Work starts to make permanent Granby Street pop-up pedestrian scheme

Work to further improve a busy shopping street and important gateway into Leicester City Centre is due to get underway.

Leicester City Council will begin works to widen footpaths and create more space for pedestrians on a stretch of Granby Street. The first phase of work will begin on Monday (22 Jan).

The works will make permanent a pop-up scheme introduced in 2020 as part of the city council’s response to Covid-19.

The improvements will see former pay-and-display parking bays along Granby Street – which have been out of use for more than three years – converted into wider, high-quality footpaths with outdoor-café seating areas to help improve the route between the city centre and Leicester railway station.

Additional on-street parking bays will be created on Chatham Street, York Street and Dover Street.

During the work, which is expected to take up to ten weeks, Granby Street will be closed to traffic between its junctions with Dover Street and Chatham Street. A short, well-signed diversion will be in place.

The scheme will also permanently close the junction of Dover Street and Granby Street to motor vehicles to help improve safety. The city council plans to create a new turning facility on Dover Street, to maintain access for general traffic to nearby businesses and attractions, including The Little Theatre.

These latest works are part of wider, ongoing investment to improve the street scene and shopping environment on Granby Street.

This includes the refurbishment of the landmark Grand Hotel buildings and restoration of its historic shopfronts, supported as part of the city council’s successful bid for £1.5million from Historic England towards a High Street Heritage Action Zone for the Granby Street and Church gate conservation areas.

Fifteen new businesses have opened in Granby Street since May 2021.

Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on climate, culture and economy, said: “Granby Street is an important gateway into the city centre and a busy shopping street in its own right.

“These latest works will build on recent improvements to this popular part of the city centre, supporting the major heritage-based investment now being made to landmark buildings along the route.

“It is vital that we continue to invest in Granby Street to support local businesses and to improve the look and feel of the area, making it feel safer and more welcoming to all.”

Future phases of improvement work, which will see pavements widened along Granby Street towards the main shopping area in the city, will take place later this year.