Latest 'improvements' to Coventry city centre unveiled...

More works are still planned



New works to Hertford Street in Coventry’s city centre have been unveiled.

The latest works have seen a new resin-bonded gravel flooring placed down.

Food traders will be moved in later this week and it is hoped to help create a new “vibrant” food quarter ahead of the City of Culture 2021 year.

The area could be in line for a big economic boost after news this month that music venue Empire is to move into the former ABC Cinema building.

And the council boss in charge of regeneration in Coventry’s city centre believes changes are an exciting time for the area.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle said: “With the announcement of the Empire moving to the old ABC Cinema I think that will create a real vibrancy in the area that we have not seen for the last 40 years, so that is really exciting.”

Traders moved from Market Way and Smithford Way due to the public realm works taking place but will make the switch to Hertford Street this week after the flooring was completed on Monday, April 20.

Cllr O’Boyle added: “Obviously they are not trading now but we hope that will work.

“Once we have got all the public realm done we will be in a position to make a decision on the traders.”

Changes to lighting on the canopy are also planned and will be the next stage of the works alongside new seating.

Jo Shore, head of public realm, said the council hopes to create a “vibrant” place where people want to spend time.

Speaking at a council meeting in March, she said: “We’ll have a great lighting scheme in there and will be working closely with the food traders to create another place for people where they want to sit, grab a hotdog and make it a vibrant place where people want to spend time.

“The Hertford Street canopy will undergo a facelift in terms of how we can use lighting to create a ‘moment’.”

If it wasn't for the fact that they were squandering our money I'd be laughing.

Seriously, does our council have a single live brain cell between them?

Seriously, does our council have a single live brain cell between them?

Simple answer is NO Rebbonk .

Why could nt they of put it back to its orginal way in the 60s I dont know. I am glad I dont go into the city any more and have nt for years it looks more like New York now from the Radford Rd which I hate sky scrapers.

Not one month ago, the very same paper featured a well-known business that had ceased trading because it was forced to move to Hertford St.

After this COVID business, I doubt there'll be anything to go into the city centre for as far as I'm concerned. I used to go every couple of months to pay bills, but I've now switched to online banking. All my bills are now paid via a cashback credit card and I pay that once a month online.

There was no good reason to close the Post Office in Hertford Street as they've yet to find a suitable use for it.