A Lake District parish council has asked for cash to boost a ‘tired and rundown looking’ village.
Hawkshead Parish Council, working with Cumbria Tourism, has requested £16,620 from Westmorland and Furness Council to help rejuvenate the village.
A report, Destination Hawkshead, said that post-COVID, businesses in the area were reporting a 20 per cent decrease in takings, the village has lost its post office, National Trust Gallery and only two pubs remain open.
According to the report: “The village is scoring in the highest indices of rural deprivation nationally in terms of access to services and homes and is looking tired and run-down, needing more care and investment.”
The project to support Hawkshead also involves the Lake District National Park, Hawkshead Parish Council, MP Tim Farron and Westmorland and Furness Council.
The scheme aims to improve the public realm of the area through weeding, new planters, new welcome signs, improved tourist information, sign cleaning, new benches, litter picking and the provision of new cycle racks.
It also wants to encourage efforts to reopen closed down businesses in the area such as the post office, gallery and pubs.
The Lake District National Park Authority has already contributed £1,000 to help create a new leaflet showing all the businesses in the area as well as new benches, cycle racks and seven short stay car parking racks.
The authority has also pledged to donate 30 per cent of night parking fees, taken at the end of the financial year, to the parish council in support of economic regeneration.
Cumbria Tourism will provide support for Hawkshead’s digital output and the National Trust alongside the Forestry Commission and the national park authority are looking at opportunities for improving walking and cycling routes to Hawkshead.
The application from Hawkshead Parish Council for a grant from Westmorland and Furness Council is recommended for approval by a council officer awaiting further information on quote and breakdown of costs.
The application will be considered by the South Lakeland locality board on Wednesday.
