Festoon lights to be installed at Market Place and town bridge

Festoon lights will be installed in Melksham’s Market Place and on the historic town bridge to enhance the character of the spaces.

Melksham Town Councillors approved the Market Place scheme at the Amenities and Facilities Committee meeting on 9th February, aiming to improve safety and provide additional lighting for community events.

The work will be carried out by Light Fantastic and funded through the Central Government’s Wiltshire Towns Grant Programme, designed to enhance town centres.

The Town Bridge lighting is also being funded through the programme and forms part of wider restoration work on the bridge, including graffiti removal and summer floral displays to enhance the appearance of this key gateway into Melksham.

Councillors also discussed other ways to spend the remaining £35,000 from the programme.

It was suggested that the festoon lighting could be extended to cover Riverside Walk following suggestions from residents, but councillors resolved not to approve this at this stage, exploring instead other ways the funds could benefit the town.

Cllr Jennie Westbrook asked whether the money could be used to fund more public art, while Cllr Pat Aves suggested restoring the mosaic currently in storage or contributing towards a bandstand in King George V Park.

Melksham Town Council was allocated £25,000 for 2024/25 and £50,000 for 2025/26. So far, funding has been allocated to various projects: town council website (£8,000), town centre planters (£18,487), cherry trees and associated works (£3,219.50), a pop-up garden (£3,813.25), town bridge improvements (£4,800) and Market Place festoon lighting (£1,800).

It was agreed that the clerk would bring proposals for the remaining Wiltshire Towns Grant funds to the next meeting.

Pictured: festoon lighting in King George V Park