North Walsham £4m town revamp hailed a 'success' by council

But it soon descended into griping and grumbles, with people claiming it had left their town centre wonky and slippery.

Now, a year on since it was completed, the £4m revamp of the area around North Walsham's market place appears to be growing on locals, after an independent survey suggested most have welcomed the changes.
People in North Walsham complained that the revamp left the town looking wonky (Image: Newsquest)

The regeneration of the Market Place, part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone project, made a raft of changes, which included banning cars and making it pedestrian-only while also sprucing up tired-looking areas.

The creation of a new historic trail, community garden, revamped shop fronts and more seating areas were also completed.

During the works, the disruption it caused angered some townsfolk, with businesses staging a protest to vent their frustration at it being turned into a construction site.

The improved Market Place area in North Walsham (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Others worried that pedestrianisation may deter people from visiting the town.

People also complained the new groundwork had caused them to trip and stumble due to 'slippery' sloping features and uneven curbs.

However, the new evaluation of the work has claimed the changes have had a significant positive benefit, although critical voices remain.

Church Approach steps (Image: Sonya Duncan)

MIXED VIEWS

The report, commissioned by the council, received a range of responses about the project as part of the evaluation.

It found just 50pc believed the area looks more attractive than before, but an overwhelming majority said it had helped bring the town together.

Some 81pc said they now felt a greater sense of pride in the town, while 67pc said they were more likely to visit the high street for cultural activities.

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A mural at Black Swan Loke gardens (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Several people voiced their approval of the changes, believing the town was safer for pedestrians and that it looked "brighter and more welcoming".

'FANFARE OVER QUALITY'

However, others were left unimpressed, calling it "fanfare over quality" while another claimed that shops have closed and footfall has dropped.

But as one local noted, the effect of Covid and the cost of living crisis has likely been a bigger contributor to businesses struggling than the improvement works. 

The Chubby Panda restaurant after being revamped (Image: Sonya Duncan)

'OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE'

At an overview and scrutiny committee meeting, members hailed the project as a success, which was delivered during the challenges of the pandemic.

"The survey has shown overwhelming positive results with the majority reporting they felt more connected to the town," an officer said, adding that the town is bustling again following the completion of the work.

Councillor Liz Vickers said: "This has clearly been a successful project and I am sure there are lots of valuable lessons to be learned for other towns."

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North Norfolk District Council members, Lucy Shires (L) and Liz Vickers (R) (Image: Newsquest/NNDC)

It is hoped that the town council can continue to develop a programme of activities and events that allow the town to continue to thrive, with one officer saying the project has "laid the foundations" for the future. 

While some believe the work has pushed market traders out of the town due to the disruption,  North Walsham councillor Lucy Shires said that despite numbers shrinking during the works, traders have since returned.

In addition, a number of new market events have been developed, such as street food and farmer's markets.

The revamped shop front of the Shambles cafe (Image: Sonya Duncan)

"It has become a more usable space to hold events overall," she said.

Reflecting on how the council has measured the success of the project, members agreed that more surveys should have been conducted prior to the start of the works to better compare views before and after.

The success of North Walsham's high street regeneration could serve as a useful blueprint for similar projects in other towns such as Fakenham and Stalham, which some believe have been neglected and overlooked in favour of more prosperous locations like Cromer, Sheringham and North Walsham.