Events lined up as new £2m square takes shape
JON MACPHERSON
DOZENS of events have been unveiled for Accrington town centre as the new £2 million square starts to take shape.
Granite stone boards featuring information about Accrington’s rich history have started to be installed on the flagship square along with new wooden benches.
Council bosses are aiming to have the square completed over the next few weeks so it can kickstart a 50-plus event programme over the next 12 months. The new town square will not be offi- cially opened until Saturday, November 10, however it will launch by hosting a chocolate festival and classic car rally on Saturday, September 1.
As well as the annual Food Festival, Christmas Lights switch-on and Ron Hill 10K race, a series of other attractions have been organised, including a Diwali Celebration, Dickensian Night, circus week, fairytale trail, Glo Festival, a Theatre of the Square, music festival, a motorcycle show and a return of the ‘Ooh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside’ event.
Coun Clare Cleary, who is chairman of the Accrington Town Team, said they are ‘really excited’ by the programme and cannot wait for the square to open.
She said: “We are going to have the staple events that we usually have but I have been amazed by how many people have come forward wanting to organise other events.
“It’s been wonderful and really encouraging. They have gone through the process and it is quite a complicated process at times. We have been giving grants to them to put the events on and I’m sure that we are going to get some really good things happening.”
Coun Cleary said they have also been reviewing safety issues such as crowd control.
She added: “Both myself and the team are happy with the proposals we have come up with.
“We are all ready to go. We are just waiting for the completion and then we can get cracking. I’m really excited. It will be great for Accrington.
“We will also use the Market Hall as well for some events so it will bring people in there too. It’s all good.”
To see a full events list visit the Observer website.