New signs link visitors to key areas in Pontefract

​New signs have been installed in Pontefract to direct residents and visitors across the town to places of interest where regeneration improvements have taken place.

The £3,000 cost of the new signage was funded by the Council’s Capital Grants Programme. Each ward has been allocated the £50,000 funding boost for use on specific projects identified by ward councillors through engagement with local residents and voluntary and community groups.

New ‘fingers’ have been added to direction signs, signposting visitors to places of interest in the town including Gillygate, the Castle, Valley Gardens and Monkhill Station.

Significant regeneration projects have taken place in Gillygate recently, with £240,000 of grant funding from the Pontefract Townscape Heritage Initiative and £70,000 of private sector funding invested in restoring and improving six historic properties on the street. Further private investment has transformed a previously disused building at the bottom of Gillygate into high quality apartments.

​Cllr David Jones, Wakefield Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Skills, said: “These new signs show the amount of investment and development that has taken place in Pontefract, improving the town for local residents and visitors. I hope people find them useful to help explore areas of the town they may not have visited before and to see the improvements that have taken place as we continue to regenerate the area.”

Another of the new fingerposts signposts to Valley Gardens, as requested by the Friends of Valley Gardens and Pontefract Civic Society. There has been £60,000 of investment in the park to provide play facilities and a picnic area in the grounds.

Additional signposts are for Pontefract Castle where £3.5million works are currently taking place to renovate the site and provide visitor facilities and Monkhill railway station which has recently benefitted from a £300,000 improvement scheme.

ENDS