HOLLYCOMBE Working Steam Museum in Liphook has received a further £100,000 grant from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund – while Alton’s Palace Cinema has been given almost £17,000.

Hundreds of cultural organisations have received a share of the final £35 million emergency support package from the Culture Recovery Fund, to help overcome the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since August 2020, the Culture Recovery Fund has distributed £1.57 billion to around 5,000 organisations and sites across the country, giving a lifeline to theatres, museums, independent cinemas and many more cherished organisations.

Raj Jeyasingam, owner of the Palace Cinema in Alton, said of his £16,937 grant: “I’m very grateful for this much-needed help at a crucial time when there have been fewer movies on release to suit our customers, many of whom are still lacking confidence in attending the cinema.”

Hollycombe’s £100,500 grant comes after the living history museum was awarded an £895,000 lifeline grant from the same fund in October 2020, to ensure it could reopen in 2021, the museum’s 50th anniversary year. The museum hopes to reopen at Easter.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: “Being cut off from them during lockdown has underlined what a vital role cultural organisations play in their community up and down the country. The Government stood by them in the pandemic, and is determined that they should remain open and accessible to everyone - now and for generations to come.

“I am very proud of the Culture Recovery Fund and the lifeline it has provided for cherished organisations in every part of the country.”