Almost £3m of funding to bring Redruth Buttermarket back to life
The National Lottery Heritage Fund cash will go towards revitalizing the Grade II Listed building
Last updated 2nd Jul 2022
Redruth Buttermarket is being brought back to life thanks to almost three million pounds of funding.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund cash will go towards revitalizing the Grade II Listed buildings.
The site used to be home to local businesses and market traders, but had gradually fallen into disrepair since the closure of the adjacent livestock market in the 1980s and the end of tin mining in the 1990s.
Now the Redruth Revival project aims to bring the Buttermarket into the 21st century by creating an economically thriving, cultural and community hub in the heart of the town. It will conserve, repair and unlock the potential of this cluster of historic buildings and create new spaces for local businesses, affordable entry level workspaces and an all-year festival and events space.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund says supporting opportunities for local people is an integral part to this project. Officials say it will create employment space for 25 businesses, showcasing local entrepreneurialism and creativity.
The workspaces will offer affordable, entry-level spaces for start-ups but also have the flexibility for larger units when businesses become more established, meaning people can grow their space with their business. These spaces will also champion sustainability with tenants on ‘green leases’, helping towards the carbon neutral ambition A similar success has been seen at Redruth’s former grammar school which is now the Krowji creative space for businesses.
Alongside this, new jobs and apprenticeships will be created through the project. Working with local colleges, Digital Marketing and Construction Apprenticeships will allow young people from the community to learn new skills to stand them in good stead for a career in their chosen path.
The community are at the heart of the project, with events and festivals bringing the courtyard space to life again. Young people and Redruth’s creative community will create new interpretation that tells the stories of the history of the Buttermarket. As well as this, the food offering will champion Cornwall’s culinary delights with space for local food providers and an all-year-round market. This will also help to support more Cornish businesses and keep the food miles down to be better for the planet.
Judy Davidson, MBE and Chair of Redruth Revival said: “We are thrilled to receive this incredible support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players across the UK, this money will help to revitalise the town centre and bring the community together.
“For centuries Redruth was arguably the greatest market town in Cornwall. It was the administrative and financial centre for international hard rock mining until the mid-20th century and in more recent years, has become home to Cornwall's largest cluster of creative businesses and Kresen Kernow, the home of Cornwall's archives. However, the High Street and town centre has suffered in a similar way that other industrial towns have seen. Through this regeneration, life will be brought back to our town centre and the Buttermarket complex; it will help to bring businesses, the community and visitors back into Redruth.”
Stuart McLeod, Director England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted that we can support Redruth Revival to transform its spaces and visitor experience for the future. The decline of our high streets and town centres has been very apparent over the years, even more so with the pandemic. We need to support our historic market towns to adapt and regenerate, and this project is a fantastic example of the local community leading the way to make this happen.
"The new space will play an integral part in the community of Redruth and offer a huge opportunity for locals. As an organisation, it’s essential that we invest in heritage such as this because it makes communities better places to live, creates jobs, supports the local economy and drives tourism.”