Regeneration work on a historic building in Wisbech has finished thanks to a National Lottery players grant.

Steve Mantle, who owns The Hearing Centre at 31 High Street, Wisbech, secured funding for help carrying out property improvements at the No 31 through Fenland District Council’s Wisbech High Street Project.

The project, which receives funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Townscape Heritage scheme, aims to help preserve and protect Wisbech High Street’s heritage and reinvigorate the historic buildings lining the street.

Works, in line with the local conservation area, were completed this month.

They included replacement historic sash windows, new and improved shop signage and repair and redecoration of the historic shopfront which turned the shop a bright golden colour, replacing the previous pale dark green.Wisbech Standard: The store before the regeneration work was completed. Credit: Fenland District Council.The store before the regeneration work was completed. Credit: Fenland District Council. (Image: Fenland District Council)

Mr Mantle, who has owned the family-run Hearing Centre since 2008, said he was delighted to have had the opportunity to restore his property through the Wisbech High Street Project.

“The shopfront was getting very old and tired, and I’d been wanting to do something to it for a while,” he said.

“I really liked the look of buildings with traditional features and thought it would be great to bring that tradition back to the property and play a part in restoring the High Street’s heritage too.

“With the support of the Wisbech High Street Project, we’ve been able to carry out a number of improvements which not only look great but will also help preserve the building for years to come.”

Cllr Chris Seaton, the Council’s Cabinet member for Social Mobility and Heritage, said: “It’s wonderful to see another grant from the Wisbech High Street Project being used to bring an historic building back to its former glory.

“The grants awarded through the project have made a real difference to how a number of properties on Wisbech High Street look, and I’m grateful for the cooperation and input from the property owners, without whom, we couldn’t do any of this work.”

If you want to find out more about the Wisbech High Street Project, visit: https://www.highstreetwisbech.org.uk/