Didcot Railway Centre has been given a financial lifeline by the government to help it survive the coronavirus pandemic.
The popular steam railway attraction next to Didcot Parkway has been awarded £184,939 as part of the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.
The funding boost should help to ensure the 21-acre living museum has a sustainable future, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced.
The centre run by a registered charity, the Great Western Society, is one of 588 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support – with £76m of investment announced over the weekend.
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The funding is a lifeline to the popular attraction which, in a normal year, would attract over 50,000 visitors but is expecting 2020 attendance to fall by almost 60% following the enforced closure during lockdown and the reduce capacity at the Centre required to operate in a Covid-secure way.
Chief executive of the centre Emma Jhita said: “We are very grateful to Arts Council England, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and HM Treasury for this very welcome support. The panel has recognised that without coronavirus we have a sustainable business model, and this will help us get back on track.”
She added: “The team has worked hard to welcome visitors since July and we have been delighted that so many people have returned to enjoy the heritage the Centre has to offer, but even with extra Steam Days through September, our first ever “Hallowsteam” event for later this month and socially-distanced Steam Into Christmas days planned for December, we simply can’t fill the financial hole created by lockdown so this grant is a real game-changer and recognises the great work of the staff and volunteer team.”
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The £76m funding injection follows £257m awarded earlier in the month to 1,385 organisations, also from the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.
Culture Secretary Mr Dowden said: “This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back.
"Through Arts Council England we are delivering the biggest ever investment in the arts in record time. Hundreds of millions of pounds are already making their way to thousands of organisations.
“These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.”
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Chairman of Arts Council England Sir Nicholas Serota said: “This latest set of awards from the Culture Recovery Fund builds on those announced recently and will help hundreds of organisations to survive the next few months, ensuring that the cultural sector can bounce back after the crisis.
“We will continue doing everything we can to support artists and cultural and creative organisations, with further funding to be announced in the coming weeks.”
For opening hours and more visit didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk.
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