Royal Dyche landlady hits out at costs and delays in Levelling Up Town 2 Turf project

Justine Bedford, who runs the Royal Dyche pub in Yorkshire Street, popular with match-going Clarets fans, told the Burnley Express her biggest issue with the project has been lack of communication, despite a positive start.

The £6m. scheme is being funded through Levelling Up grant money and other funding and undertaken in partnership between Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and Burnley Football Club.

However, motorists, traders and residents have all slammed the project on social media as taking too long and costing too much.

The Burnley Express revealed last week that the long-running KSC 110 Club in Yorkshire Street had been forced to close, partly due to restricted access due to the work.

Echoing those frustrations, Justine said: “Things started off very positive and proactive, with multiple visits from planners and council workers before the work began in our area.

“Since the beginning of June, when the work on the culvert bridge began, communication has rapidly declined. All of us local businesses have been left in the dark and it has negatively affected our trade too. I was not informed the road was going to become a temporary one way system when the bridge was finally opened and I have also not been notified regarding a completion date.

“The pavement out front of the Royal Dyche was torn up in June, and I had promises from the planners that it would be laid in time for the start of the football season on August 11th - it is yet to even be completed now. The area has been so dangerous for any pedestrians walking to/from town and our customers. So many have been put off coming near the area.”

Read more: Burnley residents have their say on Town 2 Turf Levelling Up project from Lancashire County Council and Burnley Borough Council

Disgraceful

“The culvert has been deprived for years and I agree that it was long overdue some ‘TLC’. I was excited when I first heard about the plans, however the project is taking way too long to complete and the amount of money wasted due to poor planning and errors is disgraceful.”

Designed to improve links between Burnley town centre and Turf Moor, the scheme will see the roundabout at the junction of Yorkshire Street and Church Street replaced by a traffic light junction with pedestrian crossings, the subway under Centenary Way closed and area landscaped, changes to the road system around the bus station, new pedestrian crossings, and improved paving, seating and lighting.

Stressful

Justine added: “I have ran my business for over a decade now and I have always been willing to work with any local authority but LCC has made it extremely stressful. Some of the workmen are brilliant, they give me as much information as possible and have tried their best to work with us, but some days even they don’t have answers because the communication and organisation from the top is appalling.”

Regeneration Corridor

Once completed, the work will form part of a “regeneration corridor” from the Weavers’ Triangle (and work connected to the expansion of UCLan) through the shopping centre to the stadium.

Related Levelling Up projects include expansion of the Canalside University Campus and an upgrade to Manchester Road Railway Station.