WWI Battle-Cruiser HMS Caroline to Remain Closed Until 2021 after Funding Issues

24th July 2020

HMS Caroline, Afloat adds the former UK Royal Navy WW1 C-class light-cruiser which fought in the Battle of Jutland was restored into a tourism visitor attraction based in Belfast Harbour has been closed since March. Credit: Belfast Telegraph-twitter

A World War One naval heritage vessel HMS Caroline - the only surviving ship from the Battle of Jutland and one of Belfast’s leading visitor attractions - will remain closed until 2021 due to funding pressures.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN), which operates HMS Caroline in the Titanic Quarter on behalf of the Northern Ireland executive, said the decision was taken after an operations and funding agreement could not be reached with the Department for the Economy (DfE).

HMS Caroline had been temporarily closed since March 17 in line with public health advice.

The operational agreement for HMS Caroline expired on 30 June, leaving NMRN unable to go on operating the ship.

For further reading reports the Belfast Telegraph here.

Published in Historic Boats

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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