‘It’s a momentous moment for the city, in what is going to be a momentous year,’ the Leader of Hull City Council said
We took a look around the Spurn Lightship as the vessel prepares to welcome visitors once again. The floating museum will open on Saturday, March 7, marking the start of the Maritime project’s launch.
The ship, which helped guide other vessels into the Humber was decommissioned in the 1970s, having been built in Goole in 1927. After a 14-month restoration, the Lightship now sits proudly in Hull Marina, next to the Murdoch’s Connection footbridge.
The restoration, funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is one piece of the wider Hull Maritime project which seeks to celebrate the city’s rich seafaring history. At the Spurn Lightship, the leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross told Hull Live: “This is the first of the Maritime project elements to be reopened to the public. I think it’s a momentous moment for the city, in what is going to be a momentous year.”
“I’m really excited. I know that when the public come back on board this weekend, they are going to fall in love with it all over again. It’s a tremendous way of helping tell Hull’s maritime history; literally on board part of it.”
Speaking about the Maritime project more generally, Cllr Ross said: “Hull is a city that’s built on water, we wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the water, so to be able to tell Hull’s maritime history and heritage through things like the Spurn Lightship, but also Queen’s Gardens, the Maritime Museum, and the Artic Corsair, is a tremendous asset for the city.
“We have been recognised as a top 25 place to visit this year, and rightly so, because I know, and I’m sure so many people out there as well know, just what a tremendous place Hull is.” Hull was named in National Geographic’s Top 25 places to visit it in 2026, with the Maritime project being a significant factor in the decision.
READ MORE: Onboard Hull’s Spurn Lightship ahead of grand reopening – in pictures
Also on the ship were Ken Shakesby and David Whitworth who both worked on the Spurn Lightship in the 1960s and 70s. The pair spoke of their memories of working on the vessel, with Mr Shakesby saying: “We had a sense of pride, it was our home.”
The Spurn Lightship is open Wednesday – Saturday, 11am – 3pm. For more information about visiting the Spurn Lightship and ticketing, visit www.spurnlightship.co.uk.
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