Shopfronts get 'glow up' in town's £6m makeover

Shop facades have been given a facelift as part of a multi-million pound investment to spruce up a town centre.

The work is part of a project to regenerate Ashton-in-Makerfield in Wigan, Greater Manchester, after it was awarded £6.6m of Capital Regeneration Projects (CRP) funding in 2024.

Shopfront and facade improvements along Garswood Street and Gerard Street form part of the funding, with grants awarded to interested businesses.

Working with Creative Heritage, Wigan Council said Cupcakery, Vapour Trader, Indulge Hair and Ashton Thai Spa have so far had shopfront makeovers with another 12 properties due to be completed by the end of spring.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a new market square complete with a diverse range of traders and community functions is also planned for Ashton-in-Makerfield.

The plan for the historic market site is to transform it into a multi-functional public square.

The council said there is demand from the community to see the market back.

In addition, the area is set to become home to what the council described as "a range of community, social and entrepreneurial activities that will boost local productivity and restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging".

It said the public square will provide a place for socialising and community engagement to cater for the needs of all age groups.

The council said: "We plan to encourage various businesses, ranging from start-ups to food and drink establishments, to set up in this location and make the space vibrant and modern to appeal to young people, yet attractive and easily accessible to the elderly."

Five public artworks will also be installed around the town centre.

Other projects the money will be spent on include streetscape greening - the integration of vegetation into the urban environment - and what the council describes as "road safety interventions to reduce the impact of traffic and make the town centre more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists".

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