Work to begin on Henley Street Improvements in January 2020

Works to improve Henley Street between Windsor Street and Meer Street, Stratford-upon-Avon are set to begin early in the New Year.

The project is being carried out by Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Warwickshire County Council and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and will result in the transformation of the area in phased works.

Phase one begins in the New Year with the contractors arriving on site from Monday 6 January 2020 to set up the site, before the works start on Wednesday 8 January.

The works will include the repaving of the street and installation of new street lighting.  Seating and street furniture will be replaced and a general decluttering of the current fixtures.

Contractors are expected to remain on site until mid-April. Their working hours will be 7am until 4pm Monday to Friday. A rolling programme of work will commence on the south west side of Henley Street; pavements on both sides of the street will be laid before work commences on the central section and the new statue area near the junction with Meer Street, to minimise disruption. Access and trading will be maintained throughout the phased works and provide a more welcoming and accessible space when complete.

The refurbished streetscape will deliver a sympathetic design to create a safe and welcoming space that enhances the identity and special setting of Shakespeare's Birthplace for residents and visitors from around the world to enjoy.

Cllr Tony Jefferson, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and board director at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, says: "These are exciting times for Stratford-upon-Avon with this significant investment to revitalise Henley Street as the gateway to one of the world's great cultural destinations. This is crucial at a time when the tourism industry is becoming increasingly more competitive and I'm grateful to the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership for reflecting this with significant investment in our town.

"As with any project on this scale, there will be some level of disruption whilst these works are being carried out and I would like to thank the locals and businesses in the area for their co-operation, patience and understanding."

Background information

In October 2018, four projects in Coventry and Warwickshire were awarded over £6million of funding to further encourage culture, tourism and the economy.

The board of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) unanimously agreed to invest in four projects which would have significant impact in the area ahead of Coventry being UK City of Culture in 2021 and the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham on 2022.

The allocations were funded through the Government's Local Growth Fund and all secured match funding. As part of this round of funding, Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon was awarded £0.462 million to create a world-class setting at Shakespeare's Birthplace - with a high-quality re-design of the streetscape to create a safe, welcoming social space.

Works during the project will take place on site from Monday to Friday between 7am and 4pm.