Investment Grant Fund

In 2008 East Midlands Tourism launched an investment grant fund to support projects that will improve the quality of tourism in the region, and provide a boost to the region’s visitor economy.  This followed an 18 month consultation to identify the priorities for fresh capital investment in the East Midlands.

In 2009 funding was awarded to 6 projects, totalling just over one million pounds.  The projects cover everything from public realm improvements, visitor interpretation and master planning to developments to existing attractions to increase visitor capacity.

Investment in the tourism infrastructure has been identified as a key priority in EMT’s 2008-11 strategic plan and the funding awarded through this grant will help to deliver a strong tourism offer for both domestic and international markets.

The projects that have received funding are:

• Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire to develop redundant buildings into a new visitor attraction
• Foxton Locks, Leicestershire to look into the feasibility of re-building the historical Inclined Boat Lift, which would be of significant historical interest
• National Forest, Leicestershire to provide high quality visitor interpretation and facilities to enable visitors to get the most out of their time in the Forest
• Adrenaline Alley, Northamptonshire to look at opportunities for developing a world class urban and extreme sports facility
• Bailgate, Lincoln to enhance, preserve and create a pedestrian environment that support visitor enjoyment of the city’s key historical attractions
• Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire to look at long term planning for developing the Zoo into a world class visitor attraction