Work to make Carlisle Cathedral shine even brighter has been completed.
The new floodlighting scheme has been installed at Carlisle Cathedral to highlight the magnificent historic asset in the heart of the city.
Funded by UK Government, this is the first of the Carlisle Town Deal schemes to be completed and features the latest in energy efficient LED technology. It will highlight the Cathedral and Fratry as prominent landmarks.
The floodlighting project was officially launched last week (Thursday 6 February 2025) at a service of Choral Evensong, followed by a reception at The Cathedral Café.
Edith McColgan, Chief Operating Officer of Carlisle Cathedral said:
“We are thrilled that work on the floodlighting project at Carlisle Cathedral has now been completed, and we would like to extend our thanks to everyone involved for making this happen. We now look forward to using the new floodlighting system to illuminate our historic city centre landmark.”
The previous floodlighting scheme at Carlisle Cathedral had come to the end of its serviceable life. Cumberland Council took the opportunity to significantly upgrade the system showcasing the city landmark.
The new scheme allows for creative and dynamic lighting with changing colours and scenes. This project is designed to attract more people to use the city centre, generate longer dwell time and encourage more people to visit bars and restaurants and enjoy what Carlisle has to offer.
The Town Deal project ‘lighting up Carlisle’ builds on the success of other feature lighting schemes including the Citadel, Station, Court Square and Crown and Mitre Hotel. New floodlighting schemes will also be installed at other landmark locations in the city.
The Carlisle Town Deal schemes are being delivered by Cumberland Council, the Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer said:
“We are delighted to see the first Carlisle Town Deal project completed. A big thanks to all the partners involved.
“It’s an exciting project and one which will help showcase our city and its heritage. We have a lot to offer, and we want to do all we can to encourage visitors.
“Carlisle’s heritage is central to its distinctive offer as a tourist destination. Improvements that help the city centre become more of a destination in its own right through a vibrant city centre scene are designed to attract increased footfall.
“The Lighting up Carlisle project is designed to provide a vibrant backdrop for evening economy, as well enhancing the visitor offer outside of the peak tourist season.
“The city centre regeneration is now well underway and alongside work at Tullie Carlisle is undergoing a massive transformation. This is an exciting time for the time and the wider Cumberland area.”
Well-lit historic buildings draw attention to the uniqueness of an area. Attractive lighting design for historical landmarks have several benefits - beyond being a tourist attraction, they also give locals a sense of pride about their history.
Carlisle’s Town Deal Board is made up of representatives from key public and private sector organisations in the city, was formed in January 2020 to steer Carlisle’s vision and objectives for the Town Deal.
Carlisle projects are set to benefit from £19.7 million funding after their final business plans were signed off by Government.
They form part of the city’s Town Deal Investment Plan.
Other schemes benefitting from Town Deal funding include the ongoing Carlisle Southern Gateway improvements on English Street and Tullie’s improvement works