Visitors to the city are greeted with "a mess" including boarded-up shops, rubbish, and towels draped over sculptures, warns a regular commuter. Worcester City Council has defended the Faithful City after a picture taken outside Foregate Street Station showed the city looking like a "mess". The picture, taken by a regular train commuter, shows a boarded-up shop and various towels hanging over objects outside the station.
It led to concerns that Foregate Street did not provide the best first impression for people coming into the city centre from the station. READ MORE: Former takeaway finally bulldozed down as city centre plan reaches final phase However, the council said plans are already in the pipeline which will give Foregate Street a new look. Around £17.
9 million has been invested into Foregate Street and Angel Place to improve the pavements and the broader public realm. GONE: The former Jaqk’s takeaway in Forgate Street. (Image: Newsquest) Worcester BID has also been working to make businesses look more attractive which includes installing colourful display panels in Foregate Street.
A spokesperson for Worcester City Council said: “A major programme of improvements to the pavements and the broader public realm between Foregate Street and Angel Place is currently underway, funded by part of the £17.9 million that the city council secured from the previous Government’s Future High Streets Fund. "Our partners at the BID have also recently installed colourful display panels in Foregate Street and other locations.
"These physical improvements to the area are expected to make it more attractive to businesses and shoppers. “The old Jaqk’s takeaway building next to the railway bridge has now been demolished, and that area will soon be opened to create a new route for The Arches development, The Hive, and the river beyond. "That new entrance will also reveal more of the beautiful design of the railway bridge, greatly enhancing the attractiveness of the area.
" The Jaqk's takeaway building project is expected to be completed in autumn. It is in the final phase of Worcester City Council's The Arches Worcester project, funded by £4.5 million from the Government and Arts Council's Cultural Development Fund.
Worcester City Council also defended the towels draped across items in Foregate Street. It said it appears to be a one-off incident involving a rough sleeper drying their towels and bedding. They added: "The city council works closely with partners to provide support to people sleeping rough in the city, with the aim of helping the majority of them to spend as short a period of time on the streets as possible.
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