It has been announced that Barrow is to receive £1.1 million of Government funding to rejuvenate Duke Street.
Today, Barrow town centre is one of the most deprived areas in England. Its built environment has deteriorated significantly, it has a very high vacancy rate and a number of prominent buildings have become derelict.
With £1.1m of Government funding, delivered through Historic England, the Re:discover Barrow project aims to rejuvenate the retail heart of the town, improve housing opportunities and help people to feel proud of their town again. Vacant buildings will be brought back into use, homes will be created within upper floors and attractive traditional shop fronts will come back to the high street.
Welcoming the announcement, the area’s local MP, Simon Fell, said: “This is fantastic news for Barrow.
“The money will really make a difference. Duke Street is a stunning street, in many ways the historic heart of our town. It has stacks of history and stunning features either end. Rejuvenating this is an important step forward in the Government’s levelling up agenda for areas like ours.”
Re:discover Barrow also promises a strong cultural programme and a variety of community engagement projects. The programme will aim to show the importance of protecting and enhancing Barrow’s rich heritage through an educational programme with a particular focus around heritage skills.
