Historic England is supporting the Grade II* Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust with £767,222 towards the repair of the Winter Gardens, known affectionately as ‘The People’s Palace’. Morecambe Winter Gardens is one of six successful projects awarded in the North West through the Heritage At Risk Capital Funds Scheme.

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and led by Historic England, the fund will benefit projects in disadvantaged communities, creating jobs and community spaces with £15 million shared across 37 sites in England

£2.4 million will be awarded to six historic places in the North West including Morecambe Winter Gardens, through the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, a volunteer led group who oversee the restoration of this iconic seaside landmark building.

Louise Brennan, Director of Regions at Historic England said: “Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings in the North West that we haven’t been able to help through our existing grant schemes. This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the region’s most disadvantaged areas. We’re thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it’s needed most.”

Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross said: “Our extraordinary heritage weaves together the stories that define who we are as communities and as a nation.

Morecambe Winter Gardens bid was led and developed by Professor Vanessa Toulmin Chair of the Morecambe Winter Gardens Trust and Professor of Early Film and Popular Entertainment at the University of Sheffield. The Trust has worked tirelessly over the last five years to bring in over £5 Million of capital development funding to repair and restore the historic infrastructure of the Grade 2* listed theatre and this funding brings in crucial infrastructure repairs that are critical for future use of the building.

On awarding the grant Historic England – These works provide an excellent opportunity to contribute to the ongoing volunteer-run and volunteer-led revitalisation of the building, which has also received funding from the Cultural Development Fund to bring back into use the circle and the gods. Repairs to the structure and staircases will be undertaken, allowing the building to increase its capacity and continue to develop its success as a centrepiece for community and cultural groups, promoting civic pride.

The bid was supported by Lancaster City Council, The Theatres Trust and Lizzie Collins, M.P for Morecambe and Lunesdale

Claire Appleby, Head of Theatre Buildings at Theatres Trust says “Morecambe Winter Gardens is a shining example of how Theatres Trust can work with Theatres at Risk on their journey towards revitalisation. We were happy to endorse MWGPT’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund application and are thrilled that this has been successful. The essential repairs funded represent a significant step towards the restoration and full reopening of the Morecambe Winter Gardens, which will ultimately enable more visitors to enjoy this wonderful theatre, its programme of entertainment, its heritage and architecture.”

Councillor Martin Bottoms, Lancaster City Council, cabinetmember with responsibility for Morecambe regeneration and local economy, said: “The Winter Gardens is one of Morecambe’s most treasured landmarks and I’m delighted that it is being recognised with this investment. It marks a major step forward in securing the future of the building, not only preserving its unique heritage but also unlocking its potential as a vibrant part of Morecambe’s regeneration. We’re proud to support this project, Vanessa, and the dedicated volunteers who have championed the Winter Gardens for so many years.”

Lizzi Collinge MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale said: “I am thrilled to see that the Winter Gardens has been awarded this grant. The work of the team and the trust over the past few years has been brilliant, and to see such a beautiful building come back to life is a real treat.

“I was pleased to support this application, so I really look forward to seeing how this grant money will further improve this historic landmark in Morecambe.”

The Historic England funded work will be completed by March 2026 and will complement the existing infrastructure, and extension works funded by Arts Council’s Cultural Development Fund which will see the building reopen from the end of June 2026 with the circle reinstated, a new toilet block and capacity increased to 1600 making it one of the largest venues in Lancashire.

Speaking on behalf of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, Professor Vanessa Toulmin stated – We are delighted once again to secure funding for our beloved theatre and feel this is testament to the 1000s of hours spent by the trustees and the volunteers maintaining, fundraising and opening our doors every weekend for the benefit of Morecambe. We as a Trust now have raised over £5M in funding to restore the building of which each penny is invested back into the building to enable us to progress and every week the people of Morecambe and visitors to our resort can see the benefits. This funding award was especially significant as it was only through the intensive surveys and structural work completed through the Cultural Development Fund that the ongoing issues to the structure were discovered and this funding secures a long-term future for aspects of the circle and future developments into the Gods.

Building work is commencing this month and is being undertaken by Rosslee Construction based in Accrington who worked across the North West with lead architects Buttress of Manchester and Project Management by Place Capital Group. The Theatre will be continuing to opening at a reduced capacity for weekends until the end of September and our list of events can be found at www.morecambewintergardens.co.uk

For further information please contact Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair@morecambewintergardens.co.uk