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Council Bids for £2 million to Regenerate Prescot

By on Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Former Prescot MuseumKnowsley Council has announced “exciting plans to revitalise the historic town of Prescot” by bidding to become a “Portas pilot” and competing for a cash injection from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The first bid, if successful, will give Prescot up to £100,000 as part of a government pilot project to regenerate Britain’s high streets. The project follows a nationwide review carried out by “Queen of Shops” Mary Portas in 2011. Only 12 towns will receive funding.

The admittedly negligible amount of cash would be spent partly on a “temporary ‘pop-up’ shop” in Prescot Town Centre to promote Knowsley Safari Park. A council press release added that other ideas include putting empty shop and business units back to use in a “new and different” way.

Knowsley is vying for a larger sum from the Heritage Lottery Fund, however, with £1.89 million in its sights, which it says “will support plans for the conservation area.” The proposals will “improve the town centre’s appearance, emphasising Prescot’s rich heritage as well as giving local people the opportunity for training in traditional construction and restoration techniques.”

Knowsley Chief Executive Sheena Ramsey said: “The town not only has a rich heritage but has already benefited from significant public and private investment in recent years.”

Among the achievements being touted by Knowsley Council are the new leisure facilities and a “public services centre,” which relocates Prescot Library and Museum in the Prescot Centre, alongside the One Stop Shop. The museum’s former building, a three-storey Georgian town house on the corner of Church Street and High Street, went up for sale earlier this month, with a price tag of £250,000.

The Portas bid goes through at the end of March, and the winning towns will be announced in May, when Knowsley Council and its partners submit its application for almost £2 million in Heritage Lottery funding.

CLICK HERE TO PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE BIDS

Photo: Sue Adair

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  1. Pingback: Prescot Businesses Team up to Regenerate Town Centre | Prescot Online

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