Eight industrial heritage sites in England are to receive support through the latest round of the Cultural Investment Fund announced in March 2023. The Cultural Investment Fund, delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is a package of the three capital funds: the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), Libraries Improvement Fund, and Cultural Development Fund. It is designed to protect and improve people’s access to culture, regenerate communities, upgrade buildings and digital infrastructure, and use investment to promote economic growth.  

A total of £58,826,502 has been invested in 71 projects with £10.32m going to industrial sites.  The eight industrial heritage recipients are:

• the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, which will receive £5 million from the Cultural Development Fund to improve facilities and accessibility and support local education, health and wellbeing projects.
• Papplewick Pumping Station Trust who receive £518,000 for porch, chimney & wall repairs.
• SS Great Britain Trust who receives £728,985 for their MEND the Gap project.
• Coldharbour Mill Museum receives £495,000 for their Revitalisation project.
• The Museum of East Anglian Life receives £1,409,600 from MEND for improving facilities at the Food Museum.
• Nene Valley Railway Limited receives £669,873 for trackworks.
• Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre receives £433,766 from MEND for essential work to the Bagging shed area.
• and The Long Shop Museum receives £1,071,616 for their ‘Put it on the Slate’ project.