£1.28m grant will 'rejuvenate' Worksop town centre and restore historic buildings to former glory

Some of Worksop’s most iconic historical buildings will be brought back to their former glory and the town centre “rejuvenated” thanks to a £1.28m grant. 
Bassetlaw District Council learned this week that it had been successful with a substantial bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, made possible by National Lottery players.
Work on an ambitious plan to regenerate key historic buildings at the top of Bridge Street, and a programme of events and activities, can now start.
The £1.28m grant will be boosted to a total of approximately £2.3m with funds from the council and local businesses, which will enable empty buildings and sites to be brought back into use.

Jonathan Platt, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: “Town centres and their historic buildings are the beating heart of communities, so where they fall into disrepair, it is the community which pays a heavy price.
“This scheme will provide a boost for Worksop’s economy, with vital employment and training opportunities, and provide enhanced public places for residents and visitors.
“Townscape Heritage funding has made a huge difference to communities across the UK and this is only possible thanks to National Lottery players.”

Councillor Jo White, cabinet member for Economic Development at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “This is fantastic news and without the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, it simply would not be possible to take on a project of this magnitude.
“It is vital to the town’s economy and appeal that we take pride in our heritage and restore some of Worksop’s most iconic buildings to their former glory. We will be working with local businesses and landlords and have a bold ambition to rejuvenate some of the town’s most historic buildings and add to the town’s vibrancy and tourism offer.”
“I’m delighted that we can now move forward with these plans and start work bringing important buildings at the heart of our town centre back to use. We’d like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund and all the National Lottery Players out there.”

Jonathan Platt, Head of HLF East Midlands, said: “Town centres and their historic buildings are the beating heart of communities, so where they fall into disrepair, it is the community which pays a heavy price. This scheme will provide a boost for Worksop’s economy, with vital employment and training opportunities, and provide enhanced public places for residents and visitors. Townscape Heritage funding has made a huge difference to communities across the UK and this is only possible thanks to National Lottery players.”
The Council was successful with its first round bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund in February 2016 for £68k which enabled an initial public consultation on the Townscape Heritage project to take place, in addition to other preparation works and surveys.
Thanks to the initial consultation and £2.3M funds, the Council will now be able to shape future plans for building works and tourism strategies that incorporate Worksop’s rich heritage.

Simon Greaves, leader of Bassetlaw District Council and heading the Town Centre Task Force, said: "This is excellent news for Worksop.
"What we have in the town centre are some fantastic buildings which are a great asset but, sadly, they are not in the condition we want them to be.
"I'm pleased there has been a lot of work carried out by Bassetlaw District Council to secure this funding.
"What is important is that we keep working with landowners and the business community to get the scheme underway.
"There have been concerns raised about tidiness and appearance at the top of the town centre.
"This initiative is a great example of looking to rectify and improve the quality of the building environment, attracting new businesses and encouraging existing ones."

Philip Jackson, chair of Worksop Business Forum, said: "I am delighted that this funding has been awarded to Bassetlaw District Council.
"Worksop is an historic market town and some of its building features have been lost over the years.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to strip away the paint and render that covers original features that building owners and the town should be proud of.
"I would like to see the much talked about and photographed Eyres sign that stood proudly on the roof of the store and the kettle that hung from a store opposite the market square restored and put back in place.
"Landlords and tenants within the funding area now have the opportunity to bring their buildings up to heritage standard and help preserve them for the future.
"I hope tenants and landlords will work with the council on this project and that we see the end of peeling paint and poorly maintained buildings within the HLF area."

MP for Bassetlaw John Mann said: “Worksop Town Centre has been desperate for an injection of cash for some time.
"This is brilliant news and a very positive step in the right direction.
"It is always good when we can see our National Lottery cash being used locally to improve the town”