Praise for Penrith's £170,000 Coronation Garden lottery success

Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart has offered his congratulations to the Penrith Rotary Club and Eden District Council on receiving the news that Penrith's Coronation Garden is to be restored, thanks to a grant of almost £170,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

 The project, managed by the Rotary Club and with the local Council's support, was given a development grant of almost £21,000 one year ago by HLF to work up detailed plans. These were completed recently, submitted for approval and now the remainder of the grant has been released. The Coronation Garden, a small plot of land adjacent to the Town Hall, was created in 1938 to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI. In recent years, however, it had fallen into disrepair and was rarely visited by the public.

Rory said: "This will be a marvellous boost for Penrith, which boasts so many hidden architectural gems. The garden is a lovely spot, tucked away behind the Town Hall, and will I am sure be restored beautifully now that the grant has been approved. The Rotary Club and Eden District Council have worked enormously hard to get a great restoration plan together. Paths and planted areas will be restored, and surviving original features - including the entrance gates - will be given a new lease of life. Replica railings will be built, and new features will include raised flower beds, a sensory garden and a rail to aid sight-impaired people. I am very much looking forward to this restoration, another important milestone in Penrith's regeneration as a significant Cumbrian market town."

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: "We are delighted to be able to support the full restoration of this precious green-space right in the heart of the town. It can be enjoyed by local people and visitors once more as well as offering insights into the town's history."