NEW life will be brought to a well-known part of Winchester High Street.

St Maurice’s Covert will be given a makeover thanks to Winchester Town Forum, who have come up with the idea to improve its presentation and the area around it.

The Covert is a covered passageway that links the High Street with the Wessex Hotel, Winchester Cathedral and the public toilets at Market Lane.

It is criticised for its poor lighting, commercial bins and a lack of interpretation of its historic past.

But now designers ScottWhitbyStudio from London have won the contract to produce a new design scheme.

Over the summer months they have gathered information to help shape their proposals. This included interviews with people in the town centre; studying CCTV footage of pedestrian patterns and inviting council officers and other stakeholders to contribute their professional opinions; and researching the history of the site of this former church.

They have also conducted practical tests to see whether improvements can be made, an example of this was moving the flower stall to the centre of the Covert and filling the space with a pop-up coffee shop.

Practical tests have included moving the flower stall to the centre of the Covert and filling the space with a pop-up coffee shop.

Chairman of Winchester Town Forum, Cllr Anne Weir said: “Forum members have been very impressed by the thorough and thoughtful approach of the ScottWhitbyStudio team.

“Right from the start, they have been keen to talk to as many people as possible: they believe that this space in the middle of our city deserves a proper place in Winchester’s distinguished street scene. The designers have really got to grips with the many issues that beset the Covert, and have been proactive in testing out the ‘right’ way to deal with these."

And is also an exhibition at Winchester Tourist Information Centre until September 25, and on September 21 the ScottWhitbyStudio team will present their plan at Winchester Town Forum from 6.30pm.