Cash boost for Fairford's market square (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cash boost for Fairford's market square

THE FIRST phase of long-awaited plans to breathe new life into Fairford's market square is on course to be completed by the end of August following a £15,000 boost from the district council.

The cash from Cotswold District Council, which was released from its capital grants fund last week, means the town council now has the £32,000 needed for the scheme.

The project will see a pavement laid from the Bull Hotel alleyway to the post office, where it will widen into a pedestrian area designed to protect shoppers from cars turning into the market square from London Road.

This will lead to the loss of six parking spaces in front of the hotel.

The chevronned area in the square will be raised to prevent illegal parking and a rumble strip built across the southern entrance to slow traffic.

There will also be work to the pavement on London Road.

Fairford mayor Quentin Tailford said: "The scheme will make the square more attractive for locals and tourists alike."

Cllr Tailford said the work will be carried out with minimum disruption.

The town council is paying £7,000 towards the improvements, £10,000 is coming from the county council, with the CDC cash making up the remainder.

The next phase of the revamp will see changes to the layout of parking and a range of measures designed to make the square more pedestrian-friendly.

Town councillors have also ordered four new 'Welcome to Fairford' signs, which feature the town crest and symbols to indicate local facilities.

The signs will be erected on the four main approaches to the town.

The town council has been planning the revamp since 1998, and was hoping it would be carried out as part of CDC's market towns initiative.

But its hopes were dashed last year when the scheme, along with nine similar projects, were put on ice when the initiative ran out of cash.

Town councillors are now hoping to carry out the work in smaller stages.