Sheffield has “rich cultural heritage” – but needs investment to protect and promote it
Council heritage development manager is working to bring investment and visitors to the city
Sheffield’s historic heritage should be seen as an important way to bring investment and visitors to the city, says the woman whose job it is to deliver that vision.
Sheffield City Council heritage development manager Laura Alston took on the role six months ago. She told a meeting of the economic development, skills and culture policy committee on November 11 that her role is to champion the city’s “rich cultural heritage”.
“Our priorities are to understand and capture an overview of all of our assets, not just our built heritage – what do we have – but our heritage across the city,” said Ms Alston.
“How can we think about how we do heritage in the city? What needs to be in place for that to happen?”
The city’s heritage has been historically underfunded, said Ms Alston.
She said part of her job is helping that to change and bring in funding and investment.
That includes giving support to businesses but also to local groups, pointing them in the right direction and supporting their funding applications.
She has worked with 81 organisations and more than 300 individuals so far.
Ms Alston is developing a ‘heritage matrix’.
This will bring together information on designated assets, heritage and buildings at risk, regeneration projects and archaeological information.
It also includes details of previous and current grant-funded activity, community and cultural heritage, what is in private ownership and ‘intangible heritage’ such as traditions and expressions.
Councillor Paul Turpin said: “Liverpool and Manchester are built on their heritage – it’s really obvious when you go there and it’s not always obvious in Sheffield. Maybe we have relied on knives and forks for too long.”
There are many heritage buildings, including the town hall and old town hall, that need significant investment. He suggested the idea of a central investment pipeline.
Coun Tom Atkins-Withers said that the strategy needs to encompass big, important buildings but also small projects that mean a lot to people locally.
Chair Coun Laura Moynahan said this is the first stage in the process – identifying what’s ready to go and what needs help to move forward.