01/05/10 - Read Paul's article for the May edition of Cotswold Style

I don’t know what it is about public squares, but we do seem to have a fascination with them.

Whether as the focus of civic pride, a meeting place or a venue for markets and events, public squares around the world are regarded as important parts of a city’s character.  There’s the Place de La Concorde in Paris and Trafalgar Square in London - both must-see destinations for tourists.  Another of my favourites is the Grande Place in Brussels, where you can sit until the early hours sipping a Belgian beer and looking out over the stunning architecture.

Tiananmen Square in Beijing became symbolic with the people’s struggle against China’s oppressive regime.  Wenceslas Square in Prague was also the site of protests which led to the overthrow of the former Czechoslovakian authoritarian government .

In this country, Centenary Square in Birmingham and Millennium Square in Leeds are signs of those cities’ renaissance in recent years.

More locally, Cheltenham’s Imperial Square is a joy, particularly in the Summer, and Market Square in Cirencester still functions as its name suggests.

Then in Gloucester, we have Kings Square.  In recent years, it hasn’t exactly been a focus of civic pride – more a focus of some mild civic embarrassment.  Kings Square has become the litmus test of the city’s regeneration.  Despite £500 million of investment pouring into the city over the last five years or so, people won’t really believe that Gloucester’s regeneration is happening until Kings Square gets sorted out.

Kings Square has been a car park and a bus station, before its refurbishment in the 1970s.  At the time it was an award-winning design, typifying Gloucester’s status as a go-ahead city and was officially opened by Peter Walker, then Environment Secretary.  Norwich Union, owners of property surrounding the Square, ran an advert with the strapline “Turning an idea into something concrete.”  How true that was!

Unfortunately, the design didn’t stand the test of time.  The fountains stopped working, the “bear pit” toilets deteriorated and the former Golden Egg café, now empty, is almost universally regarded as one of Gloucester’s worst eyesores, with demolition the only viable answer.  I took Peter Walker, now Lord Walker of Worcester, to see the Square again in 2005 and he was fairly underwhelmed.

There are some interesting buildings around the Square.  The Post Office is without doubt the finest example and having one anywhere these days is worth celebrating in itself!  The Regal, which has been converted into a Wetherspoons pub, in its time as a theatre played host to The Beatles, The New Seekers, Max Bygraves and Bob Monkhouse , to name but a few.

More recently, the Square has staged a concert for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, as well as accommodating the Christmas Ice Rink and the Spiegeltent.

A few years ago, we carried out some interim works to flatten the Square, providing a usable space for markets and events.  But only a full-scale development will provide the transformation people want to see.

The Council is going through the process of appointing a developer partner for the Kings Quarter scheme, which covers the area around Kings Square, the bus station, Market Parade and part of Northgate Street.  We have put aside £1.5 million towards the refurbishment of the Square itself, but first we must establish how it will fit in with the wider scheme.

Delivery of the Kings Quarter scheme will be key to catapulting Gloucester up the hierarchy of retail destinations.  The city is already on an upward trend with the developments at St Oswalds Park and Gloucester Quays, but Kings Quarter could take us into the top fifty.

Perhaps, before too long, Kings Square can be talked about in the same breath as other famous public spaces in this country and beyond.  I only hope, when that happens, it doesn’t get used to stage too many protests against the city’s leaders!