Town looks to the future on a day that commemorates the past

In 2025 - a year which will see some of the biggest transformations in the town centre for decades - the past, present and future of the town were celebrated in a three-hour live show on Radio Humberside dedicated to Great Grimsby Day.

The day (March 11) began with the raising of the Great Grimsby Borough flag above the Town Hall. The Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of North East Lincolnshire, Cllr Steve Beasant, told radio presenters how magical it is to still celebrate such an important time in the history of the town.

On March 11 1201, King John and his royal entourage witnessed the sealing of the borough’s first Royal Charter. At the time, Grimsby was one of only seven places in England to have been granted this document, which defined the rights and privileges of the town, enabling it to govern itself and set its own taxes, essentially paving the way for local democracy and societal systems. This was 14 years before the landmark signing of the Magna Carta, which is seen as one of the most important documents in Great British history.

The Grimsby and Cleethorpes Civic Society talked in more detail about Grimsby’s past, and Carla Linford conducted a free guided walk of Hidden Grimsby, with a large and enthusiastic group of followers.

Local resident Vera Troop (92,) of Temple Croft Care Home, was out and about celebrating the “friendly” town she has lived in since the age of 16.

“I met my husband here and that will always be my greatest memory of Grimsby. I also enjoyed my role working with children. The town has changed so much over the years but there are still so many things to celebrate,” she said.

Roy Peasland, who was visiting Freshney Place from his home in Skegness, said: “The shopping centre is my favourite part of Grimsby. I visit here as often as possible.”

Talk then turned to the future of the town, as Radio Humberside Mid-Morning Show presenter, Carla Greene, took a walk through Riverhead Square to see the enormous amount of work that is underway to transform the area.

She was accompanied by North East Lincolnshire Council Leader, Cllr Philip Jackson, who gave her a guided tour of the developments, beginning in the square, which has been completely redesigned in the last two years to create an attractive pedestrian area for shoppers to sit and reflect, along with an area for outdoor events. The finishing touches are taking place at the square now, including the installation of electricity for events and the sealing of the stones on the flower beds.

The next stop was the site of the new Horizon building where partners OnSide are building an impressive Youth Zone next to the River Haven and, alongside that, Keepmoat are bringing town centre living back with a new housing development on Garth Lane.

Walking through Freshney Place, Cllr Jackson welcomed the completion of the new NHS Community Diagnostic Centre. CDCs are being pioneered across the country to provide diagnostic tests, such as scans and health checks - reducing pressures on hospitals across the country.

Due to open for appointments later this month, it is set to offer around 120,000 appointments every year – cutting waiting times for tests in a convenient town centre location.

Four years ago, the council also transformed St James’ Square, which houses the majestic Grimsby Minster. Alongside that sits St James’ House - currently under refurbishment into the new Business Hive, a business and conference centre, courtesy of E-Factor.

On Osborne Street, work is also underway on a new Transport Hub. This will be a multi-functional hub for buses, cycles, and other users, which connects with the adjacent railway station, encouraging public transport use and supporting the wider Grimsby Town Centre regeneration.

The final stop of the tour was at the western end of Freshney Place where scaffolding now covers the former BHS building as work gets underway to transform it into a new food hall and complementary market.

Cllr Jackson said that around £100m worth of Government grant funding is being spent on transformative projects that together are expected to breathe new life into the Borough, including the introduction of a new five-screen Parkway Cinema in Freshney Place.

Cllr Jackson said: “Seeing the scaffolding up and work beginning at BHS is a great sign for the town. It is really fantastic that people can now see work underway on one of the most ambitious projects the council has ever undertaken.

“We believe this is the most important regeneration project we have seen in North East Lincolnshire. It is key to the future of our town centre – underpinning the other regeneration taking place, as well as securing the future of Freshney Place and the 1,700 local jobs it supports.

“Taken together, all of the developments we have seen today will diversify the town centre and bring an increased footfall that Grimsby is crying out for. We are delighted to see work underway.”