Boosting pride in Dewsbury through Revive and Thrive scheme
A creative scheme to brighten shop fronts and improve public areas in Dewsbury town centre is now complete.
Revive and Thrive, a regeneration initiative funded by UK government, is designed to boost pride in areas, support local businesses, increase footfall, and create a more welcoming and attractive town centre environment for residents and visitors.
The initiative has focused on visible improvements including installing new public artwork, repairing and repainting worn shopfronts, improving the front of vacant buildings, and introducing new planting and planters to bring more greenery into the centre.
The scheme has been delivered in partnership with JH Construction and Emmeline North – an emerging artist, best known for large-scale murals and striking surface pattern designs.
David Shepherd, Executive Director for Place, said:
“Schemes like this are important in bringing more vibrancy and making our centre more attractive and we are always looking for opportunities to do this throughout the borough.
“This is just the start of reinvigorating the town’s heart with the opening of Dewsbury Arcade and the temporary market in town centre later this year. These are all part of blueprint plans in preserving our heritage and creating a more welcoming environment for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”
With input from Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board and engaging with community groups, feedback allowed us to identify areas in need of improvements and to reinvigorate street scenes. This has made the town centre more inviting for people as they visit the town and celebrate the heritage and culture of the area.
Artwork has been completed at the Old Post Office, Daisy Hill and Cliffe Street Mural where the archways now incorporate colours from the Dewsbury containers and botanical motifs used in the mural completed at the Princess of Wales site.
Stat Boxes have been decorated with geometric patterns originally created for textiles by Emmeline North. They have been given a bespoke colour to fit into the surroundings and complement the artwork created for the windows of 29 Market Place on the opposite corner. Both sites celebrate the textile heritage of the town and will complement the incoming containers for the temporary market.
Many other shop fronts and windows throughout the town centre have been given a fresh new look and painted with traditional heritage colours.
