Council officials say work to deliver the transformation of Ashbourne’s town centre is on track, Dig Street will be closed to traffic until October 2025, and St John Street will remain closed until September 2025. Further minor works are scheduled for Church Street and Station Road from October to December 2025, which will be carried out by the District Council rather than the contractor. These were always planned and are not a change to the programme.
With the May Bank Holiday and summer approaching, councillors, local retailers, and owners of restaurants, cafés, and bars are eager to emphasize that the town remains open for business with visitors being encouraged to come and enjoy what the town has to offer.
It's business as usual at Poms.
Concerns had been raised about the impact of the works on visitor numbers to the town however District Council car parking data shows that Ashbourne car parks saw an increase in the number of ticket sales between Jan-April 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Although still work in progress, areas on Dig Street, St John Street and Buxton Hill give a first impression of how the transformed pavements will look. The initial response has been positive, especially on Henmore Bridge where a new pavement has been added on the east side so that pedestrians can safely use both sides of the bridge. It will particularly benefit visitors with young families and those with disabilities, who will then be able to move between Dig Street and Shrovetide Walk without needing to cross the road or divert around Henmore Brook.
Henmore Bridge first look at new pavement
Work on St John Street
To restore a sense of vibrancy to the heart of the town, Grade II listed features in the Market Place will be repaired and upgraded, with new street furniture and lighting added, and trees planted to bring much-needed greenery into the town centre. It will no longer be a car park (alternatives are available at the Cattle Market, Cokayne Avenue, Shawcroft, the Bus Station, Swimming Pool, and Clifton Road). Instead, the Market Place, Victoria Square, Shrovetide Walk and Millennium Square will be ready to host the town's popular programme of outdoor events, like StreetFest – which will go ahead in the town centre as usual in June this year - as well as setting the scene for exciting new events.
While the works are under way, traffic can back up through Ashbourne town centre during busy times and some delays are to be expected. But it is important that visitors know that traffic is generally flowing normally outside of peak hours. Although local traffic diversions are in place to avoid the closed section of the A515 northbound through Ashbourne, southbound traffic is unaffected and is able to travel down Buxton Road as usual. Car parks are open, with plenty of space available.
Artists impression St John Street credit Aecom and DCC
Meanwhile, at Ashbourne Methodist Church good progress has been made in the creation of a new foyer which will link three current buildings into one accessible suite with new and renovated rooms for use by community groups. New images have been released by the project architects Allan Joyce Ltd, showing an artist’s impression of the large new events space in Trinity Hall, which will attract performances to Ashbourne as well as supporting local performing arts groups. Meeting rooms of various sizes will be developed for community and business use, and the Gateway Centre will be remodelled to provide affordable quality visitor accommodation bringing extra footfall and visitor spend to the local economy. A community garden and outdoor event space, and a co-located mobility hub will provide a range of sustainable travel options and connect directly into the Peak District. The Cornerstone Coffee Shop will also be upgraded.
Ashbourne Methodist Church had been working on transforming their building into a community hub for a number of years before the possibility of central Government funding. By the time of applying, the church had already developed detailed plans, received planning permission and raised significant funding. The well-developed proposal for the community hub was a key factor in the eventual success of the Ashbourne Reborn programme partnership bid. The church, which is a registered charity, has committed to raising significant match funding towards the redevelopment, and church partners have also contributed expertise to support and deliver the proposals.
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