Improvements underway at award-winning park and town centre

Published: Thu 20th March, 2025

Improvement work worth £1 million continues to take place in Queen’s Park and Loughborough town centre.

The work in Queen’s Park includes improvements to the drainage system, lighting and pathways. The gateway entrances to the award-winning open space are also being improved.

In Loughborough town centre, electrical work continues to progress along with work to add lighting to Bleach Yard.

Most of the work, being carried out by Charnwood Borough Council, is being funded by Loughborough Town Deal, which secured £16.9 million of Government funding to back 11 projects which are bringing over £40 million of investment into Loughborough.

Cllr Jennifer Tillotson, the Council’s lead member for economic development, regeneration and town centres, said: “It is really pleasing that we continue to invest in Queen’s Park and within the town centre thanks to the support of Loughborough Town Deal.

“The work being carried out will ensure that the park and town centre is able to support events for many years to come and will make it a much more welcoming and accessible area for residents and visitors.

“There have been some delays to the work due to the bad weather over the winter however these improvements are really starting to progress.”

Martin Traynor OBE, chair of Loughborough Town Deal Board, said: “It is great to see Loughborough Town Deal projects continue to make a difference within the town.

“These works to the town centre and Queen’s Park will have many lasting benefits for Loughborough and will continue to attract both residents and visitors.”

Work also continues on the Hope Bell, a lasting memorial to those who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic and a tribute to key workers.

The work to Queen’s Park and the Hope Bell is expected to be completed in the summer.

The work in the park and town centre includes:

• Improved and additional lighting to walkways in Queen’s Park
• New power supplies to the bandstand in Queen’s Park and to support events in the park
• Reinstatement of coloured flood lighting to illuminate the Carillon Tower
• Improved drainage and resurfacing of all pathways in the park
• Improvements to the park entrances at Granby Street and from Granby Street car park
• Additional information boards added to the park
• In the town centre, the electrical infrastructure is being improved to support the markets and events
• In Bleach Yard, lighting is being added and the street dressing improved to better link the park and town centre.

The work is being funded by around £800,000 from Loughborough Town Deal and the Council is contributing around £200,000.

Loughborough Town Deal has already delivered a careers and enterprise hub, regenerated part of the town centre and supported the expansion of SportPark.

Recently John Taylor and Co Bellfoundry reopened after a significant revamp and other projects are underway or have also been completed.

For more information about Loughborough Town Deal, visit the Town Deal website.