Town Deal Milestone as Historic Old Bank Work Completed

A major project in Millom has reached a milestone, with work now complete on the town’s historic Old Bank building.

The Old Bank is the first project to be completed as part of the Millom Town Deal. Cumberland Council, Sellafield and the Millom Town Deal Board are working together to support the town. It also creates new opportunities for local people.

The former NatWest bank has been repaired and restored. It’s now a new space for local businesses, community groups and visitors. Work has been delivered through the Reactivating Heritage Buildings project.

Sellafield has provided more than £3.3 million to support the Millom Town Deal through its Social Impact, Multiplied (SiX) programme.

This programme supports projects that help local people, protect important buildings and bring communities together. This helped secure £20.6 million from the government for projects across Millom.

Empty Buildings

The Old Bank shows how this investment is helping to bring empty buildings back into use and support the town’s future.

David Savage, chair of the Millom Town Deal Board, said: “This is the first project to be delivered through the Town Deal Regeneration Programme. It represents a long-overdue investment in Millom’s future.

“It will help create new opportunities and partnerships. It supports our ambition to make the town an increasingly attractive place to work, visit and live. This is a proud moment for Millom. It’s one we can all celebrate together.”

Tracey West, head of social impact, Sellafield, added: “A key part of our social impact approach is working collaboratively with like-minded partners. This means we can draw in additional funding and expertise. Collectively, we can achieve much more for our communities.

“The completion of The Old Bank is a fantastic example of this. Together we have a shared ambition for the future of Millom. We’re investing in projects that create opportunities and celebrate local heritage. These help build a thriving and sustainable future for the town.

This project demonstrates how regeneration can preserve what makes a place special. At the same time creating new spaces for businesses, communities and visitors. We’re proud to be playing our part in delivering lasting benefits for Millom.”

The Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “The completion of The Old Bank is another significant milestone for Millom and a great example of how Town Deal investment is helping to breathe new life into important buildings across the town. This project has preserved a valued piece of Millom’s heritage while creating new opportunities for the future, and I look forward to seeing it brought into use for the benefit of residents and visitors.”

“The Old Bank is one of four major transformational projects being delivered through the Millom Town Deal, which secured £20.6 million from the UK Government’s Towns Fund alongside additional match funding to support regeneration across the town from Sellafield Ltd.”

Towns Fund

Final lease arrangements are currently being completed before the building is formally transferred to the new operators, local business owners Samantha and Andrew Bowden.

Samantha and Andrew Bowden said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally be reaching this stage with The Old Bank. From the first time we became involved in the project, we could see the potential for this beautiful building to become something really special for Millom.

“Our vision is to create a vibrant and welcoming destination at the heart of the town. The bistro will be central to what we do, with a strong food and drink offering throughout the day, but our plans go much further than that. We want The Old Bank to provide opportunities for local makers, creatives and small businesses, alongside flexible spaces that can be used for events and other activities.

“Having already built hospitality businesses in West Cumbria, we know how important it is to create places that both local people are proud to use and visitors actively seek out. We want The Old Bank to contribute to the wider regeneration of Millom by creating employment, supporting local suppliers and businesses, increasing footfall and giving people another reason to spend time in the town centre.

“There has been a huge amount of work involved in getting the project to this point, and we’re grateful to everyone who has helped make it possible. Taking over such an important building is both exciting and a real responsibility, and we’re looking forward to putting our own stamp on it while respecting its history and character. We can’t wait to get started and, most importantly, to open the doors and welcome everyone into The Old Bank.”

Story Contracting carried out the work to restore the building while keeping its historic features.

Photo Credit: Stuart Walker © Cumberland Council 2026