Railway arches on track for multimillion-pound transformation

Railway arches in Worcester are set to be transformed into a major new cultural destination for the city, providing a hub for business and creative skills development.The secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Wright, has awarded £3m for the £4.5m project from the Cultural Development Fund.The funding will be used to create a new key gateway for the city, following the line of the Victorian arches from Foregate Street railway station to The Hive and the river Severn.Eight of the arches will be refurbished, becoming work and creative spaces.A leadership and entrepreneurial skills programme will also be developed, with 67 new jobs being created and more than 500 training places.A Festivals Hub will be established in the arches, delivering festivals and cultural events across Worcester.The hub will support festival organisers, encouraging skills development and volunteer opportunities in the creative industries.The arches will also host an information point for tourists visiting the city.The project will include improvements to the environment of the arches area, including new lighting and surfacing of the walkway, as well as infrastructure including electricity and plumbing to the spaces that will be created within the individual arches.The funding bid was successfully prepared by Worcester Cultural Partnership, which will match it with a further £1.5m.