Swaffham's regeneration has been successful and more projects are planned

MP Terry Jermy toured Swaffham with local and national partners to view completed and ongoing heritage restorations, and attendees identified further projects including the Market Cross Café, the Break Charity Shop and the Town Pound for the next phase of investment.

Swaffham’s town centre has been the focus of a multi-partner heritage and regeneration programme, and a recent visit brought together national and local representatives to review work on site and discuss next steps. The tour included officials from Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Breckland Council and local cultural groups. Attendees toured completed and ongoing restoration projects and discussed how the partnership approach has supported funding, training and community engagement. The visit also highlighted priorities for further investment within the town. Key facts: - MP Terry Jermy visited Swaffham with Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen and Cllr Paul Claussen, joined by representatives from Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Volunteer it Yourself, and the town mayor. - The High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) work helped enable a follow-on scheme called Swaffham - A Historic Market Town. The tour began at the Buttercross and reviewed that programme’s outcomes. - Completed and supported restorations noted on the tour include the Assembly Rooms, the Mr Chips and Tutankhamun shopfronts, the Methodist Church, Plowright Place, Myhills Pets and Gardens, and The Twisted Broomstick. Breckland Council reported these works have enhanced the town’s appearance while preserving historic buildings. - Upcoming priorities identified for the next phase include the Market Cross Café, the Break Charity Shop, and the Swaffham Café. The Town Pound is nearing completion after repair works and has provided heritage-skill training for local young people. - Speakers highlighted that collaborative working between local authorities, national funders and cultural partners has supported funding, training opportunities and community engagement. Summary: The visit showed completed restorations and outlined further projects that partners plan to support in Swaffham, with local and national organisations reporting a coordinated approach to funding and training. Attendees suggested the programme’s partnership model could inform similar heritage-led regeneration elsewhere, and timing for next phases was not specified.