Friar Gate Bridge is owned by Derby City Council, and Friends of Friar Gate Bridge are keeping in touch with the Council’s Environment and Conservation officials with responsibility for the Bridge. On Monday 12th October a group of Friends of Friar Gate Bridge trustees met with Council officials to discuss our respective progress and plans. Derby City Council engineers are preparing a detailed schedule of work, with priorities and costings, for the Bridge. The Council officials are aware that we are keen to see a full restoration, and welcome our support in helping to achieve it.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Heritage Lottery Foundation. They gave helpful advice about how to approach bidding for HLF funding, and recommended applying for a start-up grant of up to £10,000 to fund work on the options for the Bridge. It’s likely that we will in due course make a funding bid to the HLF in partnership with the City Council.