Petition calls for town centre upgrade

MORE than 200 Huddersfield businesses have signed a petition calling for urgent improvements to an area of the town centre.

Charles Jones started the petition two months ago, claiming that the state of dilapidation at the St Peter’s Street area of Huddersfield had reached a 10-year peak.

Mr Jones, who runs a steel business said: “During the 12 years I have been in St Peter’s Street, myself and others have complained to everyone in Kirklees Council about the condition of the courtyard.

“In this time we have seen more rubbish bins overflow, filth, rats, addicts shooting-up and people urinating in the street.

“All this at the rear of restaurants and takeaways fronting John William Street.

“The Byram Arcade was once a proud architectural jewel but its shabby exterior is now not much worse than the interior.”

The petition is also calling for improvements to the Britannia Buildings on St George’s Square, where empty premises on the ground-floor have been damaged and attract loiterers.

He added: “Other towns and cities take pride in such quirky places as the Courtyard. Why can’t Kirklees?”

Vicki Ridgway, owner of the Keys Restaurant on the corner of Byram Street and Kirkgate, added: “We have sporadic problems with vomit and even faeces in the grounds and it is always worse this time of year.

“I don’t know where these individuals come from but I don’t see why we should have to put up with this.

“We have CCTV and the council seem quick to use it when it means creating revenue, ie parking tickets.

“The cleaning that was done before Capt Lisa Head’s funeral was impressive and I can see why it was important for the town to look its best on that occasion but why can’t we have even a proportion of this cleaning all the time.”

Other issues raised in regard to the town centre improvements included the location of drug charity Lifeline in Station Street.

Have your say in our quick town centre survey on Page 2