Cleethorpes, Rothesay and St Austell are to share £4.7million of HLF funding to help secure their long-term future as thriving tourist destinations.

The money for these seaside towns is part of a £14m pot announced today for nine historic projects spread across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, creating 14 jobs, hundreds of volunteering opportunities and more than 2,000 traineeships. The funding is part of HLF's Townscape Heritage programme.

In Cleethorpes the money will be used to ensure the preservation of the distinctive architecture of two important streets which connect the town and the seafront. 

The funding for Rothesay will help revitalise some of the properties which visitors first see when arriving at the town by ferry, including the historic Winter Gardens and the Victorian public conveniences on the West Pier.

The St Austell project will rejuvenate the town centre by improving historic buildings and bringing public areas back into use, creating opportunities to deliver training to local people.

The full list of new projects

• Worksop - the regeneration of the historic commercial street and forgotten spaces: £1.35m, including £67,800 development funding
• Hartlepool Church Street Conservation Area Revival: £1.1m, including £40,100 development funding
• Padiham - Crafting the Future: £1.4m, including £48,200 development funding
• Pontmorlais Townscape Heritage Quarter - Continuing the Renaissance: £1.2m, including £33,300 development funding
• Rothesay Townscape Heritage, Argyll and Bute: £1.9m, including £109,700 development funding
• St Austell Townscape Heritage Scheme: £934,000, including £34,400 development funding
• Central Cleethorpes Seafront Townscape Heritage Project: £1.9m, including £39,000 development funding
• The Burges Quarter Townscape Initiative in Coventry: £1.9m, including £172,000 development funding
• Armagh City Townscape Heritage Project: £1.9m, including £58,800 development funding

HLF's Townscape Heritage programme has awarded £274m to 300 projects over the past 20 years, funding partnerships between local authorities, businesses and community groups and helping to halt and reverse the decline of some of our best-loved historic townscapes.

How to find out more

More information about grants can be found on the Townscape Heritage programme page.