Government Pumps £103 Million Into Saving Britain’s Heritage Gems
Heritage sites across the UK are getting a vital lifeline thanks to a massive £103 million boost from the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. This emergency cash is designed to save iconic landmarks battered by the coronavirus pandemic and keep British history alive.
445 Heritage Organisations to Share Big Bucks
A total of 445 heritage organisations will split £103 million to jumpstart crucial repair work, keep venues open, and save thousands of jobs. The support comes from two major funds: the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage (£67 million) and the Heritage Stimulus Fund (£34 million).
The funds are managed by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, backing everything from famous historic houses to railway lines and riverside landmarks.
Famous Landmarks Cash In
- Wentworth Woodhouse (Yorkshire)
- Blackpool’s Winter Gardens
- Blyth Tall Ship
- Severn Valley Railway
- International Bomber Command Centre (Lincolnshire)
- Piece Hall (Halifax)
- Gloucester Cathedral – Hogwarts cloisters from Harry Potter
- Highclere Castle – The Downton Abbey home
Grant sizes range from £10,000 up to £1 million, with an extra round of grants up to £3 million set to be announced soon.
Top Heritage Names Secure Huge Grants
Big players like English Heritage, Landmark Trust, Historic Royal Palaces, and the Canal and River Trust are set to receive £34 million from the Heritage Stimulus Fund. This will kickstart essential construction and maintenance work to keep visitor attractions thriving and protect specialist craftspeople’s livelihoods.
The Architectural Heritage Fund also landed a significant grant to help charities and social enterprises develop new plans and strategies amid the pandemic fallout.
Experts Praise Lifesaving Fund
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post covid.”
Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces: “There’s no truer way to experience the past than to walk in the footsteps of those who have lived it – that’s why preserving our built heritage is so important. The grant we have received will enable us to resume critical conservation work and support specialist craftspeople who are vital for our national heritage. We are enormously grateful to the Government for this support.”
Duncan Wilson, Historic England Chief Executive: “These grants from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund give skilled craft workers the chance to keep their trades alive and help heritage organisations pay the bills and kick-start repairs. This funding is an essential lifeline to conserve our heritage for future generations.”
Ros Kerslake, National Lottery Heritage Fund Chief Executive: “Investing in heritage during this crisis is crucial. Heritage creates jobs, drives tourism, and makes our towns and cities better places to live. This funding has stopped heritage sites and the organisations behind them from being permanently lost.”
Kate Mavor, Chief Executive of English Heritage: “Our teams have been working hard to welcome visitors safely back to castles, stone circles, abbeys, and historic houses. This funding will help safeguard these much-loved places for everyone to enjoy.”
Matthew Mckeague, Architectural Heritage Fund Chief Executive: “Social enterprises and charities in historic buildings play vital roles in communities. This funding is a crucial lifeline to help them keep delivering their important work.”
With this multi-million-pound boost, Britain’s treasured heritage sites look set to survive the pandemic and flourish once again, keeping history alive and jobs secure.
