Plans for a ‘happiness centre’ in Sir Ken Dodd’s memory have been shelved.
Liverpool City Council signed off proposals for a £15 million facility honouring the late comedian to be built next to the Royal Court Theatre last year.
Artefacts from Sir Ken’s personal collection spanning seven decades in showbusiness were set to be displayed during its planned 2026 opening.
But trustees including his widow Lady Anne Dodd confirmed on Monday they were unable to secure funding through the National Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation and Royal Court’s own trust had been working together since last December to secure alternative funding options.
Sir Ken set up the foundation in his name to support to performing arts charities and organisations across Merseyside and the UK prior to his death.
Royal Court chief executive Gillian Miller said: “ Since the disappointing setback of failing to achieve a grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, we have spent the past eight months trying to find alternative funding to enable this wonderful scheme to proceed.
“Sadly, in the current economic climate, we have been unable to find the additional funding required for the construction of this new building and alternative schemes do not meet requirements.
“We therefore mutually decided along with our donor, the Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation, to shelve our plans at this time.
“There simply aren’t sufficient funds available to meet the demands of so many projects like ours at this moment in time.”