“In Birkenhead, across the river Mersey from Liverpool, stands a house with an interior like no other.”
Ron’s Place is the home of the late Ron Gittins, who created his own highly ornate classical ‘villa’.
He decorated almost every available surface with murals depicting historical scenes and sculpted huge fireplaces. It is considered to be a very rare example of an immersive outsider art environment.
Wirral Arts & Culture Community Land Trust (CLT) got in touch with Bernadette in March 2023 when they had just successfully acquired the building at auction with support from the Muller Wimhurst Trust.
The CLT needed support in getting to grips with the very particular conservation needs of the interior spaces, as well as the feasibility of enabling small numbers of visitors and refurbishing the upper floor flats as affordable housing.
Bernadette led a fairly rapid feasibility study which was undertaken in 2023 will the help of specialists such as Hirst Conservation. She is currently supporting them in putting in place plans for the next steps.
