THE official home of the Lord Mayor of York, the Mansion House has won biggest investment since it was built in the 18th-century.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has granted the Mansion House a total of £1,198,700 to improve access, displays and conservation as part of its Opening Doors project.

The funding will also help more people get involved in learning at the Georgian town house and make it easier for people to visit.

The grant follows City of York Council’s decision to invest £736,000 to support the project.

The four main areas of the Opening Doors project involve restoring the original kitchens; improving displays, conservation and access to the civic collection of gold and silver ware; developing a conservation plan and preparing a history project.

When the restoration work is completed the Mansion House will open to the public five days a week compared to its current three.