Introducing this website

This website is dedicated to the Wisbech High Street Project. It documents the history of the High Street shops and provides information on forthcoming events and updates on the progress of the building improvement works being undertaken. It is aimed at anyone with an interest in the High Street and we would love to hear from you too.

Background to the Project

Fenland District Council has been awarded a grant of around £1.9 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund Townscape Heritage scheme for the Wisbech High Street Project.

Thanks to National Lottery players, the project will restore a number of buildings on the High Street, bring new uses back into empty properties and transform the derelict former Cook’s Butchers site at number 24 into an exciting new area for public use.

The award from the HLF is a big boost for the town. It comes as the reward for two years’ hard work by the Wisbech Society the Core team at FDC, Ingham Pinnock Associates and community champions that put together the two stages of the bid. The funding comes from the HLF’s Townscape Heritage programme.

Alongside the High Street building improvements there will be a series of heritage-related activities for local community learning and participation. These include photographic workshops, heritage construction skills courses and archaeological investigation and recording

The project started off in February 2013 when the Wisbech Society arranged a meeting with representatives of Historic England, the leader of Fenland District Council and senior officers and councillors and Wisbech Town Council. The Wisbech Society gave a presentation highlighting the issues of derelict buildings in Wisbech and plans were made to meet
with Historic England and HLF with a view to putting together an application for funding. Subsequently the Wisbech Society and Town Council each pledged £25k towards the project.

Taleyna Fletcher was recruited at the start of 2017 as the Townscape Heritage Officer who will manage the project over the next four years.

Matt Wright and Jaime-Lea Taylor took over the reins of the project in September 2021, with Matt overseeing the delivery of the major redevelopment works and grant funding for the remainder of project, and Jaime-Lea taking charge of the community activity programme.

What is the HLF Townscape Heritage Scheme?

Townscape Heritage schemes help to reverse the decline of our best-loved historic townscapes. Local, regional and national organisations work together to repair buildings in conservation areas and bring them back to life.

Schemes don’t just help to create attractive, vibrant places that people want to live, work, visit and invest in. They also inspire communities to find out more about their townscape heritage, and give local people the chance to learn new skills.

Contributing to the site

You can add a comment about anything on the website by clicking on the ‘Add a comment’ link at the bottom of each page. You can also submit your own photos, stories or information to the site by using our contribution form.

Comments about this page

  • It is wonderful to know there are those who truly care about Wisbech and are willing to give of their time and effort to bring her back to a viable shopping centre again.
    It is hard for me to realise it has been so long since this was so, and sad to know that it has been falling apart for 30+ years.. but cleverly hidden by painted fronts .. I was so pleased to see that when you enter Wisbech from Peterborough now , what was the Belfast Linen Shop has now been “rebuilt”, looks very nice.. I moved away 56 years ago…..but while family still live there, I will always see Wisbech as “home”. Thank you to ALL who are working on this project especially , Andy and Garry !!

    By Heather ( Ketley) Reece (16/09/2017)
  • Hi Heather, thank you for getting in touch. I think there are a lot of positive schemes and improvements going on around the town right now, the High Street Project is one of many. Thanks also for acknowledging our volunteers, the heritage-related activities rely heavily on volunteer involvement and the project team are grateful for their input.

    By Taleyna Fletcher (19/09/2017)
  • Not before time

    By A.Beakhouse (30/06/2017)

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