Ringo Starr’s childhood home is saved from demolition

The birthplace of Ringo Starr is to be saved from demolition following a £2m government grant.

Starr was born at 9 Madryn Street in Dingle, Liverpool, on 7 July 1940, although he spent much of his childhood and teenage years in nearby Admiral Grove.

Council leader Richard Kemp confirmed that 117 houses in the 11 so-called Welsh Streets will be saved. Madryn is the Welsh word for fox.

The properties in the area have been boarded up for some time, with iron grills covering the doors and windows to prevent squatters from gaining access.

The news follows an eight-year debate over the future of the streets, with some arguing that the Victorian terraces should be knocked down and the land redeveloped, while others urged restoration.

I don’t know any of the details yet, other than we’ll be bringing 117 properties back into use. These will be properties people want to live in. It wasn’t the original plan, but times have changed. This is the right thing to do with the circumstances of the housing market at the moment.

There are hopes that Starr’s former home may be taken on by the National Trust, which also owns the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

We always hoped that some of this lovely place could be spared the bulldozer, especially with so many people in housing need.

When we met Joe Anderson last year he said he would consider a viable alternative to demolition for part of the Welsh Streets. We are so glad an alternative has now come up.

Until we see these streets officially removed from the demolition zone and agreed by Liverpool council it will seem unreal though. Fingers crossed they really mean it.