READING Borough Council is celebrating the culmination of a four-year project investing in the heritage of the town’s high streets and buildings.
The High Street Heritage Action Zone was among those taking a share of £95 million in government funding aimed at improving the appearance and quality of life in communities around the UK.
Reading was one of 67 locations which received funding in an initiative led by Historic England, with £800,000 going to the council and match funded for a total of £1.6m.
The subsequent program focused on high streets in Castle Hill, Russell Street, Oxford Road, St Mary’s Butts, Castle Street, Market Place, and London Street.
The initiative saw improvements to buildings, including repairs, the reinstatement of lost features, and conversion into new spaces.
It also funded community events such as engagement on heritage issues and the provision of cultural events to celebrate the high street.
These have included an exhibition in Reading Museum exploring how local people and artists respond to everyday life and the rich cultural diversity of the town.
It has also included art exhibitions, performances, and a collection of works telling the stories of the attendees at Reading’s LifeSpring Church in Blake’s Lock.
The High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme was the largest ever publicly funded community-led cultural programme to date.
Cllr Barnett-Ward Reading’s Lead for Leisure and Culture said: “We were fortunate to be one of only 67 areas to benefit from the generous £800K of funding from Historic England. With match funding this became a £1.6 million investment in historic high streets in and around the town centre. Although the programme was not a COVID-response initiative – we applied before the pandemic – the funding and focus it provided mean it has played an important role in the recovery of our town centre high streets post-COVID.”
“The concept of the HSHAZ was to future-proof high streets by highlighting the heritage that is already there. We have been protecting and enhancing these historic areas and also celebrating their uniqueness. Each area that has seen improvements has its own unique flavour, and each had its own stories to tell. For example, the Oxford Road began as a medieval highway and has a vibrant history that manifests itself today in its multi-cultural, colourful streetscape. The HSHAZ programme has shone a light on the road’s history, heritage, and community.”
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: “We want our high streets to last–we know how important they are to our collective identity, our local pride and our sense of place.
“This means reimagining a new future for them so they remain at the heart of our communities.”
He explained: “Our High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative has proven that heritage-led regeneration can unlock a new, positive future for England’s high streets.
“Across the four years, I have seen the simple yet tangible impact that restoring shop fronts and community spaces makes, and I have witnessed with utter joy the power of bringing people together on our high streets through celebratory cultural events.
“These places deserve a future.”
Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson, of Whitley Bay, said: “Our high streets are the arteries which have provided the lifeblood of our communities down the ages–each generation has left their mark on them, and the way we use them continues to change.
“The brilliant High Street Heritage Action Zones have enabled people across the country to learn about the hidden histories of the buildings they pass every day, helping to shed light on the past, bring people together in the present, and inspire new ideas for the future.
“Historic England has done brilliant work – with the support of the Government, and the involvement of local authorities, community trusts and arts organisations – to deliver this programme over the past four years, helping our high streets to spring back to life after the pandemic, and ensuring that they will remain at the heart of their communities for generations to come.”
