A HISTORIC home is looking to the future thanks to a £50,000 boost which will allow it to update its facilities.

Kiplin Hall, between Scorton and Northallerton, has received the cash from Heritage Lottery Fund for it project A Year of Transition, which will introduce modern IT systems, train staff and volunteers, and improve working practices in the 400-year-old house.

The hall’s curator, Dawn Webster, said: “Our volunteers are so pleased that we are going to be able to update our systems.

“Our old till is no longer able to cope with the steady rise in visitor numbers since the hall re-opened to the public in 2001.

“These new systems will help to reduce queuing time for visitors and improve service in the tea room and shop. From our point of view, they will greatly assist future planning and generally make day-to-day running of Kiplin much easier for both volunteers and staff.”

The project will also enable a fresh approach to communications and marketing.

Ms Webster added: “The hall and its fascinating history of course remain central to the visitor experience, but with continual developments in the gardens and grounds, and the ongoing creation of activities for children, Kiplin has become a fantastic place for families and schools to visit. Now is a great time to plan for the next few years of Kiplin’s future, already one of the best places in North Yorkshire to have a day out.”

Mark Chetwynd-Talbot, chairman of the board of trustees who run the Kiplin charity, said: “We are thrilled to have again received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, who have given such wonderful financial aid to other beneficial projects here in the past. We are confident that the work we are doing will encourage new visitors to visit.”