THE first of a series of building facelifts in Northwich town centre, which will amount to an overall £1.4 million makeover, is due to get underway.
The Northwich Townscape Heritage Project will start with work on what was The Melting Pot Café at the top end of Witton Street this month to improve its appearance in the town.
The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Business Improvement District (BID) The scheme is intended to ‘enhance and protect the historic character’ of Northwich town centre by providing grants to fund improvements to some of the traditional timber-framed buildings in Witton Street and High Street.
Overall £1.4 million is being targeted at improving properties and boosting the general appearance of the town centre conservation area.
Alison Knight, director of places strategy at CWAC, said: "This is the first of many individual improvement projects to be undertaken by the independent and specialist retailers in the Witton and High Street area of Northwich that will not only complement the new Barons Quay development, but involve the whole of the town centre in the inspiring regeneration of Northwich.
"The historic timber-framed buildings give the town centre its unique character and identity and I am delighted that the first of the improvement projects is underway with HLF funding.
"It is important that we ensure that existing Northwich businesses are properly supported.”
The Melting Pot Café at 96 Witton Street used to be called the Weaverdale Café and was where the British indie rock group, The Charlatans, often met up in their early years.
Read more at northwichguardian.co.uk