Government hands London’s heritage organisations a £103m lifeline
More than 100 heritage sites across the capital are set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich is among 129 recipients across London to receive a share of the £103m Culture Recovery Fund for heritage, to help them through the pandemic.
The funds will be used to help restart vital repair and maintenance work as well as keeping venues open to save jobs.
The Old Royal Naval College in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site has been awarded £1m to help continue its operation during the pandemic. Sandycombe Lodge, the only surviving building designed by Turner, is set to receive £58,000.
The £103m pot is being allocated by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of the government.
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive said: “The funding is an essential lifeline for our heritage and the people who work tirelessly to conserve it for us all, so that we can hand it on to future generations.”
The announcement of the investment comes just after the National Trust announced plans to axe almost 1,300 jobs as it grapples with a huge loss of income.
The coronavirus outbreak has had an impact on almost every revenue stream for the charity, resulting in the closure of all of its sites and cancelling its events.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Our heritage is still facing a perilous future – we are not out of the woods yet.”
“But this hugely welcome funding from Government, and the money we continue to invest from the National Lottery, has undoubtedly stopped heritage and the organisations that care for it being permanently lost.”