Refurbishment of Iconic Clitheroe Castle Bandstand About to Start
Batons at the ready – work is about to start on the refurbishment of Clitheroe Castle’s iconic bandstand.
The £600,000 project will see the bandstand repainted, its stage resurfaced, new lighting installed and its tiered steps repaved, while railings, benches and pathways throughout the castle grounds will be replaced and resurfaced.
The project is the latest phase of a £2.3million investment in Clitheroe Castle by the site’s owners, Ribble Valley Borough Council.
Phase One has seen the castle’s 800-year-old keep shrouded in scaffolding and covers for much of the year, while specialist contractors fix crumbling stonework, fit new flashing to prevent water damage and thin surrounding overgrown foliage.
The keep will also be repointed externally over the coming months, ensuring its preservation for generations to come.
Work on the keep and bandstand is part of an extensive programme of improvements to the grounds of Clitheroe Castle, which also includes revamps of the multi-use games area (MUGA) and skatepark, and installation of an outdoor gym on the former tennis courts.
Stuart Hirst, chairman of Ribble Valley Borough Council’s community services committee, said:
“Clitheroe Castle has been the centrepiece of the town for centuries and this work will ensure it remains so for generations to come.
“The bandstand is a much-loved structure in the castle grounds and has hosted many concerts over the years, and we are delighted to be behind its refurbishment.”
Clitheroe Castle’s Grade I-listed keep dates back to the 12th Century and was originally the centre of a vast estate owned by the de Lacy family.
The castle and grounds remained in private ownership until 1920, when it was bought with money raised by public subscription to create a memorial to 260 soldiers from the town who died in the First World War.
The bandstand has hosted numerous concerts and carol services over the years, and the popular Last Night of the Proms featuring the Clitheroe Town Band every summer.
Ribble Valley Borough Council is pulling out the stops to ensure the bandstand is refurbished in time for this year’s Last Night of the Proms on Saturday, August 22.
The bandstand will be officially reopened next spring, when the programme of works at Clitheroe Castle are completed.