Alleyway next to Northampton’s Market Square already a grot spot despite £12 million revamp
A refurbished alleyway in Northampton, part of a £12 million revamp, has already become a hotspot for filth – including waste, urine, and discarded cigarette butts
Conduit Lane, connecting Mercers Row and the Market Square, has recently been transformed with new paving as part of the major improvement works to Market Square. However, the alleyway has already become a grot spot.
Former Northampton resident Ray Gardner, visiting the town centre recently, contacted Chronicle and Echo about his ‘disappointment’ with the alleyway.
Ray said: “The new Market Square is looking good, although… what a disappointment, then to see that Conduit Lane is full of rubbish bins and is clearly being used as a public toilet.
“What is the point of spending millions of pounds on a new square and not taking care of all routes to and from the area?
“The council managed to clean up Drum Lane when the new Shipman’s pub re-opened. Could they not do the same for Conduit Lane and the other surrounding areas?”
Chronicle and Echo visited the Conduit Lane on Monday (July 29) and can confirm it smelled of urine, cigarette ends littered the floor, and waste bins blocked most of the walkway.
In response, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) stated that a Public Spaces Protection Order covering Northampton town centre was implemented last year under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act. The order prohibits urinating or defecating in public places and allows town centre wardens to enforce this rule.
The council also said that the location will be included under the new Town Centre Environmental Policy.
A WNC spokeswoman said: “Officers have begun engaging with businesses to look at waste storage across the town centre area. As every business will be visited, this piece of work will be ongoing for a number of weeks and months to support the policy.”
They added that FAQs are available on the website for residents to track the policy's progress since its introduction on July 1 and to understand the next steps.
The Market Square is set to reopen on September 20 after closing down for refurbishment works in February 2023.