£7m in funding for three Yorkshire culture and tourism projects

Three culture and tourism projects in Yorkshire are set to benefit from almost £7m in funding.

Sheffield City Region has confirmed £6.9m will go to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Gullivers World and Vulcan to the Sky – which will see almost 500 new jobs created.

The funding for the projects is part of the Sheffield City Region’s Local Growth Fund (LGF) allocation, funded by the Government.

At a Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) meeting, £5m was approved for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, £1.5m for Gullivers Valley, and £400k for the Vulcan to the Sky project.

Mayor Dan Jarvis, who chaired the MCA meeting, said: “It’s great to be able to fund such a diverse range of projects, which will create new jobs, boost our visitor economy and complement the existing range of fantastic arts, culture and heritage sites we have here in our region.

“Not only do cultural attractions enrich our quality of life, but they act as a driver for economic growth. By working together, we can be more than the sum of our parts.”

The cash boost will mean Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster will be able to add an additional 150 acres to the current site, providing a new entrance, expanded car parking, new animal reserves and a large lake.

There will be also a visitor hub incorporating a 148-bedroom hotel, an events and conference venue, restaurants and shops, with aims to grow to 1.2 million visitors by 2022.

Steve Minion, chairman of the Wild Life Group, said: “The rapid growth of Yorkshire Wildlife Park and the support we have had from South Yorkshire confirmed to us that there was the potential for a game-changing project in Doncaster.

“The development will both create jobs and economic benefits to the region as well as helping add to the tourism offer in Doncaster.”

The Gullivers Valley project will receive £1.5m towards the £7.5m cost of the whole theme park project, which will offer rides and attractions aimed at children aged from two to 13.

The resort will also offer family-friendly accommodation, and is expected to create around 250 new jobs.

Julie Dalton from Gullivers Fun said: “This funding will allow us to bring forward a number of elements of the resort that would have not been built until later phases, creating a more exciting resort for our guests to experience and more jobs for local residents.”

Meanwhile, funding for the Vulcan to the Sky project will help to create a permanent home in Doncaster for the restored Vulcan XH558 bomber.

Dr Robert Pleming, speaking on behalf of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, added: “We are obviously thrilled that the Sheffield City Region has recognised the significance of the region being the permanent home to the Vulcan by the award of a significant grant towards the new hangar.

“The funding from the Sheffield City Region will be vital in delivering this heritage hangar, ensuring that XH558 is given the home she deserves and that the public can once again visit this iconic aircraft.”