FAQs

Work on the High Street will pause over Christmas from 19th December and the contractor will return to site to complete outstanding works and defect rectification on Monday 5th January 2026.  During this period, should there be an emergency related to the works or the High Street in general, please call the Council's main number (01642 774774), the operators will ensure any issues are escalated to the relevant operatives and dealt with.

During the daytime, please contact Rediscover Redcar: 

Rediscover Redcar (12 West Terrace, Redcar)

Phone 01642 444073

Email   rediscover@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

For any issues out of hours, please contact the Council's CCTV team on 01642 495345.

We’ve received reports of orange markings on some of the armrests of the new benches along Redcar High Street.

Following discussions with the manufacturer, we understand these markings are just on the surface and are likely due to the nearby works.

The armrests were made from a Grade 316 stainless steel, chosen for its durability and suitability for coastal conditions. The marks can be easily wiped off.

We will continue to monitor the issue, and if it persists, the contractor will resolve it at no risk or cost to the Council under the guarantee.

New large benches have been installed in areas released back to the public.  Additional new benches with back supports will be put in place in the New Year.  Some of the older style benches with back supports are still being used until the new ones arrive, with two benches outside the entrance of Boyes Store and another two outside the Masonic Hall.

New lighting columns were installed within the first phase of works in October, the remaining areas will see new lighting columns installed and commissioned by the end of February 2026. The Council has put in place temporary lighting to ensure public safety through Winter.

The temporary surfaces will not be removed as they are the binder course which will be topped with decorative tarmac week beginning 15 December 2025, weather dependent.

The works are scheduled for completion in March 2026.  The vast majority of the works will be completed before Christmas 2025, with snagging taking place in the New Year.

All businesses will be open as usual for the duration of the works.

The market is currently located across the High Street now that the majority of the pedestrianised areas have been released.  The Council is working very closely with the traders to minimise disruption and ensure the full completement of market stalls are able to trade as usual throughout the works.

The temporary surface is the binder course which will be topped with decorative tarmac week beginning 15 December 2025, weather dependent.  The binder course, although temporary solution for pedestrians, is part of the build up and has cost no additional money to complete.

Yes, access will be always be maintained to businesses. Wayfinding signage will be put onto the hoardings to help members of the public find the shops they usually visit.        

Yes, both streets will remain open throughout the works, and will be used for deliveries to the works, mainly in the early morning.

Yes, although the hoardings will create some narrower areas in front of shops, the footpath will be wide enough for wheelchair users and access is maintained at all times.

No, the works will be phased to ensure the disruption to the High Street is minimised.  The areas being worked upon will be safely hoarded with footways available to ensure access to all shops and businesses.  

No parking bays or bus services are affected by the works.

The Council does not have any control over the setting of rents and business rates on the High Street. Business rates are set centrally by the Government. The Council does not own properties on the High Street, so rents are set by private sector property owners.

Significant investment is going into the wider Borough, including Guisborough, Eston and Loftus. Please visit YourVoiceMatters to find out more.

The investment in Redcar High Street is part of the Redcar Town Deal funding provided by the Government.

Yes, the contractor will make available access to the High Street for emergency vehicles, including access into the areas being worked on if required.

The Council has provided £246k of Tees Valley Combined Authority grants for shop fronts, with 14 grants already approved and improvements underway.

The works are being funded by the Government funded Redcar Town Deal.

Yes, the middle band of blocks will be engraved with a poem to celebrate the history of Redcar. Further details will be released about this soon and how to get involved.

New events infrastructure will be installed including power and water points. The improvements will also link into the new events space being created at the family culture and entertainment venue where the former M&S and Goodwins buildings used to be.  

Maintenance will be the responsibility of the Council. Additional resources have been set aside for additional street cleaning.

A modern attractive High Street will encourage more people to use the High Street. This in turn can attract additional shops and further investment. Investing in the High Street increases business confidence and will lead to vacant shops being filled. The Council do not own the shops on the High Street.

The contractor is retaining 15% of blocks to be re-used across the High Street to repair areas of existing paving that are not being replaced (the edges of the High Street).

Retaining all the existing blocks for re-use would not be efficient or economical due to the significant additional cost and time to remove carefully, sort by hand and stack onto pallets, and store. This would increase the cost of the project and delivery timescale, prolonging the disruption. As the blocks are being mainly removed with an excavator, a large portion will be chipped and damaged by this process.

The excavated block pavers are to be taken away by licensed waste carriers for 100% recycling. The pavers are to be crushed and recycled locally for re-use locally as building materials.

Where the paving arrangement would require blocks to be cut to less than one third of the original block size, a small number of blocks may be rotated into the second banding line to avoid small cuts.  

The majority of blocks in the new areas are traditional cropped paviours as opposed to the sawn paviours – these rustic-style blocks were chosen to contrast with the retained areas and to provide a mix of modern and traditional styles that reflect the high street architecture.

Works are inspected weekly and both temporary and permanent surfaces which are to be returned to public use are signed off by the Council’s Highways department and the project manager.

The refurbished high street and the new events space will have new electricity supplies that will be able to cater for events at ten times the scale of the previous power provision.