Medieval harbour and cinema among sites being restored

Four historic sites in Devon and Cornwall are set to be restored for future generations thanks to a £15m government grant.

The money will pay for repairs to Penzance's historic Market House and Newlyn's 700-year-old medieval harbour.

It will also be spent on restoring the Gaumont Cinema, which was prominent in Plymouth's 1930s nightlife, and the transformation of a historic civic building in Penzance into a music centre.

Louise Brennan, director of regions at Historic England, said thanks to extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, the authority can "breathe new life into neglected buildings that we haven't been able to help through our existing schemes".

Louise Brennan, director of regions at Historic England said: "Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings that we haven't been able to help through our existing grant schemes.

"This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the nation's most disadvantaged areas.

"We're thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it's needed most."

The grant, which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, operates alongside Historic England's existing Heritage at Risk programme, targeting sites that are in need of immediate action to prevent further deterioration.

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