Morecambe town centre upgrade set to start

A £600,000 project called ‘Connecting Victoria Street’ will transform the area between Barclays Bank and the Post Office into a new pedestrian area called ‘Royalty Place’.

New surfacing, lighting, seating and signs are also planned for the Euston Road shopping precinct.

The road layout at the junction of Market Street and Victoria Street will also get an overhaul.

This includes a swap of the taxi rank outside the Arndale with the disabled bays across the road outside the Post Office, and a new turning facility for taxi cabs outside the shopping centre.

A new carriageway with crossings and improved pavements are also planned for the junction of Union Street and Victoria Street.

LED wall mounted lights will replace the current column street lighting.

Work will begin along Euston Road, starting at the seaward end by Greenwoods and Oasis and working up towards Barclays Bank. It will then move across the area in front of the Arndale, a section of Market Street and then down Victoria Street to the junction with Graham Street.

Lancaster City Council is leading the project and hopes the new layout will better connect the town centre and seafront.

The name ‘Royalty Place’ is a nod to Morecambe’s former Royalty Theatre, which once stood near Barclays.

Morecambe-born actress Dame Thora Hird made her first appearance on stage at the Royalty Theatre aged just two months. Her father was stage manager.

Coun Janice Hanson, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and regeneration, said: “It is an exciting time for Morecambe town centre.

“We’ve already seen the start of work on the ambitious project by Galloways on the former Visitor offices and New River Retail now have planning permission to improve the Arndale Centre.

“These works will improve the streetscape and make it a much better place for people to visit and spend time. In turn we hope that businesses will improve their own facilities with the outcome being an improved shopping experience that tempts more people to visit the town centre.”

The work is due to be finished in the summer.

A council spokesman said the work schedule has been planned in a phased zone approach to minimise disruption.

Further project updates will be at www.lancaster.gov.uk/maap-royaltyplace.

Lancaster City Council is paying for most of the work with funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund via the second Morecambe Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI): A View for Eric.