VISITORS to Kidderminster town centre will be greeted with a bright new look thanks to an ambitious £2 million council-led scheme to rejuvenate the public areas with light paving and stylish new seating and street furniture.

The town is now beginning to bloom and plans have recently been announced for further investment in Worcester Street in the next financial year.

Councillor Helen Dyke, Wyre Forest District Council's member champion for town centres, said: "“It is good to see the investment in the town centre coming to life.

"A great deal of thought and care has been put into the transformation work and it is now bearing fruit.

"Shoppers at the Swan Centre have commented that they like the new seating - especially the new wooden guitar benches - in the square outside and although it’s been too cold to sit for long, we’re looking forward to warmer weather when people can walk around and enjoy the new look surroundings.”

Work is now focused on the area outside of Kidderminster Town Hall where new paving is being laid to reflect the Penny Black postage stamp heritage. To further echo the Penny Black theme, a refurbished Edwardian postbox will be installed in Exchange Place.

Exchange Street and Oxford Street remain closed to traffic to make way for the new town centre transformation work to continue.

Cars, taxis and buses are being diverted around the town centre although there are walkways provided for pedestrians in both Exchange Street and Oxford Street. Access to frontages and for services and deliveries are being maintained and co-ordinated by the contractors on site.

Buses are picking up and dropping off passengers from the bus station behind TK Maxx until the work outside the Town Hall is completed in the spring.

Councillor John Campion, cabinet member for planning and economic regeneration, said: "We have reached a critical point in the transformation work as the area outside the Town Hall, Exchange Place, is paved.

“We are asking residents and visitors to be aware of, and tell their friends about the changes to the bus collection points as well as relocation of the taxi rank which will be temporarily relocated around the small island near the Penny Black pub.

“We would like to thank residents for their co-operation whist the transformation work has been undertaken and hope they will appreciate and enjoy the new look town centre as it emerges over the coming months.”

For updates on what is happing in the town centre, you can follow the district council on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information about the road closures, contact P Casey Ltd on their customer care line 0800 0328707.