Egremont community hub gets £7m boost

A cocktail of funding, including £5.75m from the nuclear sector, has been secured to redevelop the former Red Lion pub on Main Street into a new asset for the town.

In total, almost £10m has been secured by the Egremont Town Team for the project. Last year, the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal pledged £3m and now Sellafield, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and the Decommissioning and Nuclear Waste Partnership are to invest an additional £5.75m. The Copeland Community Fund will add £1m.

The scheme to be funded features

Under the deal, the empty brownfield site off Egremont’s Main Street would be redeveloped into a new central public space for the town.

The Red Lion pub was demolished in 2020, and on its footprint, Cumberland Council is set to deliver ArkleBoyce and Re-form’s designs for a community building facing a plaza with a central water feature and a children’s play area.

The building would feature multi-use community space, four workshops, and two retail units.

In addition, improvements will also be made to the Florence Arts Centre, including a new performance space and cafe.

Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “This is tremendous news – I am so pleased to see these developments gather pace. It’s a time of real change and renewal for Egremont and the Town Team should be proud of how hard they have worked to bring it about.

“These investments will improve footfall, increase visitor numbers, and offer new business opportunities. I am delighted that, collectively, we have grasped this opportunity to give Egremont the vibrant and resilient economy, and first-class cultural offer, that it deserves.”

Work on the schemes should begin in early 2027 and take around 12 to 18 months to complete, according to Cumberland Council.