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Limitless Public Relations

You can delete a tweet, but you can’t delete the press. Why earned PR can be a shock to the system for social natives.

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

In modern PR, everything is connected.

That is the logic behind the PESO model – Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media – developed by communications strategist Gini Dietrich as a framework for integrated communications. And if treating those four areas as one system was useful before, the rise of AI-powered search is making it increasingly difficult to justify doing anything else.

AI search runs on one fuel: information.

And when it sees information from different sources – your website, journalists, publications, communities, social platforms and other parts of the web – it uses those sources to construct answers about organisations, products and people.

Google says its AI Overviews and AI Mode rely on its existing Search ranking and quality systems to retrieve relevant web pages, while ChatGPT Search similarly provides answers accompanied by links to web sources.

That’s why your communications need to be integrated – and they need to tell the same story. A truthful, fact-checked one.

Truthfully integrated comms

The point of PESO isn’t simply that brands should “do a bit of everything” – though admittedly that’s a good starting point.

But a deeper understanding comes from seeing that that each part of the matrix does a different job.

Owned media gives you a place to establish your expertise and explain your position in full. Shared media distributes, discusses and reframes it through networks and communities. Paid media gets relevant content in front of audiences you might otherwise struggle to reach.

And earned media does something fundamentally different.

While you have almost complete control of what your say on your own website, social media and advertising, when it comes to getting published in the actual news media, somebody else decides your story is worth publishing.

That distinction has always mattered for human credibility. It is beginning to matter in a different way for machine-mediated discovery too.

Muck Rack’s May 2026 What Is AI Reading? research analysed more than 25 million links appearing in responses from ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini across 17 industries. It reported that earned media accounted for 84% of the citations it studied.

That shows, in modern PR, you cannot simply buy – or post – your way into authority.

Nor can you build everything on your own website and assume everyone – human or machine – will automatically accept what you say about yourself.

Modern visibility comes from creating useful owned information, distributing it intelligently, amplifying it appropriately and, crucially, earning independent recognition for it.

Integrated PR is therefore not about making four departments use the same campaign hashtag.

It is about creating a consistent body of evidence around an organisation.

The approval shock

This is where integrated communications occasionally hits a cultural pothole.

Teams that have grown up primarily in social media can find the approval requirements surrounding earned media surprisingly intense.

Why does this press release need another check? Why does that person need to approve their quote? Why does somebody mentioned halfway down the release need to see it? Why are PR people being so painfully cautious about what they say?

The answer is not that traditional PR people have an unusual fondness for tracked changes. It is because there is a profound difference between self-publishing and being published.

You can edit a LinkedIn post. You can delete a tweet or X post. You can change the wording on your website. You can unpublish an article, update a caption or replace an image at the touch of a button.

Earned media is different. Because it’s someone else’s finger on the button.

A press release is called a “release” for a reason

Once a press release has actually been released, control starts disappearing very quickly.

It may have reached journalists’ inboxes. It may have been uploaded to a newswire. It may have been syndicated elsewhere. A reporter may already be writing from it. Another publication may have picked up the first report. Search engines may have indexed it.

And, increasingly, an AI system may retrieve one of those copies later.

If you want to change something after the release has gone you cannot just reach through the internet and pull the original fact back into your phone or laptop.

You can issue an updated release. You can contact journalists with amended information. Yeah – you can annoy and disappoint as many people who decide whether or not to publish your next piece of news as you like. It’s up to you.

What you can’t do, is just delete it or change it. It’s gone. So getting it right first time is imperative.

Trust is earned

Unlike social media warriors, journalists work under core obligations around accuracy. The UK Editors’ Code, enforced by IPSO for participating publications, requires the press to take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information and to correct significant inaccuracies promptly and with due prominence.

Reuters similarly describes accuracy as central to its journalism and says accuracy takes precedence over speed.

That’s why, when working with the media, accuracy and trust in what you say is of ultimate importance.

If you can earn a journalist’s trust, your audience – their readership – will naturally follow suit. Trust is earned. And that’s what makes it valuable.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.

New Manchester base for Limitless PR 

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Limitless PR has opened a new location in Manchester. The agency, which already has offices in Preston, Lancaster and Blackburn, has taken a presence at Colony Fabrica in New Islington. 

The 24,000 sq ft workspace provides a modern, collaborative environment for growing businesses and reflects the agency’s ambitions to scale its operations and client base across the North West and the UK. 

The new office space also comes on the back of two new associate directors joining the agency. Stuart Anderson and Emma Radcliffe will work alongside associate director Justin Strong and be supported by agency director Michael Gregory. 

Greg Wilson, director at Limitless PR, said: “We have been considering opening a base in Manchester for a while now as we look to grow the business. Bringing experts such as Stuart and Emma, who have decades of experience, into Limitless gave us additional impetus to have a location in the city.

“Although the economy is facing some challenges, we’ve decided that now is the time to push forward rather than be stymied by inertia. We’re excited about the future and how we can grow our business in the future.”

From visibility to credibility: how PR wins where ads can’t

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Anyone can purchase ads to get views and clicks. And a clever ad campaign, with a decent budget, can make sure your brand is launched into the digital sphere and win you clicks. But what comes after the click? How confident does the customer feel they have arrived in the right place? Is yours a brand they already know and trust?  You’ve won the click, but are have they got the confidence to actually buy, if this is the first they have heard of you. Or would they be wise to shop around a little more first?

This is where PR enters the picture. Public relations doesn’t just share your message: it builds credibility, strengthens reputation, and ensures your brand’s voice lands with the right people at the right time – usually before they even arrive at your website with a mind to buy.

Businesses that underestimate the power in PR risk spending cash on clicks but still losing customers to competitors who have invested in brand as well as click bids.

Limits of paid media?

Paid ads are great for grabbing attention, and fast. But attention on its own isn’t enough. You need more. As the generation of social media consumers, we endlessly – and mindlessly – scroll past ads and content, and then it’s gone. Research shows that audiences are increasingly sceptical of paid messages, with a quarter of the public actively distrusting ads. Spending big budgets on ads doesn’t guarantee lasting influence. Ads can deliver reach, but reach without trust is just noise.

What PR does differently

PR is earned, not bought. Coverage in newspapers, magazines, podcasts, and credible online outlets carries weight because it comes from a third party. People choose to engage with it. They read the story, digest the context, and most importantly, they trust the source.

Beyond trust, PR creates depth of engagement. A feature article, an expert quote, or a well-timed press release gives your audience a reason to think and connect with your brand. This is the opposite of the doomscroll – it’s attention that lasts.

In today’s rapidly travelling digital sphere, earned media doesn’t just reach humans. AI-powered search engines rely on reputable journalism to generate credible content. Your brand’s credibility goes beyond surface visuals, with AI shaping how content is discovered by algorithms in ways that ads can’t.

PR in action

In the UK, national news brands reach around 24 million adults daily. That’s comparable with major broadcast channels. While fewer people may pick up a newspaper than say a decade ago, those who do are giving more time and attention than a quick social scroll ever demands.

Small businesses and big brands alike have leveraged PR to punch above their weight, earning coverage that increases awareness, positions them as experts, and drives real engagement, all without the huge cost of paid ad campaigns.

Why do businesses still underinvest?

Despite the many advantages, many smaller companies underinvest in PR and wonder what’s hindering their growth. Reasons for this range from cost, measuring concerns, and the reliance on ads. But strategic PR is measurable.

Final thoughts

Visibility is cheap, but credibility is priceless. PR converts exposure into trust, influence, and authority that turbocharge ad performance along with all marketing channels.

For businesses serious about growth, investing in PR isn’t optional. It’s a strategic move that boosts sales and supports long term growth.

Want to find out more? Drop Michael Gregory a message and see how we can work together to help your business grow

New Chair for Lancaster University’s Engineering Industry Advisory Board

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Lancaster University’s School of Engineering has appointed Andy Davy as the new Chair for its Industry Advisory Board.

The Industry Advisory Board (IAB) brings together employers and professional bodies to advise on teaching and research priorities, feed skills needs into curriculum planning, and support student placements and internships. It also provides external input to accreditation and wider engagement activity, helping ensure graduates’ capabilities match sector demand and creating clear routes for companies, including SMEs, to collaborate with the School.

A long-standing member of the board, Andy Davy is Group Operations Manager at Lancaster-based Like Technologies, which provides specialist electronic and control-system support to clients across the nuclear and advanced engineering sectors, including obsolescence management and equipment repair.

In his role as Chair, Andy will lead twice-yearly IAB meetings and work with the IAB co-ordinator, Chris Lambert to agree agendas and formats. He will also review minutes and represent the board at formal engagements such as accreditation visits.

On his appointment as Chair, he said: “Chairing the board is about turning employer insight into practical outcomes. Feeding into the curriculum, helping to ensure the teaching provides the students with the knowledge, skills and behaviours that add value for local firms. That two-way flow helps students hit the ground running and gives businesses a straightforward route into the School when they need skills or fresh ideas.” 

Chris Lambert, Director of Engagement, School of Engineering, Lancaster University, said: “We very much welcome Andy as Chair of the board. His deep, front-line, industry experience and knowledge will help guide the board in its role as a sounding-board for curriculum relevance, accreditation and employability. Its members’ perspectives shape modules, open up internships and placement year roles, and guide where our engagement will have most impact.”

Think nobody reads the paper anymore? Think again

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Does anybody else feel the sight of Prince Harry and Liz Hurley raging against newspaper intrusion comes across as fighting a battle from a war long ended?

Surely in a world of deepfake memes being pumped out by the White House itself, bothering what the papers say seems rather out of step? And who reads the papers nowadays anyway?

It’s true that fewer people in the UK rely on newspapers for news than they once did. Ofcom’s latest data shows that around half of adults used newspaper newsbrands in 2018, compared with roughly a third today. While that sounds like a big drop – and it is – it’s also easy to misunderstand what that figure actually describes, in context.

As Harry and Liz will tell you, the newspaper brands once ruled the world – almost literally. So, though they have dropped in circulation overall, at 33% of adults, their audience is still undeniably very significant.

Industry measurement via PAMCo shows national newsbrands reaching around 24 million people every day. That’s a mass audience, comparable with major broadcast channels and far larger than many of the audiences truthfully claimed in digital campaigns.

What matters even more than scale, though, is attention. Reading a newspaper, whether online or in actual print, is a deliberate act. It involves choosing a destination, allocating time, and engaging with longer-form material. That is a very different behaviour from encountering content while scrolling.

Social platforms have redefined what “reach” means, and not always in ways that are actually meaningful. A “view” can simply mean that something appeared on screen for a moment.

Newspaper environments operate on a different logic. UK adults still spend around an hour a day consuming news. And quality newspaper journalism remains central to providing explanation, context, and original reporting. While fewer people use newspaper brands than before, those who do are typically giving them more time and more cognitive effort than a social feed ever demands.

There is also a newer audience that is yet to be properly factored into debates about readership. AI-powered search and answer engines increasingly rely on trusted journalism to generate responses, summaries, and citations. Partnerships such as OpenAI’s work with the Financial Times, and early evidence from AI-powered search results, show that established newsbrands are heavily favoured sources.

Newspapers are now read not just by people, but by the systems shaping how information is discovered. Maybe you don’t read a newspaper yourself. But your AI search bot certainly does – alongside millions of other people – every day.

And the attention they together give is intentional, contextual, and trusted, in a way that most social metrics simply do not capture.

In the PR world, that matters. Newspapers may no longer dominate quite like they did in the past. But compared to other sources, they are about quality of audience, depth of engagement, and credibility that travels further, lasting longer than a fleeting view. And, in an attention economy, that’s where the value remains.

Trident Utilities appoints new head of procurement 

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Blackpool-based energy consultancy Trident Utilities has strengthened its leadership team as the business positions itself for its next phase of growth. 

As part of the changes, Alexandra Mottershead has been promoted to Head of Procurement & Supplier Services. Alex joined Trident in March 2022, at the height of the energy crisis, bringing a decade of experience in the energy consultancy sector. 

After graduating from the University of Manchester with a degree in Atmospheric Physics, Alex joined the industry as a fixed procurement analyst and has since built extensive expertise across risk management, trading, procurement, and supplier relations. 

Trident Utilities

In her new role, Alex will lead Trident’s risk management, trading, procurement, and supplier services functions. Her team is responsible for strategically procuring energy for customers by balancing individual organisational priorities and risks with market opportunities and net-zero objectives.  

This includes managing both fixed-term contracts and flexibly traded procurement strategies, as well as overseeing fixed and flexible Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for generators to maximise revenues while mitigating operational risk. 

Alex’s team also includes Trident’s non-commodity specialists, who provide vital updates to customers on charging, policy, and regulatory changes that may impact future energy costs. 

Alexandra Mottershead, head of procurement & supplier services, said: 

“I’m really proud to be stepping into this role at such an important moment for the energy sector.  

“My focus is on making sure organisations have the clarity and confidence they need to make informed energy decisions that support both commercial resilience and their journey to net zero. I’m also genuinely excited to be leading such a talented team as we continue to strengthen our procurement and risk management capabilities.” 

Andy Curry, head of client services, added: “Everything we do at Trident is grounded in strong data and sound science, and Alex brings a rare combination of both. Her deep understanding of the science, alongside more than a decade of hands-on industry experience, is invaluable for our clients and adds real strength to our wider leadership team. 

“Alex’s perspective will further strengthen our ability to help clients make informed, long-term strategic decisions as they seek to lock in energy efficiencies and cost savings on the path to net zero.” 

BAKO named ‘Supplier of the Year’ at awards

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Preston-based BAKO, has been named Supplier of the Year at the prestigious 2025 Baking Industry Awards, at the Royal Lancaster in London.

Now in their 38th year, the Baking Industry Awards are the UK’s foremost celebration of excellence across the baking sector, from artisan bakers and large-scale manufacturers to suppliers, retailers, and innovators.

This year’s event welcomed more than 600 guests from across the industry for an evening honouring the best and brightest in British baking.

BAKO took home the inaugural Supplier of the Year title, with judges praising the company’s unwavering commitment to serving the baking community, significant business growth, and strategic innovation.

BAKO’s recent acquisition of Finlay’s Foods, expanding its reach across the UK and Ireland, was highlighted as a major step forward, alongside its sustained investment in operational efficiency, sustainability initiatives, and industry development.

Mike Tully, chief executive of BAKO said:

“This award is a tremendous honour and a reflection of the dedication of our teams across the UK and Ireland.

“At BAKO, everything we do is guided by our ‘by bakers for bakers’ ethos. We’re proud to support the industry we love, from local independents to national brands, with quality, service, and innovation.

“Winning Supplier of the Year at such a respected event reinforces our belief that partnership and passion truly make a difference.”

Amy North, British Baker editor, said:

“BAKO is a worthy winner of British Baker’s first-ever Supplier of the Year trophy at the Baking Industry Awards.

“Its longstanding commitment to and influential role within the baking industry deserves recognition, and our panel of judges praised the level of energy put into every aspect of the business from investments in efficiency to supporting the future of the industry, and steps on its sustainability journey.

“BAKO truly is living up to its motto of ‘by bakers for bakers.”

Founded over 60 years ago, BAKO operates from its head office in Preston, with regional headquarters in Durham, Wimbledon, and Ireland, allowing it to provide nationwide coverage and local expertise to bakeries of all sizes.

The business has grown to become one of the UK and Ireland’s leading bakery ingredient and supply specialists, offering an extensive range of products and services designed to help the baking industry thrive.

The Baking Industry Awards are organised by British Baker magazine and celebrate excellence across 14 categories, recognising individuals, teams, and businesses driving the sector forward.

For more information about Bako, visit www.bako.co.uk

Lancashire Growth Plan maps £20bn+ investment opportunity

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) has today published a Growth Plan that sets out how the county will build on its position as one of the UK’s leading economic powerhouses and deliver growth between 2025 and 2035, with a strategic focus on exploiting the potential of five high-growth business sectors around existing and proposed ‘transformational’ projects. 

Developed by the LCCA and championed by the Lancashire Business Board (LBB), the plan identifies a pipeline of major projects with the potential to attract more than £20bn of additional public and private investment. Together, these projects could create thousands of high-value jobs and strengthen Lancashire’s role at the heart of the national economy.

Following consultation with sector groups, business organisations, enterprises, local authorities, universities, colleges and MPs, the plan champions Lancashire’s interests nationally and internationally to deliver its priorities by attracting investment in innovation, infrastructure and workforce development, making the county a prime destination for global capital, venture funding, and research and development. 

Mo Isap, chair of Lancashire Business Board, comprising senior members of the county’s foremost regional, national and international firms to champion Lancashire and bring a private sector perspective to policy decisions, said:

“We brought our DNA to the development of the Lancashire Growth Plan, ensuring it builds on existing excellence in sectors while showing that we can deliver a step change in economic performance benefits not just the county, but the UK. 

“Our private sector expertise and perspective continue to inform the plan, but also strategies on transport, infrastructure, strategic development, and collaboration, detailing that Lancashire continues to be well-positioned to attract new private investment in key growth sectors.

“This prospectus showcases how Lancashire, aligned with government economic objectives, is contributing to the nation’s economic growth and that we are well positioned to play a significant role in UK plc.”

Cllr Stephen Atkinson, Chair of Lancashire Combined County Authority, said:

“This is a plan built in Lancashire, for Lancashire, but with national impact. It reflects the scale of our ambition, the strength of our business leadership, and our determination to deliver transformational projects that create opportunities across our communities and boost the UK economy.”

The vision focuses on exploiting the potential of five high-growth business sectors: National Security and Resilience, Clean Growth and a Nuclear Renaissance, Digital and Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, and Culture and Tourism

Highlights of the Growth Plan

High-growth sectors and economic corridors

  • Growth focused on five sectors central to Lancashire’s economy and the UK’s future.
  • Development of the Central Belt (M55–M65 corridor), connecting Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn and Burnley.
  • Expansion of the North–South Cyber Corridor, linking Lancaster, Samlesbury and Manchester.
  • Investment in east–west transport to connect and strengthen clusters.

Flagship projects with investment potential:

Samlesbury Enterprise Zone and Innovation Hub – can enable transformational economic growth for all of Lancashire. Designed to support advanced engineering and manufacturing, hi-tech and research-led sectors, including cyber and robotics, the 120-acre site is primed to become a hub of world-class innovation, Industry 4.0 processes, and disruptive R&D. 

Warton Enterprise Zone (EZ), featuring the University of Lancashire’s Altitude facility – uniting industry, entrepreneurs, academic and government institutions to advance next-generation technology and skills capability in the exploitation of future aviation and space markets. The site includes the defence and technology leader BAE Systems, alongside Altitude, which pioneers a cluster of future air and space technology. 

Heysham Nuclear Power Stations – a cornerstone of Lancashire’s energy infrastructure, providing secure, low-carbon power and sustaining hundreds of skilled jobs. 

Springfields (Westinghouse UK) – manufacturing world-class nuclear fuel and related products for almost 75 years. The 80-hectare site is one of the most advanced nuclear fuel-generating facilities in the world. 

Blackburn Cyber Skills and Education Campus and Innovation Quarter – key to the delivery of a £250m investment framework for Blackburn Town Centre, the most significant development of its kind in the North West. Public investment has been secured for the first phase of the Campus, valued at £60m, including a high-quality office and teaching facility, offering up to 100,000 sq ft of new space, and a 15,000 sq ft cyber business centre. The site is the closest strategic development to the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone – making Blackburn an integral part of the Government’s North West Cyber Corridor between Lancaster and Manchester. 

Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone (EZ) and Silicon Sands – with more than 2,600 jobs achieved, and an estimated £300m of additional private sector development potential, 25 acres of newly unlocked commercial land is primed for development for commercial use at the EZ’s Eastern Gateway. The EZ includes the groundbreaking Silicon Sands project with the potential to become a Strategic AI and Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Hub for Lancashire and an AI growth zone. The EZ is on the North Atlantic Loop, a transatlantic fibre artery connecting America and Europe with the fastest speeds. 

Blackpool Central Leisure Development – the seven-hectare former Central Station site is one of Blackpool’s most strategically essential development sites, and central to the ambition of developing a unique world-class tourist destination with a vision to provide a unique leisure quarter which underpins Blackpool’s appeal as a national tourist destination. 

Morecambe Seafront and the Eden Effect – Morecambe, and the wider North Lancs area, will directly benefit from the Eden Project Morecambe. Conceived by the team behind the Eden Project in Cornwall, the 36-acre development was given the green light by the Government in March 2023, along with £50m of Levelling Up funding, to allow work to commence on the £100m project. 

Preston Station Quarter – Investment in Preston is driven by the 10-year City Investment Plan, a long-term vision to transform the city with close to £1bn already invested or committed. Preston is undergoing a dramatic transformation, capitalising on the nearby National Cyber Force HQ, to create major opportunities for commercial development and city living. The Preston Station Quarter Strategic Regeneration Framework encompasses 43 hectares of Grade A offices, high-density housing, and high-quality public realm. 

Burnley Town Centre and Canalside Masterplan – Burnley’s £200m masterplan is unlocking significant investment in education, canalside living, and digi-tech innovation, helping to transform the town into a vibrant hub for health, engineering, and AI-driven growth. 

Strategic Rail Programme – transforming east-west rail connectivity across Lancashire’s Central Belt will unlock growth in urban centres, expand labour markets, and improve access to education, employment and investment.  

Talbot Gateway Skills and Education Campus (Multiversity) – with phase 1 of the Blackpool and The Fylde College Multiversity set for completion in 2027, plans are underway for Phase 2, an ambitious expansion into the Talbot Gateway Central Business District to create a dynamic skills and education campus. 

The Plan recognises the importance of public services, civil society and health and social care, promoting inclusive employment, cultural development and community wellbeing as essential contributors to economic growth.

 The Growth Plan is now available to stakeholders, investors and government on the LCCA website. It provides a framework for Lancashire’s future development ahead of a formal launch opportunity later this year.

GEO: The impact of AI on the role of earned PR for SMEs

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

If you have used Google recently, you will have experienced firsthand how AI has transformed the search experience. In search marketing, the widespread use of AI Summaries is altering how consumers find brands and prompting a reassessment of established digital strategies.

From SEO to GEO: the new rules of visibility

Search engine optimisation (SEO) has traditionally been used to increase online visibility. With the development of artificial intelligence, a new approach called Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is emerging. Instead of delivering lists of clickable links as search engines have previously done, AI-powered search tools now provide summaries based on information from various sources and may include generated perspectives.

This shift to zero-click search means users may never reach your website at all. Instead, the AI assistant is making up its mind about your brand by reading everything else that’s been written about you online, from news articles and customer reviews to industry blogs and analyst insights.

That’s where PR comes into its own.

Why PR matters more than ever

Public relations has consistently benefited traditional SEO, especially through effective link strategies. Before AI, Google’s algorithms already valued online brand buzz in rankings. GEO now amplifies this effect.

The performance of GEO depends on the way Large Language Models (LLMs) process and understand information. These models are typically trained to give preference to reliable third-party sources instead of web content that promotes an organisation. As a result, brands mentioned in editorial coverage from reputable sources are more likely to be recommended or referenced by AI systems.

As PRWeek noted in a recent celebratory headline, the PR industry is now “sitting on a goldmine”. Many aspects that GEO incentivises – such as earned media, authoritative features, and press releases – are traditionally part of public relations activities. Marketing teams that understand and embrace this can gain a serious competitive advantage.

And as one strategist put it in Entrepreneur: “That’s why editorial media coverage remains the most powerful tool in modern PR – and it matters now more than ever. There are two core elements here: high-quality editorial features and press releases.”

The key shift: authority beats ownership

Think of it this way: Google used to reward what you said about yourself. AI now rewards what others say about you. This fundamental change means PR is no longer just about visibility: it’s about measurable impact.

It’s also worth noting that AI isn’t just repeating facts. It’s curating and interpreting content, so if your brand isn’t appearing in authoritative, context-rich environments, you risk being left out of the conversation entirely.

So, what should we do?

In today’s landscape, earned media isn’t just influential – it’s essential for algorithms. PR and SEO must work together.

But, a word to the wise: public relations is not a quick fix or an easy “bolt on”. For something now so impactful in the digital world, PR remains a surprisingly human activity.

It’s not about pushing out content on autopilot. It’s about creating authentic, valuable stories that deserve coverage in trusted media – content that earns AI’s recognition while strengthening the human-facing credibility that PR is built on.

A key mantra is: if it works for a human, it will work for AI. Quality and authenticity are everything.

The Harris Museum announces grand reopening this September

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Preston’s iconic cultural landmark is set to welcome up to half a million visitors each year following a £19 million major restoration.

Made possible with funding from Preston City Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK Government’s Towns Fund, Lancashire County Council and many other generous partners.

The Harris will officially reopen its doors to the public on Sunday, 28 September 2025 following a once-in-a-generation restoration as part of the Harris Your Place project. The transformation reimagines The Harris as a dynamic and inclusive cultural hub for the 21st century, blending art, history, community, and a refreshed library service to deliver an exciting new visitor experience.

Located in the heart of Preston, The Harris will relaunch with an impressive exhibition programme, learning spaces, family-friendly facilities, a new café and shop, and new heritage tours that celebrate its architectural and civic legacy. The reopening will mark a new chapter for one of the UK’s leading regional museums, libraries and galleries.

Councillor Anna Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said:

“The reopening of The Harris marks a proud and exciting moment for the city of Preston. This incredible transformation will not only safeguard our heritage but also create a vibrant, inclusive space that inspires creativity, learning and connection for generations to come. We’re immensely grateful to all our funding partners and can’t wait to welcome residents and visitors alike back through the doors of this much-loved building.

“The Harris Your Place project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of key partners. We gratefully acknowledge Preston City Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government’s Towns Fund, Lancashire County Council and Arts Council England. Their vital contributions have helped preserve The Harris for future generations while strengthening access, learning and community engagement.”

John Chesworth, Chair of Preston’s Towns Fund Board, said:

“This much-anticipated and eagerly awaited new era for The Harris represents a major element of the ongoing regeneration and rejuvenation of Preston, alongside other landmark schemes such as the transformation of Amounderness House into managed workspace and the £45m flagship Animate entertainment and leisure destination, delivering economic growth and opportunities for all in a truly revitalised city centre.”

Helen Featherstone,Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

“We are proud to be supporting the Harris Your Place project, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. Working with Preston City Council, this exciting initiative will provide a sustainable home for the Museum’s collections, which will ensure that they are accessible for local communities and visitors to learn more about the city’s rich heritage.

“We know that heritage can play a huge role furthering a sense of pride in local communities which in turn can boost the local economy, and this project is sure to be a wonderful example of that.”

County Councillor Matthew Salter, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Lancashire County Council, said:

“We’re excited to see the Preston Harris Library reopening and back in this iconic building, which is such an important part of the community.

“That’s why we have contributed £1.375m towards the project and our refreshed library. This revitalised space will continue to house Preston’s biggest library and serve as a hub for learning and education for all residents. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to this wonderful space.”

Closed since 2021, essential works have included the safe removal of asbestos from the roof, comprehensive repairs to preserve the building’s historic structure, and vital improvements to heating, lighting, and accessibility throughout the building. When it reopens, visitors can expect a fully reimagined experience, with new galleries, and community facilities.

Following the refurbishment of The Harris, annual visitors are expected to increase by approximately 100,000 on top of the existing 350,000 (in 2021).

Additionally, The Harris is unveiling a fresh new look including a redesigned logo, brand identity, and new website. The modernised branding aligns with the aims of the Harris Your Place project: inspired by community input and honouring the building’s heritage while looking confidently to the future.

More details about the reopening events, exhibitions and public programming will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information visit The Harris.