UK’s largest heritage funder chooses Tameside for local transformation

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced Tameside will be one of six new areas joining its ambitious Heritage Places initiative, designed to put heritage at the heart of regeneration plans for towns, cities and green spaces across the UK.

Tameside is the first Heritage Place for the North West of England, and Greater Manchester.

Encompassing 9 distinct places and towns, Tameside is rich in heritage and ambition. Home to over 300 listed buildings and three Scheduled Ancient Monuments, the area boasts a wealth of heritage assets. But it is more than built heritage; it is the home of the Manchester Regiment and local brass bands laid the foundations for the oldest Whit Friday Brass Band contests in the world. 

Tameside Council has been working closely with the Heritage Fund to unlock the potential of these heritage gems. With strong foundations and bold ambition, Tameside is poised to transform its heritage into a powerful driver of place-making and prosperity. 

Tameside and the other six areas join nine others, previously announced in 2023, as part of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s plan to invest £200m in up to 20 areas across the UK. The aim is to unlock the potential of local heritage to connect communities, revitalise local economies and enable places to thrive.

Heritage Places aims to play a vital role in forging long-term partnerships to revitalise the heritage that communities care about and to explore untapped possibilities, contributing to local identity, increasing heritage skills and boosting pride in places.

Cllr Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council Executive Leader said: “Heritage is incredibly important to us in Tameside – it’s not just about our buildings but it’s about our people and communities, our natural landscape, our shared histories and our personal stories – from our industrial heritage and brass bands through to our present day Whit Friday Brass Band contests. It is about our extensive canal networks historically linking us to the world and buildings finding new life, such as Ashton Old Baths transforming to a forward looking digital innovation hub. Our heritage is a key part of our future and how we grow, develop and thrive as a borough.

“It’s fantastic to have our wonderful and rich heritage in Tameside recognised at a national level and I’m excited about how this strategic partnership can support us as a wider borough and community to work together to care for, protect, strengthen and grow our cultural and heritage assets going forward.”

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Tameside is well known for its rich industrial legacy, but there’s a big breadth of fantastic heritage to discover and enjoy.

“From stunning landscapes to fascinating cultural memories that live on today, it is the ideal choice to be our first Heritage Place in Greater Manchester and more widely the North West of England. Each of our six new Heritage Places holds incredible potential and there are so many heritage treasures to be excited about.

“We have chosen six standout locations to champion, supporting them to shape bold new visions for connecting people with the heritage on their doorstep. Our vision is simple: we want heritage to be valued, cared for, and sustained — for everyone, now and for generations to come, and this is made possible thanks to National Lottery players.

“For the last thirty years, our approach has focused on investing in heritage to create better places to live, work and visit. Heritage Places builds on this momentum, offering long-term support during challenging times, driving even greater impact, and reaffirming our commitment to heritage across the UK.”

The other five new Heritage Places are: Barking & Dagenham, Belfast Historic Waterfront, Dudley, Orkney Islands and Ynys Môn – Isle of Anglesey.

This initiative is part of #Heritage 2033, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s 10-year strategy, which includes other initiatives helping places to thrive including Landscapes Connections and Nature Towns and Cities. Together, these programmes aim to tackle the challenges facing heritage and maximise its contribution to people and places across the UK.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder of heritage in the UK and since 1994 has awarded over £9 billion to more than 48,000 projects, all made possible thanks to National Lottery players.