£767k government cash windfall will help preserve future of Morecambe Winter Gardens
Morecambe’s Winter Gardens has been awarded almost £800,000 in government funding to continue ongoing vital repair work.
The Grade II* building will recieve £767,222 to contribute to the ongoing volunteer-run and volunteer-led revitalisation of the building, which has also received funding from the Cultural Development Fund to bring back into use the circle and the gods.
Repairs to the structure and staircases will be undertaken, allowing the building to increase its capacity and continue to develop its success as a centrepiece for community and cultural groups, promoting civic pride.
The theatre is one of 37 much-loved historic buildings and sites across England, including six in the north west, to be saved for future generations through £15m in repair grants.
The Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, led by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will rescue listed buildings and sites facing dereliction or demolition.
The one-year fund prioritises heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.
In the north west, successful projects, totalling £2.4m include the restoration of the upper seating areas at the Winter Gardens.
This funding prevents irreversible loss of England's built heritage whilst delivering the Government's commitment to break down barriers to opportunity and deliver growth.
The fund operates alongside Historic England’s existing Heritage at Risk programme, targeting sites requiring immediate action to prevent further deterioration.
Louise Brennan, director of Regions at Historic England, said: "Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings in the north west that we haven’t been able to help through our existing grant schemes.
"This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the region’s most disadvantaged areas. We're thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it's needed most."
Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said: "We are delivering on our Plan for Change, through the Heritage at Risk Fund, by breathing new life into treasured places, buildings and monuments across the north west, helping to increase opportunities and ensuring that future generations have access to our rich heritage."