebrew Congregation to find a way forward for Middle St Synagogue. Having a specialist team on board will help us reach our shared goal of finding new uses for it and enabling more people to enjoy it”.
Chair of the project steering committee, Michael Rosehill, said: “The appointment of a first-rate team means we can now start the process of finding a sustainable future for this wonderful building. I very much look forward to working with Purcell and Cultural Consulting Network over the coming months.”
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