Major boost to newly launched St Catharine's Campaign

A gift to fund half the costs of the renewal of the Hall suite has been pledged, meaning this project to refresh the central hub of College life will be made possible, with a target build start date of mid to late 2020. The lead sponsors would like to encourage the collaborative engagement of other Members of College to collectively match this pledge of £5 million, so that this work can be realised as soon as possible. 
The project is important on many fronts and architectural consultants have been appointed to run a competition to deliver a scheme which transforms the Hall and associated areas into a space that matches the quality and serviceability of the McGrath Centre. Overall this project will be designed to interlink services in a much more cohesive way. Key features of the project will include reviewing and possibly reversing the Hall layout, repositioning High Table to the opposite end; creating a staff corridor to afford unobtrusive transit through the Hall to other service areas; a review of contingent hospitality rooms and facilities; address some disabled access and audibility limitations of the current Hall and modernise to latest standards the kitchen and buttery areas of the current footprint of our Hall suite. For too long the Sherlock library has been a hidden and often inaccessible space. This beautiful eighteenth century library deserves its own access and it is hoped that the scheme will include a staircase and lift from Chapel Court up to one of the most inspirational and peaceful rooms in College.