Market Hill Funding Campaign – Enhancing Bawtry’s historic town centre.
Bawtry is a small market town, the historic centre of which is dominated by a rather ‘ugly’ car parking arrangement that, necessarily, has to serve as a shared vehicular/pedestrian space. The car park is essential for the town’s viability, as no suitable alternative provision can be found, but its presence detracts from the attractiveness of the central conservation area.
The town is also rich in history dating back to the Roman times and a recently formed Heritage Group aims to bring that rich history alive again. There is currently a small Heritage Centre within the
Community Library and a Heritage Trail is being created, which includes the market cross on Market Hill.
The Town Council is proposing to carry out improvement works to the central Market Hill area but the lack of alternative parking, together with financial constraints, limit what is achievable at this time.
A scheme is currently being prepared to reconstruct the Market Place footpath (using conservation type materials) and, as a minimum, to resurface the general Market Hill area with suitable bituminous material. The new scheme will keep the loss of any car parking provision to a minimum.
This essential work is estimated to cost £150k and is intended to be funded from capital reserves (£80k already being allocated for the 2019/20 financial year for the footpath works). However, there is an aspiration to also include as many “enhancement” type aspects as possible if funding for these additional works can be found. The ‘wish list’ of additional works is estimated to be £75k, and would include all or some of the following:
- Restoration of the market cross and provision of a surrounding paved area (with seating) to both protect the ancient monument and enable residents and visitors alike to relax and enjoy the environment – £16.5k
- Some minor works to improve pedestrian safety as far as possible e.g. the link from the existing pedestrian crossing to the bus shelter – £8k
- Provision of some additional seating and planters at suitable locations to improve the general ambience for pedestrians – £5k
- Improved quality and co-ordinated street & car park furniture/ signing (including new signage in relation to the Heritage Trail) – £12.5k
- Provision of electric vehicle charging points – £5k
- Provision of a covered cycle parking shelter – £3k
- Alternative materials (type & colour) where appropriate within the scheme to enhance the overall appearance – £20k
- Improvements to the street lighting – ‘double-heading’ the columns on the west side of High Street adjacent to Market Hill – £5k
- Works to the existing tree roots and to help protect the trees (will be an essential part of the basic resurfacing works)
Any pledges for financial contribution to help achieve these aspirations would be welcomed. Pledges can be made against specific items if preferred and could be in the form of sponsorship for items such as seating, planters or the covered cycle parking shelter etc.
The aim is for the Market Hill scheme to be completed by mid 2021, but the works may be phased in order to spread the financial requirements and minimise disruption in the town centre.
Pledges can be made to the Town Clerk at bawtrytowncouncil@gmail.com.