Work on Coventry’s Hight Street Heritage Action Zone has come to an end this month. The regeneration of one of Coventry city centre’s final intact historic streets has now been completed.
The programme to restore or replace 20 shopfronts on Burges and Hales Street has been carried out by Historic Coventry Trust, with support from the City Council.
The scheme aimed to reverse the decline of the Conservation Area following its listing on Historic England’s At Risk Register.
Work on the final shop front, Oodles restaurant was completed earlier this month. Only two properties in the terrace of buildings, Marlboro News and Plaza Studios, have not been restored after their owners declined to be involved in the mostly grant funded regeneration scheme.
The work at Burges and Hales Street has been funded by a grant from Historic England as the demonstrator project for its national £95million High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme.
The Burges, Coventry High Street Heritage Action Zone received a 2021 Summer Award from the Future Cities Forum, for “boosting the local economy and engaging directly and successfully with the community”.
It also received a commended award in the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) West Midlands Best Project 2023 awards.
Work is now underway to restore the back of the Oodles building which borders the River Sherbourne.
Historic Coventry Trust chairman Ian Harrabin said: “We have made a fantastic improvement to the street and I think the final shopfront completed at Oodles restaurant is the best yet.
“The works have reversed decades of decline in one of Coventry’s oldest streets.”