KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
News

Lottery grant helps revive Chatham Historic Dockyard's Fitted Rigging House

By: Nicola Jordan njordan@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 00:01, 01 November 2018

The Fitted Rigging House, a previously run down, underused building in Chatham Historic Dockyard, has been transformed into a flourishing business hub, thanks to a multi-million pound lottery grant.

Arts, Heritage and Tourism Minister, Michael Ellis, formally opened the awarding-winning venue’ s latest capital renovation project .

The funding has been ploughed into providing the historic Grade II listed workshop with rental space for commercial tenants and a volunteers’ centre.

Digital, Arts, Heritage and Tourism Minister Michael Ellis opens The Fitted Rigging House with Chairman of the Trust Admiral Sir Trevor Soar at the Historic Dockyard on Thursday. Picture: Chris Davey .. (4891856)

It will also house the dockyard’s “nationally important” library and archives with improved visitor access.

The building, which dates back to 1793, provided accommodation for dockyard workers to make warships’ standing rigging and a storehouse for new equipment.

mpu1

Two anchor tenants Dovetail Games, a Medway-based video game producer and Ward Security, an established national company, have already moved in. A third building services and environmental consultancy is looking to relocate early next year.

The Fitted Rigging House at Chatham Historic Dockyard. Picture: Chris Davey (4891794)

The overall £8.2 million scheme has unlocked and secured the long-term future of the 80-acre historic dockyard site with its 100 historic buildings. Its unprecedented collection of Georgian structures make it the world’s most complete dockyard of the age of sail.

Bill Ferris, chief executive of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, said: “This project marks a significant point in the historic dockyard’s history.

“Creating 21st century spaces within historic buildings is something we have undertaken for many years and this project extends the creative business cluster that is thriving within the site.”

The total of about £70m grant-funded investment since 1984 when the former naval base closed, has turned a near derelict site into a well-restored, world-class heritage location with a thriving mixed-use community.

The completion of the Fitted Rigging House project significantly increases rental income achieved and brings the total contribution made to the Medway economy to £26.3 million.

Read more

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024