A city centre walkway will be closed for up to eight weeks from tomorrow (Monday, January 17).

The footpath on Angel Row, which leads to Rack Alley and The Hive, is being upgraded and will not be accessible to the public.

Worcestershire County Council’s highways department said on Twitter the work would take up to four weeks but a sign on Angel Row said the closure will last eight weeks.

Members of the public are being asked to use an alternative route for journeys between The Hive and the city centre, along Angel Place and The Butts.

The work forms part of a multi-million pound regeneration of the Angel Place area of Worcester, being run as a joint project between Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council.

Improvements will include new surfacing, lighting, seating, planting and decluttering.

It has been made possible by the award of £17.9 million from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, which was launched in 2018 with the aim of reshaping town centres and high streets in a way that drives growth and ensures future sustainability.

Launching the Angel Place refurbishment scheme last month Councillor Alan Amos, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “Improving the city centre will make the area more attractive to everyone including residents, shoppers and businesses, helping to create a better environment, worthy of Worcester’s historic character.”

The leader of Worcester City Council, Councillor Marc Bayliss, added: “The Government’s investment in Worcester is set to create an exciting leisure, cultural, entertainment and residential quarter in the ‘northern gateway’ area around Angel Place, including a new theatre for the city.”

The work in and around Angel Row forms part of Phase 1 of the city centre improvements, which is expected to take about 14 weeks to complete.

Future phases will take in other areas of the north part of the city centre, including Angel Street, The Cross, The Foregate, Trinity Street, Trinity Passage and St Swithin’s Street.

You can find more information on the work at worcestershire.gov.uk/worcesterFHSF and at an unmanned exhibition at the Guildhall in Worcester.