New cash boost for Gainsborough town centre improvements

The Old Courthouse on Market Street will be one of the buildings to benefit from the new cash awards

More buildings in a Lincolnshire town centre are to be refurbished in a bid to bring new life to the area.

Five new grants have been awarded as part of a scheme to regenerate the heart of Gainsborough by renovating buildings and bringing empty properties back into use.

Several improvements have already been made in Market Place and Lord Street.

Council leader Trevor Young said it was "very exciting to see the number of buildings now involved".

In 2020, West Lindsey District Council was awarded a £1.25m grant as part of a major project to restore historic buildings and heritage assets in the town centre.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative aimed to improve the standard of repair, maintenance and appearance of properties within the town centre conservation area of Gainsborough, focusing specifically on the Lord Street and Market Place areas.

'Positive impact'

The five new buildings to receive cash support include the Old Courthouse at 24 Market Street, as well as properties in Ropery Road and Lord Street.

The work would include sash window and brickwork repairs, restoring traditional shopfronts and awnings and roof repairs, the council said.

Abigail Buckland, townscape heritage delivery coordinator at the council, said: "The centre of Gainsborough is going to look quite different by this time next year."

There were also a number of other properties that had planning permissions in place which would also soon be considered by the grant panel, Ms Buckland added.

"Foremost of these is the Town Hall, the proposed works for which will have a huge impact upon the appearance of the Market Place," she said.

West Lindsey Council leader Trevor Young said the work which had already been completed in the centre of Gainsborough had made a "positive impact" on the townscape.