Chester Spring Clean

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working with businesses and residents on a city centre spring clean starting next week.

During March, teams of volunteers will be focusing on enhancement works across Chester city centre, tackling jobs outside of the usual cleaning and maintenance. Each week, the spring clean activities will focus on a different area of the city with teams of council staff, volunteers and partner agencies working together to improve the overall appearance of the city. 

Chester BID will be joined by a group of volunteers from city centre businesses to install flowers along the Rows. Additionally, the BID Maintenance Team will be enhancing their cleaning service by jet-washing alfresco spaces and awnings on behalf of businesses. This is part of their Step Into Spring Initiative. 

The spring clean volunteers include Ramboll, Chester BID, Rotary Club, The Chester Residents’ Associations Group (CRAG), Lloyds Bank, Rows Collective, Guild of Guides and Council teams. 

3 to 7 March – Frodsham St

• Litter picking
• Weeding
• Painting fences
• Cutting grass
• Painting wooden bollards

 10 to 14 March – The Rows

• Remove cobwebs
• Sweep/litter pick
• Remove pigeon mess
• Remove moss

 17 to 21 March – The Walls

• Weeding
• Clean and paint interpretation boards where needed
• Remove cobwebs and clean glass at Roman strongroom

 24 to 28 March – The Groves

• Paint benches
• Weeding

Councillor Nathan Pardoe, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and Digital Transformation said:

“The spring clean is just one small example of issues and solutions being acted on by one of the Chester One City Plan groups.

“The Being in Chester Group includes representatives from Chester Cathedral, The Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Visitor Information Centre, The Chester BID, Cheshire Police, The Chester Residents’ Associations Group and City Centre Councillors.

“Meeting throughout the year, this group keeps a keen eye on the appearance and safety within the city, from tackling anti-social behaviour to finding solutions to business waste collection the group has a wide remit.

“I would like to thank all of the volunteers coming together with brooms, paint brushes and dusters. Last year there was a week-long spring clean that’s now expanded across the whole month”

Mike Hogg, chair of the Chester Residents’ Associations Group said:

"CRAG members took part in the 2024 Chester Spring Clean and will be doing so again this year. We are pleased to work alongside businesses, Chester West & Chester staff and other partners to get the city looking at its best for what will be a very exciting and positive year. We are committed to making a contribution to Chester being a better place for all and the Spring Clean is one element of that.”

Luka Morrell, Chester BID Business Engagement Manager said:

“We’re incredibly grateful to all the businesses including regular volunteers Travelbag, Seasalt, and Barlounge who have volunteered their time to help with our Step Into Spring efforts in Chester City Centre.

“This initiative is a fantastic example of how our business community creates a welcoming and vibrant environment for both residents and visitors.”

The Council is promoting Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean campaign and the Your Streets team has organised litter picking events across the borough.

Nationally, The Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean 2025 is organised by Keep Britain Tidy and takes place from 21 March to 6 April. Last year there were pledges to pick more than 425,000 bags of litter.

The National Federation of Women’s Institutes started the first “Keep Britain Tidy” resolution in 1954.