Lancaster Square Routes Revitalising historic spaces and routes in Lancaster city centre
NEWSLETTER: AUGUST 2014
What is Lancaster Square Routes? Lancaster Square Routes is a Lancaster City Council led initiative to help rejuvenate the important historic city centre of Lancaster. By investing in high quality public realm (streets and spaces) the project aims to strengthen the city’s position as a quality destination for both visitors and residents of the district. For more information on the project and how it has been developed, please visit our website at www.lancaster.gov.uk/squareroutes. You can download a copy of our previous newsletters here or alternatively you can pick up a copy at Lancaster or Morecambe Town Hall.
Come and take a seat...and then explore! Work to complete the new centrepiece in Market Square is due to finish imminently. The split level plinth will offer a spot to sit and relax and through its artwork will celebrate some of the people, places and events that have helped to shape the city’s culture and identity.
The artwork comprises ‘A Record of Lancaster’, an imagined greatest hits album for the city, and details nine narratives of Lancaster’s past and present through a series of stylised pictograms, patterns and lyrical track titles. Further details about the centrepiece artwork will be revealed over the coming weeks…. We hope that the centrepiece helps inform, inspire and intrigue you enough to explore more of what Lancaster has to offer! Complementary to this, work has begun on a new pedestrian wayfinding system for the city centre that will continue this theme and styling. The new waymarkers will help make the centre more navigable and reveal more about the city. A first phase of these waymarkers will be installed in the core of the pedestrian zone by the end of September with further phases to follow. Further details will be supplied in the next newsletter.
Market Square, Horseshoe Corner, Cheapside and Penny Street. Works to lay the natural stone paving along Penny Street are unfortunately a couple of weeks behind but everywhere else is now nearing completion, with snagging and finishing touches to do, such as porous resin surfaces to each tree pit (see over for images).
The main contractors’ site compound will be moving to the rear of the City Museum this Thursday (31st July) in readiness for the additional works to Market Street and New Street Square (see over for details of these works). THANK YOUs! We would like to thank local businesses, market traders and the public for your patience and cooperation and remind everyone that despite the works the centre is well and truly open for business! All of the current phase of works are being gratefully co-funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme 2007-2013, Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council.
Market Street and New Street Square As we have previously advised, the current phase of works was originally due to complete at the end of July but thanks to some additional funding from Lancashire County Council, both Market Street and New Street Square to the rear of the City Museum will also now be improved. These areas will be re-paved and receive new and more seating. The anticipated programme is as follows: During August—works will be primarily to lower Market Street and to a small section of Market Street in the area near the entrance to Sir Simon’s Arcade. From 1st September for three weeks, works will be to New Street Square, working around the site compound and to the section of New Street before it narrows. From 22nd September for five weeks, works will be undertaken on upper Market Street, completing by autumn half term. Following this, works at the back of the City Museum will be completed in New Street Square, off the main thoroughfare, completing in early November.
Above: Next works areas: Lower Market Street and New Street Square
Businesses and traders affected will be supplied with more detailed information relating to vehicle access during these times. If you have any queries regarding these works, please pop into the site office at 5 Cheapside and ask to speak to Andy Whitfield or Andy Williams of lead civil engineering contractors, The Landscape Group. Their Customer Careline remains 0800 917 6263 should you wish to contact them this way. Penny Street (before and after)
Beyond the Castle in association with the Regional Heritage Centre at Lancaster University are hosting a series of events exploring the past, present and future of the urban green space from Lancaster Castle to St George's Quay. These events are funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and free and open to all but to register your place call (01524) 593770. Following a recent event at Lancaster Priory, the next event is as follows: Heritage Potential in Context, 18th September, 2pm—5pm, The Storey. With Dr John Goodall, talking about Lancaster Castle; Richard Sharpley, Professor of Tourism at UCLAN, exploring the concept of dark tourism and its relevance for Lancaster. There are also archaeological surveys on-going which you can get involved in. More information can be found at: www.facebook.com/beyondthecastle.
www.lancaster.gov.uk/squareroutes / squareroutes@lancaster.gov.uk / (01524) 582000 www.twitter.com/LancasterCC