GUILDHALL GATEWAY CENTRE
PRESS RELEASE
TAVISTOCK GUILDHALL GATEWAY PROJECT RECEIVES £130,900 CAPITAL KICKSTART AWARD FROM FIRST ROUND OF CULTURE RECOVERY FUND
Tavistock Town Council has received a Capital Kickstart Fund award of £130,900 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund for the Guildhall Gateway project, which has been delayed as a result of the pandemic.
This is one of the latest grants, awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and builds on over £1 billion awarded to a huge range of cultural and heritage organisations from the Culture Recovery Fund last year.
The project, which the Town Council is delivering in partnership with Tavistock Heritage Trust, will see the town’s historic Guildhall redeveloped as a mining World Heritage Site Visitor Centre.
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway is one of 22 ambitious heritage projects which will benefit from £13.5 million in targeted grants allocated by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support work that has faced delays or increased costs due to Coronavirus.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“All over the country, this funding is protecting the venues that have shaped our history and make us proud of our communities, whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of the people that work in them.”
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“These are all ongoing major refurbishment and restoration projects, funded by us, which have been threatened by the pandemic. We are delighted this extra funding from the Culture Recovery Fund will ensure that these exciting projects will go ahead.”
Tavistock Town Mayor, Councillor Anne Johnson said:
‘This is a most welcome and much-needed contribution to a project that we hope will be a key part of promoting the town as a visitor destination and supporting economic recovery after Coronavirus. The project partnership greatly appreciates the difference the funding will make and the recognition by Government of the significance of the initiative to Tavistock and the surrounding area’.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. Heritage Fund Website
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Notes to Editors
Tavistock Guildhall and Police Station were one of England’s first purpose built integrated buildings for administering justice in the modern era. The Guildhall has been unused since 1997 and the Police Station subsequently relocated to new premises in 2012. The Town Council which subsequently acquired the grade II* listed buildings has been working with NHLF, Tavistock Heritage Trust and other partners to bring the buildings back into use to stimulate economic regeneration for the benefit of local residents and visitors and restore this iconic building complex for public use.
