We received some fantastic news recently.

The chancellor announced in the autumn budget that Kidderminster will receive a further £17.9 million via the Levelling Up fund, in addition to the £20.5 million Future High Streets funding awarded in December 2020.

The Levelling Up funding will be invested in three key projects in Kidderminster Town Centre. It will enable significant changes to the Town Hall, ensuring its future as a major heritage asset, cultural space and events venue.

The funding will mean that ‘the Piano Building,’ an empty listed building in the heart of Weavers Wharf will be brought back into use. It’s wonderful that this iconic building, originally built in 1867 by Brintons Carpets, is going to be invested in. With the loss of Bmet in 2019 and Debenhams in 2020, the investment will breathe new life into this corner of the town.

The Levelling Up funding will also finance a new walking and cycle pathway along the canal towpath in partnership with Worcestershire County Council. It will link heritage and natural assets with Kidderminster Town Centre.

I am pleased to hear that the towpath work will be extended as far as the new homes that have been built on the former British Sugar site. Creating these links is really going to encourage more people to walk and cycle to the town centre.

We are fortunate to have these connecting waterways and the investment is going to make a difference to both local people and visitors to the town.

The Levelling Up fund is great news for our town and for generations to come.

It will transform Kidderminster Town Hall and the Piano Building, and the canal towpath improvements will make the town more accessible as well as encouraging active travel.

The investment is going to compliment high priority projects already planned for Kidderminster and I’m pleased that the local authority and NWEDR have put their resources into the town.

They have already successfully secured grant funding through the Future High Streets Fund and I am thrilled with the news as this is another chance for Kidderminster to look to the future.

As Manager of Kidderminster BID, and a local resident too, I’m proud of Kidderminster and our community and I’m looking forward to seeing the difference that this investment is going to make.

Alex Powell

BID Manager

Kidderminster Business Improvement District