Bletchley Park gets £600,000 boost

 

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By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 13 Mar 2009 at 15:40

Bletchley Park, the home of World War II code breaking efforts, has won further funding, after Milton Keynes Council stepped in.

The computing heritage site was in disrepair last year, and in desperate need of funds. English Heritage offered £330,000 for necessary roof repairs and said it would offer £100,000 a year for three years but only if that funding was matched by an outside group.

Milton Keynes has offered to match that figure, meaning £600,000 will be available to Bletchley Park over the next three years to help with repairs.

"Another huge step forward for Bletchley Park," says Simon Greenish, director of the Bletchley Park Trust. "This vital endorsement takes us one step closer to achieving our aim of creating a world-class educational and heritage site reflecting Bletchley Park's crucial contribution to the outcome of WW2 and the twentieth Century."

Vanessa McPake, the council cabinet member responsible for Heritage and Culture, suggested Bletchley Park might make a good "stay-cation" destination: "In this time of economic downturn more people are likely to be holidaying in the UK, so Bletchley Park has a real role to play in supporting the economy of Milton Keynes, as well as educating us all with their excellent exhibits and special events."