How Warwick is using more than £50,000 in grant money to rejuvenate the town and support its recovery following the pandemic

Some of the grant money has been used to buy new street furniture such as planters which also act as screens. These have replaced old barriers

Organisations in Warwick have been working together to secure and use more than £50,000 in grant funding to help rejuvenate the town and support its recovery following the pandemic.

The Warwick chamber of trade were delighted to receive the funding applied for from the Welcome Back Fund - a share of £56 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The fund is help support the safe return of people to high streets and help build back better from the pandemic.

Projects that have benefited from a cash boost - including painting and new street furniture - was paid for by Warwick District Council and then claimed back. Warwick is also being showcased as to how town centres can use the funding.

There were strict requirements in the application and Warwick Chamber would like to thank the district council for their support in obtaining the funding.

The funding also enabled the chamber to produce another video filmed by Daniel Watts at New Wave promoting #staycations and the nighttime economy, which opened up again on May 17 and for Ellen Manning PR to promote the town of Warwick to wider audiences across the UK.

Currently street furniture is in the process of being painted from blue to black to match up with the rest of the town.

The barriers, which have now been replaced with the screen planters.

Benches and olive trees were also brought in to replace the barriers previously used to help enhance the Market Square and give visitors extra seating between them.

There are also new planters at the bus station in-front of the shops as all entrances to the town centre as the chamber felt it was important for visitors to get a good first impression.

The planters, which also act as screens, have also replaced barriers in the square.

Sue Butcher chairman of Warwick Chamber of Trade said: “We were delighted with deploying the funding for our town centre recovery and have had many lovely compliments from residents, visitors and businesses - in a perfect world and with more time - the ivy on the planters would have been real.

"But at the end of the term the ivy will be re-used and recycled by local schools and other places that wish to use it - so it will go to good homes.

"We feel that the overall effect enhances the town centre, certainly more than the plastic barriers that were there before."

The organisations and community in Warwick prides itself with its floral displays and this year more residents and businesses have purchased baskets to support the displays which are supported by Warwick Town Council.

The Town Ambassadors were also funded by the grant to help the visitors enjoy Warwick and they are an extension to the team at the visitor information centre in Jury Street.

Over the next few weeks work will continue on the projects to help support the town's recovery.