Member Article

£150k work boosts Middlesbrough retail quarter

A retail quarter at the heart of Middlesbrough is to benefit from a package of upgrades.

Baker Street - which forms a key link between Centre Square, Linthorpe Road and the wider town centre - has been transformed from a semi-redundant residential street into a haven for independent businesses thanks to a £150,000 makeover.

The street’s regeneration began in 2012, with funding from the High Street Innovation Fund enabling Middlesbrough Council to begin the creation of an ambitious retail and leisure quarter.

Baker Street is now home to a variety of independent retailers, traders, eateries and bars, drawing comparisons with the thriving and vibrant economy of London’s Brick Lane.

Businesses range from vintage clothing retailers and micro-pubs to cafes, beauty and tattoo parlours, generating a thriving mix of creativity and entrepreneurialism in the heart of the town.

So successful has been the reinvigoration of the area that the local community even mounted their own Christmas carnival last year.

Many of Baker Street’s existing traditional legal and accountancy firms are still in their original premises, and now benefit from the influx of new neighbours and a new clientele.

Now the street is to benefit from a package of improvement works designed to add the finishing touches to its rejuvenation and match the uniquely decorated interiors and smart shop fronts which symbolise its ongoing success.

The revamp will fall into two main areas – surfaces and lighting.

To improve the environment for both pedestrians and traffic, the carriageway will be resurfaced and the pavements re-laid, enhancing the overall look of the street.

New street lighting will also be installed following the recent opening Baker’s Street’s two new micro-pubs - Sherlock’s and The Twisted Lip - which see the street open daily for business until 11pm.

The new lighting and pavement upgrades will be sympathetic to the Victorian period of the buildings.

Work is due to start later in July, and it is hoped it will be complete by August.

Councillor Tracy Harvey, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “The success of the Baker Street project has surpassed all expectation, and continues to go from strength to strength.

“It’s great example of how we can work creatively together to support up-and-coming new businesses, while bringing empty premises back into use.

“High Streets continue to face unprecedented challenges, so it is essential that we continue to do all we can to make Middlesbrough town centre as diverse and as appealing as possible.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .