Redcar Town Centre Transformation

The works to the High Street are nearing completion, with new benches installed next to the planters, adding a finishing touch to the project, which will soon be completed...

This week through to Wednesday 25th March, contractors are cleaning and sealing the newly installed paving on Redcar High Street, working in phased zones throughout the week. The forecast is looking good, so we’re expecting work to progress as planned.

Each zone will be fenced off and completed one at a time, helping keep disruption to a minimum.

General access through and around the High Street will remain open during the works and all businesses will be open as usual.

A NEW silver jewellery store on Redcar High Street is celebrating a strong start after receiving targeted financial support.

B Silver, the silver jewellery sister store to neighbouring BONDS Gold, opened in July 2025. Business partners Craig Robinson and Gavin Hubbard used grant support from a programme designed to attract new and expanding businesses into Redcar town centre to build and diversify the retail offer.

Craig, 37, from Marske, has been part of BONDS for two years and said opening B Silver was always part of their long-term plan, but the funding allowed them to move faster.

“The grant funding pushed us towards opening,” Craig said. “It was our plan all along, but this helped accelerate it.”

The funding, from Tees Valley Combined Authority and delivered by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, supported the set-up of the new store, creating two new jobs and bringing a previously unused High Street unit back into productive use. Craig worked with the council throughout the process to move the project forward.

Since opening, trade has been strong, especially in the lead‑up to Christmas.

Craig is a vocal supporter of shopping locally and sees a thriving high street as essential for Redcar’s future.

“Shopping online can be great, but it’s not the same,” he said. “You can have a good nosey. I quite like to give local businesses my business, too.”

This commitment shaped the entire shop fit-out. “Carpets, plasterer, builder, all local. It feels good. It’s nice to deal with the person who owns the business. They take pride in their work. I feel very strongly about supporting small and local businesses.”

Next on the horizon is a dedicated website to complement their existing eBay presence.

“We have just been finding our feet, but the website is our next step.”

B Silver is one of 12 businesses to have benefitted from this funding so far. As the High Street units are privately owned, the council does not have control over them, but the grant scheme is proving an effective way to encourage investment and new uses.

The opening of B Silver is part of a wider programme of improvements to Redcar High Street which is being funded by the Redcar Town Deal, including new paving, benches, planters and trees.

Cllr Lynn Pallister, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise at the council, said: “Supporting local businesses is central to building a stronger, more confident Redcar, and I’m so pleased to see B Silver doing well. What impresses me most here is the commitment to using local tradespeople and keeping investment in the town, it helps multiple business and it is vital for our local economy. I wish them best of luck for the future.”

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said: "It's great to see another empty shop unit brought back to use on Redcar High Street and a local business expanding and creating jobs.

"Support like this is all about helping local entrepreneurs take that next step, growing their business, bringing more people into our town centres and driving our local economy, Craig and the team are a great example of the pride and ambition we have in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, and I wish them every success as B Silver continues to grow."

🌿🌱 The transformation of Redcar High Street has taken another step forward as new trees and planting are now being installed in the recently delivered planters.

This work forms part of the Redcar Town Deal programme, which is focused on creating a more welcoming and attractive town centre.

A selection of Queen Elizabeth field maple trees has been chosen for the high street. This variety is recognised for its resilience, suitability for urban settings, low maintenance needs and long lifespan, making it an ideal choice for a busy town centre. While the trees may look a little bare at the moment, they will soon come into leaf as the spring season arrives.

Each planter will also include uplighting, creating a striking new feature and enhancing the evening atmosphere along the high street.

Cllr Lynn Pallister MBE, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise, said: “Making the High Street a more beautiful place benefits our local businesses. These will make a fantastic addition to the high street. I cannot wait to see them in bloom with the uplighting.”

This Sunday (22nd February), the final tarmac surface will be added outside Sports Direct. Contractors will be on site throughout the day, and pedestrians will still have access to this part of the High Street until 4pm.

From 4pm to midnight, this part of the High Street will be closed to allow the team to finish. A diversion will be in place via the Esplanade and Lord Street.

Pedestrians will have access as normal the following day.

Thank you for your patience. Carrying this out on a Sunday evening helps keep disruption to a minimum.

New planters have arrived on Redcar High Street, thanks to Redcar Town Deal funding. They are etched with drawings inspired by the work of Samuel Plimsoll, who helped make sailing safer.

Soon they will be filled with field maple trees, a variety called Queen Elizabeth, chosen for their resilience, suitability for urban settings, low maintenance needs and long lifespan. Each planter will also have up lighting, creating a fantastic new feature on the high street.

Cllr Lynn Pallister MBE, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise at the council, said: “These planters will make a fantastic addition to the high street, and I cannot wait to see trees in them to give that finishing touch.”

A video showing the latest developments on The Lookout and the High Street. It’s great to see how far things have come...

https://youtu.be/S7Ue4ZMZbVM

• 🌳 Installation of new planters and trees will begin this month
• Additional benches with backs will be installed soon.
• Please remember that the High Street is not fully finished, with some temporary surfaces and minor defects that will be put right over the coming weeks.

WHEN Dan Bentley first stepped onto Redcar High Street in the late 1990s, he was a teenage apprentice with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, learning the ropes as a highways operative. “I was young, so I didn’t take it that seriously,” he laughs, reflecting on those early days. “But it was my first real experience of work.”

Fast forward more than two decades, and Dan is back, this time having played a pivotal role in the transformation of the heart of the town he used to work in.

Dan is the project manager for C.R. Reynolds, the principal contractor commissioned by the Redcar Town Deal board and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, who are working together to bring about change to Redcar thanks to £25 million worth of government investment.

Dan brings not only technical expertise but a personal connection to the place and its people. After his apprenticeship ended, Dan eventually moved to Manchester, where he worked as a paver. “All my family are Mancunian,” he explains. “So, I went over there, and eventually my wife Kirsty joined me, but she always wanted to come back.”

That return to the North East marked a full circle moment for Dan now that he is overseeing the High Street’s transformation.

The scheme, part of the wider Redcar Town Deal projects, began construction in April 2025. Due for completion by the end of March 2026, the High Street will have new paving, new street furniture, landscaping with plants and trees and upgraded lighting.

The project has been carefully phased to minimise disruption, and the Town Deal board and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council have worked closely with local businesses and market traders to ensure the transformation goes smoothly. All shops have remained open and no market days have been lost during the works.

For Dan, it’s more than just a job. “There’s a real sense of pride in being part of something that’s going to shape the future of Redcar.” he says.

And it’s not just about work - Dan and his family are deeply rooted in the area. “I love bringing my kids up in Redcar,” he says. “We swim in the sea, take the dog up on the moors, which is just a 15-minute drive away. The other night I finished work, and me and Kirsty went to the Beacon for some tea, then walked home. I love it here.”

Great progress continues on Redcar High Street! Here’s what’s coming up in the next few weeks:

✅ The relaying of paving in front of Clinton Cards is on track to finish by the end of January, and the topcoat of the tarmac in front of Sports Direct is due to start this month, depending upon the weather.

🌳 Installation of new planters and trees will begin in January.

🗑️Larger bins will also be installed in early February.

✨ A full clean of all paving is scheduled for early March, giving the High Street its finishing touch.

Cllr Lynn Pallister MBE, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise at the Council, said: “We want to thank everyone for their patience and support as improvements continue on the High Street, particularly our local businesses. We’re pleased to share that the contractor is currently ahead of schedule.”

These improvements are funded by the Redcar Town Deal.

Please remember that the High Street is not fully finished, with some temporary surfaces and minor defects that will be put right over the coming weeks.

We are aware that the King Edward VII Memorial Clock has stopped, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Repairs have been arranged and will take place in early January 2026.