Latest news with #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
The Herald Scotland
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
National Lottery funding blow for Edinburgh Filmhouse revamp
However the planned refurbishment will not be complete when the doors of the Filmhouse reopen for the first time in almost three years later this month. Read more: A new fourth screen cinema is not due to open until later in the summer, when the new-look Filmhouse is expected to host Edinburgh International Film Festival screenings. It is understood around £100,000 is still needed for other key elements of the project, to ensure the new-look Filmhouse is as accessible and energy efficient as possible. The bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund was also intended to help for improvements to the façade of the former church building, which is part of Edinburgh's city centre culture quarter, along with the Usher Hall, and the Lyceum and Traverse theatres. The Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh is due to reopen by the end of this month. (Image: Rod White) However it was turned down a bid for up to £250,000 in April – months after multi-million pound pledges were made over two other major cultural projects in the city. Up to £5 million has been pledged for plans to turn the former Royal High School on Calton Hill into a new National Centre for Music, while a further £4.5m has been pledged towards efforts to reopen the Leith Theatre building on a permanent basis for the first time in more than 40 years. New seating has been installed in the Filmhouse cinema ahead of its reopening. (Image: Alastair McCrum) The UK Government, the Scottish Government agency Screen Scotland and Edinburgh City Council have all supported the rescue bid for the Filmhouse, which had been running for more than 40 years until its operating company went into administration in October 2022. The Filmhouse and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which were both run by the Centre for Moving Image, were forced to cease trading with immediate effect. The Filmhouse crowdfunder, which has raised more than £325,000 to date, has been backed by stars including the Jack Lowden, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Emma Thompson, Dougray Scott, Kate Dickie and Timothy Spall. The rescue of the cinema has been led by a group of former staff who led an unsuccessful bid to buy the building, but managed to persuade Caledonian Heritable, the Edinburgh-based bar and restaurant operator, to agree to negotiations over a potential lease agreement after it snapped up the building for £2.65m. Their new charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, would go on to secure a 25-year lease, and £1.5m in crucial funding from the UK Government to pay for a refurbishment which was seen as critical to the future success of the reopened cinema. New seating has been installed in the Filmhouse's three long-running screenings rooms, which will have a lower capacity but with more leg room and more comfortable seats, the much-loved café-bar has been refurbished and expanded, and the cinema will have a revamped foyer. However the Filmhouse website states: 'We have the funds to reopen Filmhousem but the more we have the better it will be, so our crowdfunder remains open.' The crowdfunding page adds: 'The crowdfunder has been a huge success and has enabled Filmhouse to look forward to welcoming you back very soon. 'We are still fundraising to make sure we have enough to cover all the costs incurred as we ramp up the new Filmhouse organisation – and for key improvements such as accessibility and minimising environmental impact. 'Any funds we can raise here will make a real difference to the future of Filmhouse.' Former Filmhouse and film festival chief executive Ginnie Atkinson, one of the four former staff members behind the rescue bid, said: 'Of course we were disappointed not to receive anything from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, but we know that is a very competitive environment. "We do have the funding in place to create the fourth screen at the back of the Filmhouse. "However I would say that we still need to raise around £100,000 for the important work that we still want to do." Caroline Clark, National Lottery Heritage Fund director for Scotland, said: 'I can confirm that we did not award support to a recent project funding application relating to the Filmhouse. "We know this is very disappointing news. Unfortunately, we have a high level of competition for grants at every stage of the grant application process and we are unable to support all the applications we receive.'
Press and Journal
a day ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Cash-strapped council pushed to AXE £3m Denburn restoration after grant snub
Planning chiefs are pushing for the £3 million restoration of Aberdeen's Denburn to be 'paused indefinitely' after they were refused a crucial grant. The restoration project was launched two years ago to make the ancient stream and surrounding wetland habitat more accessible to residents. Under the plans, the 1.5 mile stretch from the Den of Maidencraig nature reserve to King's Gate in the west of the city would have been enhanced. It was also proposed to re-meander the Denburn and create new footpaths for visitors to stroll along. And for the last two years, council leaders have been trying to work out how to fund the project – securing extra support from Sepa and Nestrans. But now, planning officials are recommending the project is kicked in the long grass after they were denied a £1.5m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The local authority has already secured some promises of cash to help bring the project to fruition. Sepa pledged to pay up to £950,000 through its Water Environment Fund, however, this funding is time-limited and would be lost if the project is delayed. This is on top of another £250,000 which they gave the council for the designs. Money was also secured from Nestrans and bus lane fines for the new path works, which will also only be awarded if the proposal moves forward. However, planning chief David Dunne explains that if they don't find the remaining money needed to complete the project by September, they will have to refund it all. The whole scheme is estimated to cost around £3m – nearly a million more than initially expected. After securing the first batches of cash and joining with Sepa to develop the project, city chiefs were tasked with finding external sources for the final piece of the puzzle. The National Lottery Heritage Fund was found as the best match and the application was submitted in November – but refused just a few months later. Lottery bosses explained they preferred to give the cash to other projects and suggested the Denburn one would benefit from more financial support from the council instead. And now Mr Dunne has advised that it would be wise to shelve the project until they find other avenues to fund. This is one of four options drawn up by his planning team, which also include moving forward as planned despite the grant snub and scrapping the restoration altogether. In his report, he writes: 'The Den Burn Restoration Project is an active project with SEPA and is prioritised for funding with them. 'Pausing the project indefinitely will very significantly raise the risk of losing this existing external funding. 'However, there appear no other choices in the absence of match funding.' Members of the local authority's net zero, environment and transport committee will discuss the Denburn project when they meet next week.
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
The Welsh village with a world-famous feature where house prices are surging
The Welsh village with a world-famous feature where house prices are surging It's not hard to see why the area has proved to be such a popular place to live - and people are willing to pay even more for the privilege Coastal housing in Wales in cheapest in Prestatyn last year, according to Land Registry figures (Image: Hadyn Iball/North Wales Live ) The Anglesey village of Llanfairpwll is renowned for having the world's second-longest name, but it boasts more than just a unique moniker. In 2024, when property prices across the UK were struggling, Llanfairpwll bucked the trend, with house values rising by 12% to an average of £266,746, according to data from the Land Registry. This growth was particularly notable given the 5.1% decline in overall property prices on Anglesey in 2024, although the market now appears to be recovering. Llanfairpwll's resilience was highlighted in the latest Lloyds Coastal Homes Review, which ranked the village sixth out of 197 seaside locations in the UK for the largest annual price increases in 2024. The allure of coastal living, which had driven up property prices since the pandemic, waned slightly in 2024, with the average price of a seaside home dipping by 1% year-on-year. However, this shift left Prestatyn in Denbighshire as the most affordable coastal location in Wales, according to the Lloyds review, published on Monday, May 26. Despite this, demand for properties in Llanfairpwll surged, although the reasons for this are not immediately apparent. The village has long been a desirable location, boasting an "excellent"-rated primary school, a GP surgery, dentists, and a range of shops, cafes, and pubs. Nestled near the banks of the Menai Strait and under the watchful eye of the 89ft Tŵr Marcwis (Anglesey Column), the village's standout feature is its superb transport links. Not only is it enveloped by the A55, but it's also bordered by a railway line, which has made the village famous, reports North Wales Live. Indeed, the village holds a lasting charm for visitors. Each year, around 200,000 people flock to Llanfairpwll to gaze at the 58 letters that form its adopted name. Most gather at the railway station before heading into James Pringle Weavers World of Shopping, with some even daring to tackle the 115-step climb to the top of Tŵr Marcwis. Adding to Llanfairpwll's appeal are its stunning coastal walks along the Strait. It boasts some prestigious neighbours too, including the National Trust's Plas Newydd and, closer still, Plas Llanfair, another property once owned by the Marquis of Anglesey and now an MOD mountain training centre. Tŵr Marcwis (Anglesey Column) stands proud over Llanfairpwll. It was awarded 872,800 by he National Lottery Heritage Fund for repairs and a new visitor centre including a shop and cafe (Image: National Lottery Heritage Fund ) Given its firm boundaries – the railway and the A55 – land is scarce in Llanfair. A green field buffer strip by the A55 is gradually being eroded, with the relatively new Llys Eilian development now bordering the dual-carriageway. Campaigners have been battling the expansion of the Y Garnedd estate, striving to prevent the building of 27 "affordable" flats and houses on one of the village's last green spaces. Despite a 1,051-signature petition, their efforts were thwarted when Anglesey Council approved the project last November. The development's backers have made the case for the dire need for affordable housing in a village burdened with a lengthy social housing waiting list on the Tai Teg Register, emphasising the increased property values in areas where demand surpasses supply. Throughout Britain, Lloyds' review pinpointed the plush Dorset area of Sandbanks as maintaining its position as the most expensive seaside spot, even with a 3% drop year-on-year, with average property prices remaining at a lofty £965,708. It was Gourock, an old Scottish coastal town, that saw the largest price spike in 2024, enjoying a 24% increase. Following closely was St Mawes in Cornwall with an 18% upturn. At Llanfairpwll railway station, place name photographs are a must for visitors such as YouTubers Geoff Marshall and Vicky Pipe (Image: All The Stations ) Over the past five years, this Cornish fishing village has witnessed a staggering 68% surge in house prices, adding an average of £222,602 to the price tags of local homes, a testimony to the draw of charming seaside locations. Amanda Bryden, spearheading mortgages at Lloyds, remarked: "Coastal living continues to hold a special appeal – whether it's the lure of sea views, sandy beaches, or a slower pace of life. "In some of the UK's most desirable coastal towns, average prices have dipped slightly over the past year. But, over the longer term, values remain significantly higher – especially in the South West (of England), where demand from lifestyle movers continues to shape the market. Article continues below "At the other end of the scale, there are still pockets of real affordability, where buyers can find coastal homes for a fraction of the price. For those willing to look beyond the traditional hotspots, there are some hidden gems offering great value and a strong sense of community. "It's also important to recognise that not all coastal areas share the same fortunes. Some seaside towns face significant challenges, from seasonal economies to a lack of affordable housing for local people."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Councillor hits out at ‘woke' 'fake news' event
This story is only available to Hereford Times subscribers. Click here to find out why and how to subscribe for exclusive stories. A Herefordshire town councillor has claimed an event to chart the direction of Hereford's new museum will be an exercise in 'woke virtue-signalling'. The latest in a series of events put on by Herefordshire Council's museums and galleries department, 'Contentious narratives' will 'invite local people to discuss how museums should respond to fake news, misinformation and contested histories'. The department's head Damian Etheraads said it would question 'how can we present complex or controversial subjects with integrity, resisting harmful ideologies without becoming dogmatic'. RELATED NEWS: Hereford protest in High Town: Great British National Strike Complaint over Herefordshire town councillor behaviour Councillors 'fail to attend or prepare for' key meetings This will help shape displays in the city's new £18-million museum and art gallery in Broad Street, on which building work is due to begin shortly, 'based on what matters to our communities', he added. But Coun Ewen Sinclair of Ledbury posted on Facebook: Herefordshire Council are funding an event to have an 'open' discussion, then the organiser will tell you what to think. He is going to discuss 'fake' news and 'misinformation'. Anyone who says disinformation and misinformation, is probably lying. Unfortunately I can't be there but can people please attend to question this self promoting, virtue signalling, woke and aggrandising individual. Who is squandering the Council Tax you pay. A council spokesperson said the public assembly is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of its package to support the museum and gallery project. What are your thoughts? You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here. Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence. 'Their aim is to give Herefordshire people the chance to understand how we're approaching the redevelopment of the museum; not just what the plans are, but the thinking, values, and principles behind them,' they said. 'In the upcoming session we won't be telling people what to think.' OTHER NEWS: No takers for mayor role after town council's 'difficult year' Anger as £25K spent on study to boost town's tourism Victory in builder's battle to keep living in caravan The event is being held at the History Store, the council's museums repository in Friars Street, Hereford, on Saturday June 7. It is free to attend with no booking required. In February Coun Sinclair was formally rebuked by Herefordshire Council's standards panel over an altercation with a resident. He claimed at the time that the council 'are trying to cancel me'. This was third time he was found in breach of the town councillors' code of conduct since being elected unopposed to Ledbury West parish ward in October 2021.
Edinburgh Reporter
28-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Bathgate meadows plan survives £17m lottery rejection
Plans to provide a green lane through the heart of Bathgate will survive the loss of £17m National Lottery funding, councillors have been told. The plan, launched in 2022, will eventually see Bathgate Burn restored and its banks turned into green space, as well as creating travel routes running through the heart of the town. However, having funded initial design plans the National Lottery Heritage Fund backed away from proposals in January because of 'the very significant increase in the cost and scope of the project.' New, rationalised proposals expected later this year will concentrate on the greening of the Bathgate Burn. The withdrawal caused consternation among local groups working with the Council and national agencies such as SEPA and Sustrans, looking at ways to bring the Bathgate Meadows Nature Park to life. What had started out as potentially a £10m project had ballooned to £20m as the number of active travel routes had increased, involving more work on the town's streets as well as along the banks of the Bathgate Burn. In a report to the town's local area management committee this week Graeme Burton the council's Design Engineering Manager said: 'The feedback from the National Lottery Heritage Fund was that the level of unsecured match funding was the main risk to the project, as well as the increase in scope. 'A significant portion of the unsecured funding is because the council is only able to apply for active travel funding from Transport Scotland on a yearly basis, which is not guaranteed. Mr Burton report added 'the council will aim to rationalise the current scope during the next phase of the design.' Despite the unsuccessful National Lottery application, SEPA have expressed their ambition to continue funding the project through to the construction phase. SUStrans Places for Everyone funding will still be available until September 2025, at which point this funding stream will cease. Other funding will need to be applied for on a yearly basis to deliver the active travel elements through Transport Scotland's Active Travel Infrastructure Fund. This fund takes the place of the SUStrans Places for Everyone fund. Mr Burton's report to the local area committee added: 'Officers have recently been liaising with all project partners and the Project Board to identify the next steps. It is intended that river restoration and active travel elements will continue development, however, the community engagement and traineeships elements will reduce in scope. 'One of the project partners, Forth Rivers Trust, was the partner who would have continued community engagement and traineeships; however, it has been decided that West Lothian Council officers will progress community engagement on a reduced scale, with no further involvement from Forth Rivers Trust. 'Designs are currently ongoing, with detailed designs for river restoration programmed to be complete towards the end of 2026, following statutory consultation periods and due to seasonal constraints for wildlife identified within the area. 'The detailed design for some active travel routes are programmed to be complete by Autumn 2025.' Council officers had to call an emergency meeting with the local committee in January when the National Lottery made its decision. There were widespread fears that the project would collapse. At the time a council spokesperson described the decision as 'obviously disappointing' but stressed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service: ' It is not correct to suggest that the Bathgate Meadows Nature Park Project has been cancelled. 'This is an ambitious multi-year project involving multiple partners with the aim of regenerating the area around the Bathgate Water. The council is a member of a multi-agency project board, working alongside members of the community to deliver the Bathgate Meadows restoration. This is a complex piece of work, funded through multiple phases via a number of identified funding streams.' Councillor Pauline Stafford sought assurances that community involvement would still be part of the plan Mr Burton said that it has been decided that West Lothian Council officers will progress community engagement on a reduced scale, with no further involvement from Forth Rivers Trust. By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
