The Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust (GGIFT) is very pleased to announce its success in securing £10,000 from the Digital Confidence Fund, administered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to develop a digital identity and presence for the Kasbah area on Grimsby Docks.
As a result of a partnership between Historic England, North East Lincolnshire Council and Associated British Ports, the Kasbah was designated a Conservation Area in 2017 and is recognised worldwide as an important industrial heritage site.
A “town within a town”, the Kasbah was the beating heart of Grimsby’s Victorian fishing industry. In recent years the Port of Grimsby has welcomed renewable energy giants, such as Orsted and Catapult, but there is still scope for regeneration of the heritage buildings. The Kasbah Steering Group, comprised of representatives from landowner Associated British Ports, North East Lincolnshire Council, Historic England, and GGIFT, works to revitalise the area by attracting new tenants for these quirky buildings, offering funding and other incentives.
Great Grimsby’s Heritage Action Zone project manager, Stella Jackson, said: “For today’s generation to fully appreciate the town’s heritage, of which the Kasbah plays a key part, it is essential that we look at digital platforms to communicate our vision for ensuring both the conservation and regeneration of that heritage.
“Bringing our work to life using such platforms will help us to reach more people, who will see just how places such as the Kasbah were not only great in the past, but are now playing an important role in the area’s future,” she added.
Vicky Hartung, chair of GGIFT, says “This is a great opportunity to bring together all the diverse elements under one digital umbrella.
“Anyone, anywhere in the world will be able to visit our website as a first step to finding out about the heritage, the tradition of artisanal food production, current businesses working out of the Kasbah, and opportunities available for joining the burgeoning community. We are looking forward to starting on the mentoring process that is built into this grant and working with our partners in the Kasbah Steering Group to build an outward facing portal to Grimsby’s heritage.”
Dafydd Williams, Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs, says: ‘The Port of Grimsby has been experiencing a boom in recent years with a huge role for supporting the automotive industry and the enormous growth in offshore wind. The Kasbah is also at the beginning of an economic renaissance and the new website will be an important tool in attracting growth for the area.’
