POPULAR TV set Arley Hall & Gardens is set to receive a 'life-saving' £180,000 as part of a Government 'Culture Recovery Fund'.
Known in its own right in Cheshire as a historic country manor with beautifully maintained gardens, it is also recognised around the world as the home of Tommy Shelby in the BBC's drama Peaky Blinders.
Arley Hall & Gardens is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country that are set to receive a financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.
The organisations will share £103 million to help restart vital repair and maintenance work on cherished heritage sites, to keep venues open and to save jobs and livelihoods.
This vital funding is from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage and the Heritage Stimulus Fund - funded by Government and administered at arms length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both funds are part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund which is designed to secure the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues with emergency grants and loans.
Other famous locations that have starred in film and TV include Gloucester Cathedral – whose cloisters formed the backdrop for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films – and Highclere Castle – the setting of Downton Abbey. These sites define how our nation is seen around the world.
Grants are between £10,000 and £1 million with a further round of grants of up to £3 million due to be announced imminently.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post Covid."
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive said: "It is heartening to see grants, both large and small, from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund helping heritage sites and organisations across the country which have been hit hard by the effects of Covid-19. These grants range from giving skilled craft workers the chance to keep their trades alive to helping heritage organisations pay the bills, and to kick-starting repair works at our best-loved historic sites. 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."
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