A museum dedicated to British star Stan Laurel and his US comedy partner Oliver Hardy has been saved after campaigners won a vital half-a-million pound grant. A few years ago, the future of the 1937 Roxy cinema building in Ulverston, , which also boasts the , seemed uncertain with no-one willing to buy it.

In 2023 it was bought by campaigners The Roxy Collective to protect, preserve and restore the historic 87-year-old building. Now they have secured a £500,000 grant via the £452m Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, a regional investment programme jointly supported by the UK and Scottish governments and local partners.

Thrilled Roxy Collective chair Suzy Garnett said: "The Roxy has been a cornerstone of our community for generations, and this investment ensures that it remains a vibrant space for arts, culture, and connection for years to come."

Stan Laurel was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on 16 June 1890 and he lived in Ulverston as a child, the second of five children born to Arthur Jefferson and Margaret Metcalfe who were both in the theatrical business.

Stan's early years were spent living with his grandmother, Sarah Metcalfe, in Ulverston. The house on Argyll Street where Stan was born and lived displays a commemorative plaque.

By the early 1900s, Stan had joined his family in Glasgow, and was working in a variety of administrative jobs at his father's theatre, the Metropole.

In 1910 he made his first trip to the US as a member of the Fred Karno musical-comedy troupe, which also included - for whom he was an understudy.

Stan adopted a stage name as a result of a superstition. His real name - Stan Jefferson - contains the unlucky number of 13 letters. He chose the name Laurel inspired by a wreath found by his partner and common-law wife, Mae.

He returned to Ulverston with Ollie in 1947 and they gave a speech from the balcony of the Coronation Hall to a packed crowd below.

In 1961, Stan was honoured by the of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with an Oscar for his creative pioneering in the field of comedy. Stan's only regret was that Oliver was not there to share in the recognition.

Stan himself died on 23 February 1965 after suffering a . He and Hardy made a total of 106 films together.

As well as the cinema, the building houses the Laurel and Hardy museum as Stan Laurel was born in the town in 1890.

Also in the building is a gym and an independent film and TV company.

Ms Garnett added: "We are incredibly grateful to the Borderlands Committee and the Ulverston Town Team for their support, which allows us to continue the much-needed development work on our beloved Roxy.

"And, as always, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the community for its unwavering support. Your passion and dedication are what keep the Roxy alive."

The money will see the Roxy further modernised and refurbished, continuing work previously made possible by a grant from the Community Ownership Fund - with a rainwater capture system and solar panels.

They aim to create more footfall to the cinema and the museum, deliver 140 square metres of community space by refurbishing redundant rooms within the building and opening up the foyer to create a Visitor Information Point.

The £452 million Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal is a regional investment programme jointly supported by the UK and Scottish governments and local partners.

Councillor Virginia Taylor, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet Member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, said: "This grant funding is great news for the Roxy Collective, Ulverston as a whole and the wider area.

"Great credit should go to the Roxy Collective - their tenacity and vision is securing a future for a fabulous building, a working cinema, a museum and more, all supporting the economic and cultural vibrancy of Ulverston."