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North East mining attraction secures £1.6m in funding to double in size

The Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum will double in size next year, after the tourist attraction secured more funding this week.

Backed by an £800k grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the money will be matched by another £800k already given by the Coastal Communities Fund.

The important development will see the building of a large walk round museum with displays about Cleveland mining and steel communities to complement the ever popular guided tours of the mine.

It will also include state of the art artefact and document storage, two fully equipped teaching rooms, offices and maintenance area.

Work is expected to start on the museum in June 2018 and be finished in time for the 2019 summer season.

Graham Banwell the Museum’s Special Projects Manager, said: “This fantastic development will allow the museum to open throughout the year, seven days a week.

“Attracting visitors out of season benefitting the East Cleveland economy. This is phase one of an ambitious programme of developments at the museum which will set it firmly at the heart of heritage tourism in Cleveland.”

Cllr Carl Quartermain, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Communications, added: “It is great to hear that the National Lottery has given £800,000 to the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum.

“The museum is crucial in showcasing the history of East Cleveland and how important a role it played in the iron and steel industries, hopefully the projects it has in the pipeline will encourage even more visitors to come to Skinningrove.”

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