Regeneration and heritage tour showcases what Grimsby has to offer

They’ve all been helped through Council funding, aiding the preservation of heritage across the borough. Through Levelling Up Funding, the Partnership Scheme in Conservation Areas (PSiCA) and with the help of Historic England (HE), all these projects have been working towards securing Grimsby’s history for decades to come. 

We were delighted to welcome a guided architectural tour group organised by national charity SAVE Britain’s Heritage last week, joined by some of the Council’s Regeneration Team and hosted by Historic England’s Principal Partnerships Advisor, Midlands, David Walsh. 

Starting at the Horizon youth zone in the heart of Grimsby, the group were shown how a once derelict building can be reused to offer something new and exciting to the younger generation. Funded through the Council, HE, The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and others – the building has been transformed with the addition of a climbing wall, artificial pitch and much more. 

Moving on to the Port of Grimsby, the group of 23 visitors from around the country were treated to a tour of the Great Grimsby Ice Factory and nearby Henderson’s Jetty by owner Tom Shutes. With plans to turn the historic building into several commercial units, a hotel and accompanying facilities, he is aiming to preserve the building’s iconic culture while reimagining its purpose. 

The day continued with a tour of some of the Kasbah area including Creative Start CIC’s The Great Escape and Unseen Arts CIC – both of which have received support from the Council’s PSiCA funding. 

The former received funding in 2021 for external weatherproofing repairs of The Great Escape and a repair grant in 2023 for the building next door which has the much-photographed Welcome to Grimsby Docks mural. Since being regenerated, it’s become a hub of activity hosting numerous events including Poetry Slams.  

Formerly used for fish processing, the Unseen Arts buildings are currently being transformed into a community arts centre with support from a PSiCA repair grant and funding from Historic England’s Heritage at risk Capital Fund.  

Another building that received help through the PSiCA grant was the Alfred Enderby Ltd. Smokehouse. Now producing award-winning Grimsby Traditional Smoked Fish, the building has taken on a new lease of life thanks to help from the Council and other funding streams. During their visit, the group were shown the inner workings of the smokehouse and given an education on fish smoking by owner Patrick Salmon. 

To end the trip, the group were taken back to the town centre to learn about the ongoing regeneration works and the efforts to preserve the culture of Victoria Street. 

Focusing on the frontage of buildings such as the former House of Fraser, the group learnt about its past as a drapers, tailors and even a silk merchants. 

Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, said: “It was great to see first-hand the work being done in Grimsby to revive and celebrate its remarkable buildings.

“As we saw at Horizon Youth Zone and in the Kasbah, reusing historic buildings isn't just good news for the environment and economy, it can really restore local pride too.” 

Dr Ben Robinson, Partnerships Team Leader at Historic England, added: “We are delighted to be working with North East Lincolnshire Council and organisations such as SAVE to make sure Grimsby’s historic buildings are not just reminders of an illustrious and hard-working past, but catalysts for a highly successful future. It is inspiring to see the great steps being made in heritage-led regeneration.”