Durham Cathedral awarded £1.9million to help its recovery from Covid's cash impact

The UNESCO World Heritage site joins the The Lowry Theatre in Salford and Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury to be gifted cash through the Government’s #CulturalRecoveryFund (CRF).

The money, administered through the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and Historic England, is part of a £1.57billion rescue package to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across the UK from the economic impact of coronavirus.

As with many organisations, the pandemic has had an impact on its ability to generate income, due to a temporary closure earlier in the year and reduced visitor numbers since reopening.

The grant will provide immediate support for the cathedral’s recovery plans and build resilience to help safeguard this "unique treasure for the people of the North East and those who visit from across the UK and the world.”

The Very Reverend, Dean of Durham, Andrew Tremlett said: "Durham Cathedral has served its community as a place of worship, learning, and wonder for almost 1,000 years, and this grant will ensure that the doors of one of the most iconic buildings of the North remain open to all.

"This year has been challenging for so many, and we are grateful to the Government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their support and investment in the cultural sector.

"I would like to also thank all our staff, volunteers, and the wider cathedral community for their valuable support and dedication over these last few months, including our Friends, patrons, and corporate partners.

"Without them, the cathedral wouldn't be such a special place and we look forward to working together to support the recovery of our great region."

The funding will help protect the historic buildings, which accrue significant operating costs even during closure, including insurances, environmental monitoring, fire alarms, CCTV, and security and staffing costs of those tasks, as well as work to oversee operational and cultural changes in the organisation.

It will also be used to cover additional cleaning and equipment, such as PPE, hand sanitiser and signs so it can continue to provide a safe welcome and meet its Good to Go Visit Britain accreditation.

The award comes three months after initial funding from the NLHF to cover urgent costs, including emergency repairs.

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