Tatty old benches in the middle of Northampton’s main shopping street are being removed as part of a project to improve the area.
The octagonal benches, which have been a ‘feature’ of Abington Street for decades, are being replaced with modern seats and trees.
The move is part of a £60,000 scheme to make small changes to the town centre which should have a big impact.
The leader of Northampton Borough Council, Councillor David Mackintosh (Con, Rectory Farm) said: “These are tough times for towns across the country and we’ve invested in these small improvements to give the town centre a lift and make it a more pleasant place to be.
“All this work is part of our overall plan to put Northampton on the map as a great place to visit and to invest.”
Other improvements to Abington Street will include replacing a number of old, worn-out litters bins, removing bollards which no-longer serve any purpose, replacing steel grilles around the bottom of trees with devices that do not trap litter and removing unnecessary street signs.
Five silver birch trees will also be planted at the top end Abington Street.
Part of the funding towards the project has also come from the Northampton Business Improvement District (BID), a group made up of shops in the town centre.
BID chairman Sue Roberts said: “We’ve been working hard to make sure Northampton has a great, all round offer for visitors and to create the best environment for businesses to do well.
“Making sure the town looks inviting and well cared for is a key part of that.
“The BID has already funded work to improve the Drapery and the Market Square and we want to see this new programme of improvements make a real difference.”
The improvements to Abington Street will begin on Tuesday, when the octagonal benches will be removed.
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