Grimsby and Scunthorpe to receive £1m funding to "brighten up" towns

The money will come from the Government's Levelling Up Fund

Author: Rory GannonPublished 19th May 2024

Grimsby and Scunthorpe are set to receive £1m in collective funding from the government to help revive the towns and bring shoppers back to the high street.

Both towns will receive £500k each from Westminster's Levelling Up Fund to help entice people back to the towns, using the money to breathe new life into the local community.

Grimsby itself will see a flurry of greenery take over the town thanks to pillars of plants and flowers that will stretch across the town, with a particular focus on Victoria Street.

Similarly, Scunthorpe's high street is set to have to a makeover, with new furniture including benches and lamps to be replaced for the most up-to-date infrastructure.

Speaking in an interview, chairwoman of Grimsby Town Centre's High Street Accelerator Partnership Liz Parry said: "I speak on behalf of the whole partnership in expressing our thanks for this financial award.

"Within the partnership and in the wider business and voluntary community of Grimsby Town Centre, there is a determination to work with North East Lincolnshire Council and others to make a real difference to the environment around us."

It comes following North East Lincolnshire Council's quick action to keep Grimsby clean following a host of graffiti being sprayed across the town.

Planters, pavements and shop fronts were adorned with red spray paint on Thursday night (May 16th), but was quickly cleaned from the scene overnight.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger communities, said on the graffiti issue: “This behaviour is frankly deplorable.

"To damage and deface local amenities that are there for people’s safety or comfort is absurd. As a Council, we do what we can to make the town centre an enjoyable and safe space for everyone."

Cllr Shepherd added: "The person or people responsible for all of these acts of vandalism will be made to pay for their actions, no one should feel they can detract from our borough through criminality."

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.