Norfolk heritage landmarks awarded major funding for restoration
Six projects across the East will also be receiving funding
Six historic sites across the East of England are set to benefit from nearly £2 million in funding aimed at saving them from decay and bringing them back to life.
The support comes from the national £15 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, announced by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The fund targets historic buildings in danger of serious decline, especially those in disadvantaged areas, with the aim of securing their long-term future and unlocking local benefits such as jobs, tourism, and community space.
One of the biggest local awards £721,000 will go to St George’s Guildhall in King’s Lynn, the oldest working theatre in the UK and believed to have once hosted William Shakespeare himself.
The building was forced to close earlier this year due to structural issues, including severe damp and damage to its medieval roof timbers. The grant will fund critical roof repairs and the conservation of original 15th-century beams, forming the first phase of a larger regeneration scheme backed by the Towns Fund.
Also in King’s Lynn, the Greenland Fishery House a Grade II* listed building dating back to 1605 will receive just under £100,000 to tackle urgent structural issues and restore key architectural features. The building is being adapted to host music residencies, concerts and creative workshops, opening up new cultural opportunities in the town.
In Great Yarmouth, the long-empty Iron Duke pub, an Art Deco landmark, is on track to become a thriving community venue. The Grade II listed building, which has stood vacant since 2004, has already undergone emergency repairs.
A new £136,500 grant will help restore its original features and offer heritage training opportunities for young people not in education or employment. The wider project is backed by over £2.4 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Norwich’s Chapelfield Gardens Bandstand a fixture of the park since 1899 will also be restored with £315,000 in funding. Once repaired, the Victorian structure will return to use as a platform for music events and public gatherings, part of a wider push to revitalise the city’s historic green spaces.
In Lowestoft, the disused Grade II-listed Town Hall has been awarded £707,000 to support its transformation into a cultural and community hub. Empty since 2015, the building is being brought back into use by Lowestoft Town Council and its partners.
Restoration will include roof and plasterwork repairs, and the project is expected to create training opportunities in heritage skills, conservation and community engagement.
Further west in Peterborough, Laurel Court, a Grade I listed building next to the Cathedral, will receive £136,000 for emergency repairs after structural issues left it empty earlier this year.
The funding will make the building watertight and prevent further decay while long-term uses, including the potential to house the Cathedral’s Song School, are explored.
Across England, 37 sites will benefit from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, which focuses on buildings most at risk of being lost forever.
Historic England says the investment isn’t just about preserving architecture, but about breathing life into towns and cities, supporting local economies, education, tourism, and pride in place.
The funded projects are all expected to deliver wide-reaching community impact, particularly in areas where access to culture and investment has historically been limited.