Seven shops in Skegness having facelifts in Town Deal transformations

Scaffolding went up outside Alisons designerwear shop in Lumley Road last week – and now the projects being delivered Heritage Lincolnshire has been officially declared.

The works in Skegness are part of the Town Centre Transformation Town Deal project, funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Communities, the Connected Coast

Town Deal Board and Local Government.

‘Town Centre Transformations: Skegness’, is the first grant scheme to enhance the heritage of Skegness and will result in a substantial pot of grant funding being made available to local businesses and property owners in Skegness Town Centre, specifically Lumley Road, the High Street and Tower Gardens.

For a number of months Heritage Lincolnshire have been working with local businesses and architects to gain planning permission for seven reinstated shopfronts. The first four have received planning permission and now have approval from the Grants Panel to proceed with the project.

Along with Alisons, director Mohammed Javed is putting new shop fronts on three other businesses in Lumley Road.

"We have sold quality designerwear in Lumley Road for 40 years and have always taken pride and maintatned the upkeep of our shop front,” he said.

"However, when the Town Deal funding became available we thought it was an excellent opportunity to modernise the look of the building.

“We are very excited now the work has started and hope to have it completed in time to showcase our Christmas displays.

"We believe the work will totally transform the entrance to the town’s shopping centre for the people travelling here by train or heading to the seafront by car.

"We hope when other shop owners see what we are doing – and that includes three other of our shops, too – they will be inspired to invest in their businesses, too.”

Alice Ullathorne, Head of Heritage at Heritage Lincolnshire, said “We are so excited that these projects will finally be realised and thanks to the funding from the government and the great support from the Connected Coast Board and our fantastic grants panel.

"We hope this will show the potential of Skegness’s heritage offer as well as bringing back the quality of the past.”

Chris Baron, Chair of the Connected Coast Board, said: “These works are set to significantly enhance Skegness, restoring building shopfronts, rejuvenating Tower Gardens, creating better public realm and street scenes, and ultimately, revitalising the town.

“Through the Town Deal funding, we have a unique opportunity to invest in the town centre and bring long-lasting improvements that will benefit local residents and visitors to Skegness.

“It is fantastic to see that the delivery of the improvements is gathering pace, and I look forward to seeing the works progress throughout the year."

Mr Baron added the deal is highly beneficial as even though the specification maybe more expensive than they may have considered they can attract up to 90% funding for the work.

He said: "This is one of the most generous shop front schemes in the country but is limited and so applicants should start the process as soon as possible.

Any businesses interested in taking up the Town Deal offer should contact Alice Ullathorne of Heritage Lincolnshire on [email protected].