A DEEP clean of Evesham’s Riverside Shopping Centre has been carried out as part of Wychavon District Council’s commitment to improve the appearance of the building.
Specialists, Periodic Cleaning Solutions spent three days last week giving the beleaguered centre an extensive overhaul with litter and debris cleared from walls and ceilings.
Floors have also been scrubbed and mopped and a significant amount of pigeon droppings removed from the Bridge Street entrance.
This follows the authority’s announcement on March 24 that it had bought the site as part of a multi-million-pound deal – supported by a £4.5million grant from Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency.
The multi-storey car park has also been litter-picked and cleared of other waste by Wychavon’s street cleaning contractor FCC Environment.
Councillor Emma Stokes, Wychavon’s executive board member for resources, investment and innovation, said: “We promised people we would deal with the appearance of the centre when we had control, and this is Wychavon once again delivering on our commitment to the people of Evesham.
“My thanks go to Lee and the team from Periodic Cleaning Solutions, who have done an amazing job.”
The condition of the centre has been a long-standing concern for residents and businesses, with its appearance negatively affecting perceptions of the town centre.
The council said that a system is now in place to deal with cleaning issues as they occur, with the aim of keeping the centre looking presentable ahead of its closure and eventual demolition.
She added that there were areas where the staining is so significant it could not be removed, and there is an ongoing issue with pigeon poo.
“We will do what we can to keep the centre looking presentable while it remains open, but it may not always look as good as it does now,” Coun Stokes said.
She said the council needed to balance resources needed to deal with future cleaning issues against the fact the building will be demolished in the near future.
An application to demolish the centre will be submitted to council in May.
