AMT Public

The County Square Environmental Enhancement Scheme is a magnificent new town square built using natural local stone by local contractors. It is home to the life-size bronze statue of Laurel and Hardy unveiled by Ken Dodd on 19 April 2009 and which is now a major tourist attraction for Ulverston.

The project has created a large new gathering area outside the Coronation Hall Theatre. It created new walkways around the remainder of the square. The colour of the stone used for the scheme was matched to the colours of the surrounding buildings. Sandstone was used for disabled parking bays and thresholds. The thresholds are a design feature and a traffic calming measure. Local slate was used for the interpretation of the statue and also for bollards and seating. New historic lighting has been sited on buildings to reduce the amount of street clutter.

A local artist/blacksmith designed display panels for the front of the Coronation Hall to display posters. The design theme was rolls of film. Local sub contractors have been used in all aspects of the scheme and the main contractor was also based in Cumbria.

The overall aim and outcome of the project was to stimulate the economy of Ulverston by improving the built environment and attracting footfall to the area through the installation of the statue as a significant tourist attraction. It was also designed to improve an important entrance and exit to the town, which would still accommodate buses coming into the narrow town centre streets to drop off shoppers.

The project was part of the Market Towns Initiative (MTI programme of work and was developed following an extensive health check to understand what the community wanted to achieve in the town centre. This was principally an attractive town square and a gathering and performance space outside of the Hall, for the many festivals in the town centre.

The MTI committee ensured that the project itself was developed with the full co-operation and consent of the community and its stakeholders. There was significant consultation with all of the public sector especially Ulverston Town Council. The community was extensively involved through consultation events and exhibitions in local halls, local library and public venues.

A working group of local people will now manage the space, which is licensed for music, singing and dancing.

The project linked the improvement of the built environment with the creation of a tourist attraction. Private sector funding for the statue helped to lever public sector funding. The development encouraged the existing and unique privately owned Laurel and Hardy Museum to remain in the town and it has now relocated to a building closer to the statue.

Contact: Jayne Kendall. Regeneration Programme Manager, SLDC and MTI Project Officer

Town Hall, Queen Street, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 7ES

Phone: 01229 588499

e-mail: j.kendall@southlakeland.gov.uk