A PLANNED £750,000 spend on culture in Crewe has been welcomed by an MP.

The scheme could see events and arts activities hosted in Lyceum Square as part of a Creative Hub after the newly-formed Crewe Town Board was offered funds to spend on making a swift mark on the town centre.

Outdoor screens and seating and dining areas could be installed for the open-air events which Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan says are likely to still be able to go ahead under Covid-19 restrictions.

Crewe was chosen as one of 101 towns to receive support under the government's Towns Fund with £25 million of regeneration money up for grabs over the next five years. The one-off £750,000 sum has been made available to kick start the regeneration by undertaking a selected short-term project.

The campaigned to secure Crewe's access to the Fund, bringing the Minister in charge to visit the town last year and he said: "Crewe Cultural Forum came up with some plans to put in facilities for open-air events which could include things like outdoor screens and seating/dining areas.

"This isn't something you are going to just hear about for the next few years and never see happen. The timetable is in months not years. Outdoor things are also more likely to still be able to operate with coronavirus restrictions.

"It is great we have cross-party support for this project, it's not about politics."

"We are still working very hard behind the scenes to finally secure good news on the Royal Arcade development.

"I know that is going to be treated with a pinch of salt until that is sorted, but with the market reopening as well we are slowly but surely turning the corner."