A specialist contractor is about to begin demolishing a former pub in Workington to allow a major reconfiguration of one of the town’s key junctions.
Thompsons of Prudhoe, who have a base at Brampton near Carlisle, won the tender to knock down the Henry Curwen pub at Ramsay Brow. Work is due to start tomorrow, Wednesday 7 August 2024. No disruption for motorists is expected, though a small section of footpath, adjacent to the site, will be temporarily closed.
The building’s removal will remove a pinch point where the A66 and A596 meet, opening up the junction to give easier access for HGVs and other larger vehicles. The project’s main aim is to cut journey times to north Workington’s key employment sites and reduce the impact of HGV traffic on surrounding communities.
The building’s demolition is essential site preparation for the Workington Gateway project, a £10 million scheme which will also see enhancements to pedestrian and cycle routes in and around neighbouring Hall Park, a new horticultural centre and café for the West House social enterprise in the parkland’s walled garden, and a lighting scheme on the historic hall itself.
Workington Gateway is just one of a number of regeneration projects in the town which are benefiting from £33 million of external funding. They include a new Sports Village and an Innovation Centre business facility, as well as a logistics and energy hub at the Port of Workington. The town’s public realm will also be enhanced, and a Digital Accelerator Hub at Lakes College has already opened to benefit thousands of students.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said:
“This is an important scheme for the town in terms of future-proofing our transport networks and growing the west Cumbrian economy.