A former regeneration leader turned councillor has hope for the city’s future after complaints that its historic heart has fallen into decay.
Cllr Adam Scott said there was reason to hope that Worcester was on the right track after complaints about the city centre’s poor condition, but he believes it must retain its strong civic identity to enjoy the best chance of success.
President of Worcester Civic Society, Phil Douce, has raised a plethora of issues about the poor state of the city centre, from empty buildings to graffiti, grime, broken windows and proliferating weeds growing out of cracks in the city’s historic buildings, even likening the city to a ‘slum’.
This has prompted a campaign by the Worcester News to improve the city’s condition and place some of these issues in the spotlight as a catalyst for further action, whether by leaders at Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council or by developers and the owners of the buildings themselves.
OUTSPOKEN: Phil Douce, president of Worcester Civic Society, has not held back in his description of the poor state of the city centre (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Cllr Scott, now retired, has a professional background in town planning and urban regeneration projects in northern England, skills he wants to ‘bring to bear’ in Worcester.
Cllr Scott of Battenhall, Worcester, accepts that the city faces challenges – but he is convinced the people of the city are up to the job.
He said there were multiple examples demonstrating that the city is already being regenerated, including the redevelopment of the Scala and a scheme to transform the former Debenhams department store into a new hotel, supported by other new retail outlets.
Another example he cited was the £252,000 improvements to St Andrew’s Gardens, near the St Andrew’s Spire, also known as the Glover’s Needle, achieved through £180,000 of Government funding alongside £72,000 of developer contributions.
GRAFFITI: Church Street in Worcester has several graffiti tags (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
The Cathedral ward city councillor said such projects illustrated that ‘new life’ was already being breathed into the city’s fabric, also citing new pubs like The Wilde Poet in The Tything and the No 43 wine bar, which he suggested showed there was confidence.
“There’s lots and lots of private sector on the cards,” he says, speaking to the Worcester News inside the city’s celebrated Guildhall. However, he accepted there was a problem with derelict properties such as Argos and that the city centre, like all city centres today, faced challenges as shopping habits change. However, he is acutely conscious of the cost of living crisis, adding: “All city centres are suffering.”
READ MORE: Worcester city centre looks like ‘slum’ as campaign launched
“In my ward, you have got some of the most expensive but also the poorest housing in the private sector. It’s a place of contrasts,” he added.
CHANGE: Scala Theatre in Worcester is a sign Worcester can be improved says Cllr Scott (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
“We need to think imaginatively about bringing in new public open space in strategic locations,” he said. He added: “I expected to see more major regeneration proposals for the Hopmarket in the near future,” he said.
He said a new home has been found for the stallholders at the former Angel Place market which has moved to the Cornmarket.
Cllr Scott said he would like to see the market expand two days a week to the adjoining car park.
Graffiti is another issue, but Cllr Scott, also a member of Worcester Civic Society, pointed out there are mechanisms for reporting it.
Cllr Scott said there was an issue with the maintenance of sections of the pavement, pointing out uneven paving near the Guildhall which he said was ultimately the responsibility of Worcestershire County Council.
Angel Street (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Another reason to be optimistic, he said, was the city’s really strong independent sector and the work of Worcester BID and businesses, which were increasingly working together with other agencies to put on events and tackle antisocial behaviour.
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Cllr Scott, who is a Labour Party councillor, said: “More investment from the Government is expected. It’s very much a place-based approach Andy Burnham is taking. Worcester has got such a strong identity, and I’m confident we can keep building on that.”
One of the ways he believes this can be fostered is through the ‘Parish Council for Worcester’ project, something Cllr Scott considers central when Worcester City Council ceases to exist in April 2028 under current government plans to replace Worcestershire’s existing local authorities with a new unitary structure.
Cllr Scott is conscious Worcester has had a civic identity and, unless something is done, it will be the first time in 800 years the city would not have a directly elected council, calling the proposed parish council as a ‘platform for new civic pride’.
He believes this new council could drive forward improvements in street scene, landscaping, community events and markets within the city centre.
Cllr Scott also wants to see new cycling routes opened up, more dropped kerbs for pushchairs and wheelchairs and more crossing points for pedestrians.
