The Bishop's Palace and Gardens in Wells has received £364,000 from the government's Culture Recovery Fund to help it stay open.

The historic site is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion fund.

Four hundred and forty-five organisations will share £103 million in this first round of funding, including the Bishop's Palace, to help restart vital work and maintenance on cherished heritage sites, keeping venues open and supporting those working in the sector.

The Bishop's Palace's £364,000 will be used to ensure that the site can remain open throughout the winter months for the public to visit and enjoy.

The funds will cover staff costs, Covid-safe alterations to the working and visiting environment and digital updates including a new website to enable potential visitors to research and understand the site, and purchase their tickets online prior to visiting.

This funding is specifically from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage and the Heritage Stimulus Fund - funded by Government and administered at arm's length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Other organisations around the country that have received money from these funds include Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire, Blackpool's Winter Gardens and the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincolnshire.

Rosie Martin, chief executive of the Palace Trust, said: "We're absolutely thrilled to have received this vital funding.

advertisement

"After suffering catastrophic losses earlier in the year, we had serious concerns about our ability to keep the site open to the public.

"This funding means that we can continue to employ all of our staff and to make appropriate changes to ensure that they can work safely.

"In turn, this means that we will be able to keep this wonderful heritage site open to all to benefit from and enjoy.

"We've seen that visitors and locals have a new found appreciation for our stunning gardens and we hear that spending time at our site is contributing to people's sense of wellbeing at this difficult time.

"We will also be investing some funding into our digital infrastructure to ensure that we can maintain our digital engagement with our audiences."

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."

advertisement