A VISION to preserve the buildings that helped to make Cleethorpes one of England’s busiest and best seaside resorts is being realised, thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Townscape Heritage, (TH) Project, supported by £1.9m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund with a further £1m from North East Lincolnshire Council, has an ambition to ensure the resort’s unique heritage features are restored for a new generation to enjoy.
The council, working with its regeneration partner ENGIE and project manager Carol Heidschuster, believes that such work will significantly enhance Cleethorpes and lead to a growth in visitor numbers and, therefore, the economy of North East Lincolnshire.
Centred on Alexandra Road and Sea View Street, grant funding is available to help property owners to restore the historic shop fronts and buildings, some of which are listed. Carol, with an extensive background in such project work, is also working with various stakeholders to look at potential new uses for The Empire.
This former theatre, which has also been a cinema, was a hub for live entertainment during the resort’s heyday – matched, of course, by The Pier.
The Victorian balconies along Alexandra Road are also being looked at as part of the overall scheme, along with public realm work – some of this has already started with new paving on the retail side of Alexandra Road funded as part of the project. Once complete this work will complement the paving improvements on the Pier Gardens side of the road, which was supported separately by the Coastal Communities Fund.
When the four-year scheme was first unveiled, Cllr Callum Procter, Cabinet member for heritage said: “This is a really important scheme for Cleethorpes. Our aim as a council is to increase visitor numbers. It’s really important that we help bring these amazing buildings back to their former glory and preserve some of the history for our residents and visitors of the future.”
With many of the past ‘glory buildings’ of Cleethorpes taking on new lives and some falling into various states of disrepair, the work of the project is being supported by groups and organisations. These include volunteers who live in the Cleethorpes area and have become Heritage Stewards, working with Heritage Lincolnshire, which is managing this engagement.
As part of that engagement work the stewards conducted a visual buildings survey in 2019 and have provided information and pictures – supporting Carol and North East Lincolnshire Council.
We have been given permission to use the pictures you see here by one of the volunteers.
If you are interested in the grant scheme please contact Carol Heidschuster on carol.heid@nelincs.gov.uk for more information or visit the webpage which has all details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria: www.investnel.co.uk/cleethorpesheritage.
