Autumn Budget 2021: £1m funding boost for new 'skills village' at Gulliver's Valley

The cash is part of a £40 million grant from the government’s levelling up fund, which aims to boost the economy and revitalise the town centre.

Gulliver’s Valley Resort has secured £1m for a new Skills Village, which will offer training, development, and accreditation within the hospitality and leisure sector.

Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, said: “We are thrilled to have been successful in our bid for funding from the levelling up fund.

“Not only is it an investment into Gulliver’s Valley but also the wider hospitality industry in South Yorkshire which is very much needed, particularly at this time.

“Across the UK, recruiting staff continues to be a major challenge for our sector so to be in a position to develop our Skills Village is a really welcome boost so we can put hospitality well and truly on the careers map in this area.

“The Skills Village is all about creating a specialist education centre to train our workers of tomorrow so we can build Rother Valley’s leisure and tourism industry.

“It is very much a partnership approach between ourselves and other hospitality providers in the area along with schools, colleges and universities as well as local trainers, suppliers and businesses providing real training, apprenticeships and job opportunities.

“We will build a facility that will engage across all age groups – starting with discussions with primary school aged children when they begin to look at different careers, all the way up the education system to adults who want to retrain or even retired people who are looking to get back into work.

“It’s really exciting for everyone involved and we’re now looking forward to getting more information about the timescales for receiving the funding so we can start firming up our plans in conjunction with the local community.”

Other projects in the region include a suite of new exhibitions at Manga which will focus on science, nature and natural materials, and £5.5 million for a new ‘Village Centre’, at Rother Valley Country Park, which will consist of a new café, outdoor play area and an educational centre.

A further £4.5 million will be used for the redevelopment of the former Maltby Grammar School to create a space for training, apprenticeships, and start up support in the leisure and hospitality sectors.