New Ferry's Park Lodge renovation was 'a labour of love'

According to local group, New Ferry Online, Park Lodge, on New Chester Road, was built in 1904 and once guarded the main entrance to the park. It was empty for many years before being restored as a restaurant in 2000. It was said to have been a children's day care centre and an animal sanctuary.

The Tudor-style building was recently bought by Liverpool-based businessman Brian Corrigan, a retired chief engineer for P&0 and later pub licensee who has owned a number of buildings on Merseyside, including the New Southend Social Club in Tranmere and the Lathom social club in the Seaforth district of Liverpool, where The Beatles played on a number of occasions in their early days.

Brian Corrigan inside Park Lodge, New Ferry, which has been renovated for sale as a house (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)Brian, 76, sold the Lathom after 33 years and bew Ferry, in MaeHe told the Globe: "I first saw it in 2019 when it was up for auction and sold. I thought it was such a lovely building.

He sold the Lathom in 2022 and bought his first renovation project, Park Lodge in March last year. 

He told the Globe: "I first saw it in 2019 when it was up for auction and just thought it was such a lovely building. It was sold and I think there were plans to turn it into a restaurant, but the work was never done and it was left to deteriorate. It came up for sale again two years ago, so I bought it."

Brian, whose son was involved in the renovation project, continued: "When we took it over, the balcony was missing, so we had to rebuild that and there was no kitchen here, so we had to install that. The roof also needed repair.

Park Lodge as seen approaching from New Ferry park (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) "There was damp in the building which had got worse and worse and major structural work needed on the roof flushes, which involved structural engineers and we had architects in."

As it has listed status, the building also contains the original wooden beams. It has also been made energy efficient. 

Reflecting on the project, Brian, 76, said: "It was a much bigger job than I envisaged, and I had to make my mind up within an hour as to whether I wanted to go ahead with it, but am so glad I did and happy that we have come to the end of a long journey.

"Nobody had spent the time or the money getting it sorted properly in the past, which is why it needed so much money spending on it when I bought it.

Park Lodge at the entrance to New Ferry park (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) "It's been a real labour of love renovating the place. The plan now is to sell it. Hopefully, somebody will love it enough to want to buy.

"Looking back on the project, I'm proud of what we've done, don't think we could have done a much better job.

"It's been a real labour of love renovating the place. The plan now is to sell it. Hopefully, somebody will love it enough to want to buy."