26.08.04
Rosy Future for Red Store

A rosy future lies ahead for the Red Store, a Grade II listed riverside warehouse in the tiny Cornish village of Lerryn, now that £300,000 of investment is in place.

Built in the nineteenth century, the Red Store was a warehouse for goods such as corn and fertiliser, which were shipped up and down the river until the early twentieth century. During World War II it was used to store salvage to help the war effort, and in the 1950s the top floor was used as a youth club. The Red Store occupies a commanding position on the river and is still a striking feature of the picturesque village today.

Now villagers plan to transform the derelict warehouse in a project that will support the rural economy and create two new jobs thanks to grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the South West Regional Development Agency, Caradon District Council and St Veep and St Winnow Parish Councils and investment by the Objective One Programme.

The Red Store's ground floor is set to become a semi-commercial community space while the second story will be turned into two craft workshops. Possible uses for the ground floor include exhibition space for local arts and crafts businesses, a venue for niche market painting holidays, local history displays, an information point for visitors and locals and a home for occasional local produce events.

Barry Campbell-Taylor of St Veep Parish Council said: "The Red Store's owners, the Elin family, offered St Veep and St Winnow Parish Councils the chance to obtain the building at a very reasonable price, and they have been extremely patient whilst the necessary fundraising has gone on. I am very happy to say that the final piece of the funding jigsaw is now in place, and we are currently planning the renovation work. Both parish councils are delighted with the support and assistance we have received from the funding organisations. Caradon District Council has provided us with a wealth of advice and information, and their assistance on legal and technical matters has been invaluable. We are also grateful to the South East Cornwall Regeneration Project officers who have provided extensive and tenacious support over a long period of time to help us towards our goal."

The parish councils have appointed architects MRDA Associates, who are well known for their work on Cornish churches and Truro Cathedral, and it is hoped that the transformation will be complete by summer 2005.

The total funding for the project is £295,120 with £159,000 coming from the Heritage Lottery fund, £86,362 from Objective One's European Regional Development Fund, £20,000 from the South West Regional Development Agency's Rural Renaissance Initiative, £15,000 from Caradon District Council and £14,758 from St Veep and St Winnow Parish Councils.

Media enquiries contact:

Barry Campbell-Taylor on 01208 873540

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Editor's notes:

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) helps reduce the gap between development levels and living standards among the regions and the extent to which least-favoured regions are lagging behind. It also helps redress the main regional imbalances in the Community by participating in the development and structural adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind and the economic and social conversion of regions.

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Sue Wolstenholme
Objective One Communications
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01579 370991
lmroberts@cornwall.gov.uk

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