Cultural Heritage: Market Towns
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action is being taken to support heritage within historic market towns.
Answered by Ian Murray
Market towns are an important part of our national story. In March of last year, Minister Peacock responded to the Westminster Hall Debate on the Cultural Heritage of Market Towns outlining this importance.
Heritage funding can be accessed for projects in market towns and is administered through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies. The National Lottery Heritage Fund provides grants of £10,000 to £10 million for heritage projects. Similarly, Historic England can provide grants, funding and advice.
In January 2026, the Secretary of State announced nearly £200 million of new heritage funding will be made available over the next 4 years. This includes £60 million for for at risk heritage which provides grants towards repairs and conservation of historic buildings, £41 million for the Heritage Revival Fund which helps communities to take control of and look after local heritage and bring buildings back into public use and £92 million for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, a new capital scheme to support places of worship.
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