West Kirby Today #156
West Kirby Arts Centre to be converted into a home | Council Tax bills to rise 4.99% | West Kirby Live to return | Hilbre Island open day this Saturday | New exhibition at the LAKE gallery
Letter from the Editor
Welcome to our newsletter, with the latest news for West Kirby, Newton, Caldy, Hoylake and Meols.
West Kirby Today is provided free of charge, and a big thank you to our current advertisers whose paid partnerships help to subsidise our work.
We would be extremely grateful if you would contribute a small donation to help cover our running costs by buying us a virtual coffee here.
Kind regards,
Paul Johnston - Editor, West Kirby Today
West Kirby Arts Centre to be converted into a house
West Kirby Arts Centre is to close for good at the end of April, with it set to be converted into a home for its owners.
The centre, which hosts regular events, is housed in the former West Kirby Unitarian Chapel on Brookfield Gardens, which opened in 1928. Read more.
Council Tax to rise by almost 5% as budget agreed
Councillors in Wirral have set a balanced budget for the next year after securing a bailout from the government and agreeing to increase council tax by 4.99 per cent.
The council has received what is known as 'exceptional financial support' from Whitehall after warning that it needed help. Read more.
West Kirby Live is back!
Music festival West Kirby Live is to return this summer.
Taking place on Saturday 7 June at multiple venues across the town, it will raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Centre Wirral. Read more.
Hilbre Island open day this Saturday
The first Friends of Hilbre open day of 2025 takes place on Saturday 8 March from 10am - 2pm.
Visit historic buildings, find out more about the island, watch the seals and buy refreshments. Remember to check the tide times before you set off at https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/hilbre-island-tide-times
Birkenhead School - Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year North West 2025
Birkenhead School is a leading co-educational Nursery, School and Sixth Form, that looks to inspire and prepare children for their future. Named the Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year North-West 2025, the School offer an exceptional education that goes beyond the national curriculum.
Find out what difference Birkenhead School could make for your child at the following events:
Reception Play & Learn Sessions (for 2025 entry) - Wednesday 26th March
Designed for children starting Reception in September 2025, these fun and engaging 45-minute sessions offer an opportunity to experience what Reception is like at Birkenhead School.
👉Find out more
Seniors Entry - Assessment / Taster Days - Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th June
For current Year 5 pupils considering entry in 2026. Limited places are also available for September 2025, ideal for families options after secondary school announcements on 1st March.
👉Find out more
Whole School Open Day (Nursery to Sixth Form) - Saturday 26th April, 9.30am-12.30pm
A wonderful opportunity for prospective families to explore Birkenhead School - from Early Years through to Sixth Form.
👉Find out more
The above article is sponsored and has been paid for by Birkenhead School
Bags, prints and cards available from our art shop!
West Kirby Today has a virtual art shop featuring exclusive work by two local creatives.
You can purchase prints, greeting cards and tote bags with a unique design of well-known West Kirby landmarks. Read more.
Things to do - what’s on!
In a new exhibition at the LAKE Gallery on Grange Road in West Kirby, three artists focus their attention on the everyday. From glimpses of domestic objects to impressions of seemingly unremarkable outdoor spaces, Anna Clark, Dennis Spicer and Shani Wray-Jenkins celebrate the ordinary in paint, transforming the familiar and finding beauty in the often overlooked. It runs until Saturday 5 April, and the gallery is open Thursday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm.
Hoylake Artisan Market returns to the car park of the Ship Inn on Market Street on Saturday 8 March from 11am - 4pm.
The Friends of West Kirby Library hold their spring event on Saturday 22 March from 10am - 4pm. A selection of crafts and gifts will be available to buy, and there will be a raffle, refreshments and entertainment.
West Kirby Arts Centre closes for good at the end of April and there are just a few events left before the doors shut. Find out what’s on at https://hallbookingonline.com/westkirby/
Read all about it in West Kirby Today!
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