St George's Cathedral, Southwark
St George's Cathedral, Southwark is the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral and Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Southwark's 178 parishes, delivering liturgical services, sacraments, a multi-tier choral music programme, school-based music education, community outreach, and venue hire across London SE1, Kent, and Medway.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1848
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What St George's Cathedral, Southwark does
St George's Cathedral, Southwark — formally the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George — is the Roman Catholic Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Southwark, serving as the seat of the Archbishop. The diocese spans the London boroughs south of the Thames, the county of Kent, and the Medway Unitary Authority, encompassing 178 parishes. Originally designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and opened on 4 July 1848, the cathedral was severely damaged by incendiary bombing on 16 April 1941; the rebuilt structure, completed in 1958, retains the outer walls. The cathedral operates daily and Sunday Mass schedules (including English and Spanish-language services), administers the seven sacraments, runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) programme, and serves as a venue for diocesan celebrations and civic events.
The cathedral runs an extensive music programme anchored by a 1958 John Compton three-manual organ of 69 sounding stops (built on the extension principle from only 19 ranks of pipes). The choral infrastructure comprises the Cathedral Choir (ages 8–13 with professional Lay Clerks), Cathedral Consort (ages 13+), Cathedral Junior Choir, Children's Choir (ages 5–7, launched 2024), and Small Sounds (ages 0–5). The Southwark Singing Programme, launched in 2022, extends whole-class music education to 17 diocesan schools and "thousands of children weekly" across Southwark, Lambeth, Greenwich, Lewisham, and expanding into coastal Kent. Music staff are drawn from Oxbridge, the Royal Academy of Music, and Guildhall, with several holding national choral fellowships.
Revenue is derived from four streams: voluntary donations and Gift Aid (the cathedral "depends on the goodwill of visitors and the faithful to cover its costs"), Mass intention stipends (£10 recommended), physical and online CD sales (e.g., £12 per recording), and venue hire of the Cathedral, Lady Chapel, and Amigo Hall (managed by Praetorium Hall Hire) for weddings, concerts, corporate meetings, and community gatherings. The cathedral is a registered charity in England (No. 1173050) under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark. Distribution is primarily in-person at the London SE1 site, with supplementary online streaming and a weekly Mailchimp newsletter. Notable partnerships include the Oasis Community food and breakfast programmes (cost-of-living response), Catholic schools across the diocese, the Anglican Southwark Cathedral (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity), and BBC broadcast relationships (Christmas Midnight Mass 2015 on BBC One, BBC Radio 4 in 2019).
St George's Cathedral, Southwark firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- St George's Cathedral, Southwark
- Legal name
- St George's Cathedral, Southwark (Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George)
- Website
- https://stgeorgescathedral.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1848
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- St George's Cathedral, Southwark is the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral and Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Southwark's 178 parishes, delivering liturgical services, sacraments, a multi-tier choral music programme, school-based music education, community outreach, and venue hire across London SE1, Kent, and Medway.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
St George's Cathedral, Southwark industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Catholic Cathedral & Religious Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)
Keywords
Where St George's Cathedral, Southwark is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
St George's Cathedral, Southwark business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Offerings: The Cathedral depends on the goodwill of visitors and the faithful to cover its costs through donations, Gift Aid contributions, regular standing orders, and weekly offertory donations via Gift Aid envelopes.
- Mass Intentions: Parishioners can request Masses to be offered for specific intentions. Recommended donation of £10 per mass intention for those who can afford it, which supports the priests' ministry.
- CD Recording Sales: Sale of choir CD recordings including 'O Sacrum Convivium - Music for the Mass' (2018) at £12 and 'Christmas at St George's' CD at £7.99.
- Facility Hire: The Cathedral, Lady Chapel, and Amigo Hall can be hired for religious services, civic events, concerts, corporate meetings, weddings, and community gatherings. Managed by Praetorium Hall hire.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Mass Intention Stipend |
| Unit Pricing | One time | O Sacrum Convivium CD (2018) |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Christmas at St George's CD (2018) |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
St George's Cathedral, Southwark product offering
Product offeringCore offering
St George's Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Southwark, offering daily and Sunday Mass services, administration of the seven sacraments, and pastoral care to parishioners and visitors. The cathedral runs an extensive choral music programme with five distinct choirs for different age groups plus the Southwark Singing Programme operating in 17 diocesan schools. It also generates supplementary income through venue hire (Cathedral, Lady Chapel, Amigo Hall) for civic, corporate, and community events, and through retail sales of choir CD recordings.
Product overview
St George's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral offering religious, musical, and community services. The core offering centers on worship through daily and Sunday Mass services and sacraments. The music department operates a comprehensive choral program with four distinct choirs: Cathedral Choir (ages 8-13 with professional Lay Clerks), Cathedral Consort (teenagers aged 13+), Cathedral Junior Choir (school years 3-6), and Children's Choir (ages 5-7). The Southwark Singing Programme extends music education to diocesan schools. Additional services include venue hire of the Amigo Hall, Cathedral, and Lady Chapel; guided tours; sacraments administration (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Marriage); RCIA for Catholic conversion; and various parish community groups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Southwark Singing Programme: Diocesan music education programme which works in partnership with schools and parishes to develop musical provision and sacred singing across the diocese.
- Cathedral Music Department
Products and services
- Cathedral Choir
- Cathedral Consort
- Cathedral Junior Choir
- Cathedral Children's Choir
- Small Sounds
- Southwark Singing Programme
- Venue Hire - Cathedral
- Venue Hire - Lady Chapel
- Venue Hire - Amigo Hall
- Guided Tours
- Sacraments Administration
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Mass Services
- Mass Intentions
- Choir CD Recordings
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple BBC Radio and TV broadcasts including Christmas Midnight Mass 2015 on BBC One and BBC Radio 4 in 2019
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use St George's Cathedral, Southwark
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
St George's Cathedral, Southwark technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
St George's Cathedral, Southwark partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Oasis CommunitycoreSt George's Cathedral runs a Friday breakfast club (10am to 12pm) and Community Fridge (12pm to 1pm) in partnership with Oasis Community to help the local community cope with the cost-of-living crisis while preventing food waste. Contact: [email protected].
- Schools across the DiocesecoreThe Southwark Singing Programme works in partnership with Catholic schools across the diocese including 17 schools in Southwark, Lambeth, Greenwich and Lewisham, with expansion into coastal Kent. Whole-class singing sessions delivered weekly, feeding into local after-school choirs.
- Archdiocese of SouthwarkcoreSt George's Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Southwark. The cathedral hosts major diocesan celebrations, the Diocesan Choir, and the Diocesan Music Committee. The Director of Music serves as Diocesan Director of Music.
- Southwark Anglican CathedralminorEcumenical relationship between the Roman Catholic and Anglican cathedrals in Southwark. Southwark Cathedral choir sings Evensong at St George's as part of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
- BBCminorCathedral choirs have broadcast to wider public on BBC Radio and TV, including Christmas Midnight Mass 2015 live on BBC One, BBC Radio 4 in 2019, and Sunday Worship in January 2017.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
St George's Cathedral, Southwark competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Clifton Cathedral, Bristol: Catholic cathedral for the Diocese of Clifton; comparable operational model (Mass, music, schools engagement, donations) for a provincial Catholic metropolitan cathedral.
- Cathedral of St Chad, Birmingham: Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Birmingham; a Pugin-designed Catholic metropolitan cathedral with a comparable mix of heritage architecture, music programme and parish/community services.
- Westminster Cathedral: Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster; the closest direct peer as a Catholic metropolitan cathedral in London, operating Mass, sacraments, choirs, venue hire and a major music programme on a donation-led charity model.
- St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle: Mother Church of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle; similarly sized Catholic cathedral with choral tradition, schools engagement and charity-run venue operations.
- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral: Catholic metropolitan cathedral and Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Liverpool; comparable as a 20th-century rebuilt Catholic cathedral with a professional choir, BBC broadcast track record and large volunteer base.
Broad incumbents
- Westminster Abbey: Royal Peculiar and major heritage worship site in central London; broadly incumbent in the space of cathedral worship, music, ticketed tourism and corporate/private events.
- St Paul's Cathedral, London: Anglican cathedral operating on a comparable worship-plus-tourism-plus-venue-hire model in central London; much larger scale and entry-fee-driven revenue base make it a broad incumbent for the heritage cathedral category.
- Notre-Dame de Paris: Historic Catholic cathedral with a national music tradition, large-scale tourism, and ongoing post-fire restoration that mirrors St George's own post-WWII rebuild narrative; broadly incumbent in the global Catholic cathedral category.
Regional players
- Truro Cathedral: Provincial Anglican cathedral with an established choir and choral scholarship pipeline (former home of several St George's lay vicars/lay clerks); comparable as a cathedral with a strong choral tradition and schools engagement.
- Southwark Cathedral (Anglican): Anglican co-cathedral in the same Southwark borough; comparable scale and operating model (services, choirs, venue hire, guided tours) but different denomination, and an explicit ecumenical partner for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
St George's Cathedral, Southwark social profiles
Digital presenceSt George's Cathedral, Southwark financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
St George's Cathedral, Southwark leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
St George's Cathedral, Southwark funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
St George's Cathedral, Southwark M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about St George's Cathedral, Southwark
What does St George's Cathedral, Southwark do?
St George's Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Southwark, offering daily and Sunday Mass services, administration of the seven sacraments, and pastoral care to parishioners and visitors. The cathedral runs an extensive choral music programme with five distinct choirs for different age groups plus the Southwark Singing Programme operating in 17 diocesan schools. It also generates supplementary income through venue hire (Cathedral, Lady Chapel, Amigo Hall) for civic, corporate, and community events, and through retail sales of choir CD recordings.
Is St George's Cathedral, Southwark a public or private company?
St George's Cathedral, Southwark is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was St George's Cathedral, Southwark founded?
St George's Cathedral, Southwark was founded in 1848. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is St George's Cathedral, Southwark based?
St George's Cathedral, Southwark is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does St George's Cathedral, Southwark make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Offerings are the primary driver. The others are mass Intentions, CD Recording Sales and facility Hire.
Who are St George's Cathedral, Southwark's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Clifton Cathedral, Bristol, Cathedral of St Chad, Birmingham, Westminster Cathedral, St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Broad incumbents are Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, London and Notre-Dame de Paris. Regional players are Truro Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral (Anglican).
Does St George's Cathedral, Southwark have an API?
No public API is recorded for St George's Cathedral, Southwark.
What industry is St George's Cathedral, Southwark in?
St George's Cathedral, Southwark's product category is Catholic Cathedral & Religious Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAL, Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAB, Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences). Its NAICS code is 8131.