Town centre square up for grabs

People in a Herefordshire town have less than a week to give their views on what the town’s main square should be used for, along with other proposals for the town centre.

Leominster is to be given £2 million from the Government’s High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) fund to improve its historic centre.

The county and town councils are currently consulting with businesses and the public to decide what the programme’s priorities should be.

One of the largest shares of this pot, worth £750,000, will be used to improve the town’s central Corn Square – predominantly used for parking at present, but intended as the focus of efforts to “make the most of [the town centre’s] potential as a retail area, visitor attraction, and events venue”, the online survey says.

Options for the square range from retaining the current parking, using it more for outdoor eating and drinking, screening films in summer, holding markets or fun fairs, using it as a performance venue or events hub, and even hosting an ice rink and other events at Christmas.

In the online survey, respondents are asked whether they feel “very excited / quite excited / neutral/ disinterested / opposed” or “don’t know” about each proposed use.

The survey, which takes around 10 minutes to complete, closes next Tuesday (June 21).

Based on the consultation, the councils aim to publish a final design proposals in late summer or autumn, with work to then start early in 2023 and finish later the same year.