Grimsby tests £5.8bn pride in place town-centre funding
North East Lincolnshire begins spending £20m from the UK's £5.8bn pride in place programme as Grimsby tests whether funding can revive its town centre.
The story in focus
North East Lincolnshire council is beginning to spend a further £20m from the UK's £5.8bn pride in place programme in Grimsby, The Guardian reports, after using most of £59m in government-backed regeneration funds awarded since 2021 on the town centre.
- The pride in place programme offers 284 deprived communities up to £2m a year for 10 years.
- North East Lincolnshire has spent the bulk of £59m in regeneration funds awarded since 2021 on Grimsby town centre.
- Three projects funded by predecessor schemes are complete, while several more remain in progress.
- Former Wilko, House of Fraser, Victoria Mills and Grimsby Ice Factory buildings remain empty.
- The Centre for Cities argues £20m is unlikely to fund major projects such as buying large empty buildings.
What the funding covers
The Guardian reports that North East Lincolnshire council is starting to spend a further £20m from pride in place, the government programme offering 284 deprived communities up to £2m a year for 10 years. The national scheme is worth £5.8bn.
The council has already directed most of £59m in government-backed regeneration funds awarded since 2021 towards revamping the town centre. In June, King Charles visited Grimsby for the opening of a youth centre in a former Victorian warehouse and a charity community drop-in centre in a vacant bank. Scaffolding covers part of the shopping centre, where leisure facilities including a cinema and food market are planned.
Gaps and cautions
Several large commercial buildings, including a former Wilko and House of Fraser, remain empty, as do Victoria Mills and the Grimsby Ice Factory. The Guardian reports that the pandemic and other hold-ups left several predecessor-funded projects in progress. Spencer Hunt of the local council acknowledged that issues remain.
Neela Parker Talwar of the Centre for Cities told The Guardian that £20m is not a large sum and is unlikely to fund major projects such as buying up large empty buildings. The report notes that earlier schemes faced inflation, planning difficulties and a lack of resources for staff to run completed projects. The council has brought in the local group Our Future, backed by entrepreneur Jason Stockwood, with £850,000 in grants for projects using vacant buildings.
How much pride in place funding is North East Lincolnshire beginning to spend in Grimsby?
The Guardian reports the council is beginning to spend a further £20m from the pride in place programme, after directing most of £59m in government-backed regeneration funds awarded since 2021 to the town centre.
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