Stamford’s Red Lion Square won’t get new cobbles until next Christmas

Work to repair the stone cobbles in Stamford’s Red Lion Square will begin during the summer of 2022 and the project, estimated at £1.4 million, is expected to take five months to complete.

Yorkshire setts were initially installed in Red Lion Square in 2007. However, in recent years the stone setts required ongoing maintenance as vehicles moving through the square caused them to move around, lift out of place or break.

Lincolnshire County Council’s latest plans for the square would see the stones replaced with thicker setts on a stronger base.

The county council has picked Eurovia as its works contractor for the Red Lion Square improvements.

A specific date for the project, which is currently in the detailed design phase, will be confirmed closer to the time.

Various one-way systems and short duration road closures will be in place during the works in and around Red Lion Square, with details still being finalised.

The project is being fully funded by the county council. It will be reviewed and discussed by the council’s Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee on Monday, October 25.

This comes after Stamford residents reacted with horror last year when traditional paving setts in the heart of the town were replaced with patches of tarmac.

The paving being replaced by tarmac. | Photo: Steve Daniels

A section of Stamford’s historic High Street was resurfaced by contractors as part of a £50,000 repair scheme by the county council.

The previous work followed numerous cases of people tripping over uneven paving in the areas, as well as in the nearby Red Lion Square.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “To save money, time and disruption in the future, we’ll be replacing the current stones with thicker setts and a stronger underground foundation.

“This will not only make the surface more robust by preventing cracking and shifting of the stones, but also maintain the current aesthetic of the square and Stamford generally.”

He added: “As with any other major improvement project, there will inevitably be some disruption on local roads once work is underway.

“However, I want to assure residents and businesses that we’ll be doing our very best to keep traffic moving and to maintain access to all shops and businesses. We will also work to ensure local roads are fully clear ahead of and during the 2022 Burghley Horse Trials.”