Bourne’s Old Town Hall to become community hub thanks to £3.3m grant
A 200-year-old building is set to be restored after receiving more than £3m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Bourne Town Hall Trust announced on Thursday, January 31, that it has received the grant to restore and transform the Old Town Hall into a unique cultural venue.
The trust was created in 2017 by a small group of volunteers who aspire to restore and operate the heritage building. The £3.3m grant will give the building a new lease of life.
As part of the restoration, the clock tower will be reconstructed and the original 200-year-old clock will be recommissioned to operate the new dial and chime the hours. To make the building accessible lifts and other facilities will be installed at the site.
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Charles Houseago, Chair, Bourne Town Hall Trust said: “We are thrilled to have received this significant grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Heritage Fund have provided amazing support to this project with initial funding for a viability study in 2017 and the development grant in 2022 to allow us to develop the detailed plans.
"Now this final major grant will turn over eight years of planning into the reality of the biggest community projects ever seen in the heart of Bourne. This can only be achieved thanks to National Lottery players generating the funding which allows us to be able to restore and provide permanent access to this important building for all the townspeople of Bourne.”
Solar panels, improved insulation and heat pump technology will also be installed at the Old Town Hall to modernise the building and contribute towards carbon neutrality plans. Once all the work has been carried out, the building will be a heritage and culture hub for the town with a range of entertainment and education programmes.
This will include things for people of all ages and interests, such as exhibitions, poetry, craft markets, film, live music and talks. Councillor Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: "We’re delighted to hear that the Bourne Town Hall Trust has been successful in their bid for heritage lottery funding.
"This will give the hall a new lease of life and ensure it remains at the heart of the local community. Now the funding has been secured, the council can start to finalise the handover of the building to the trust. We’ll be working to do this as soon as possible, so the project can move forward swiftly.”