The latest update for residents, visitors and businesses of Kirkby Lonsdale has been released this afternoon.
Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership issued the update to help keep people informed as the town comes to terms with the devastating blaze which claimed the life of a man over a week ago.
The town wants people to visit and the message is very much that Kirkby Lonsdale is open for business.
Here’s what you need to know.
Community support centre
The community support centre remains in St Mary’s Church this week. This is being manned by local volunteers from 9am to 5pm daily with support from Westmorland and Furness Council officers.
Please feel free to call in for help and advice. The centre is welcoming of people of all faiths and people with no faith. Anyone unable to visit in person can call 015242 36404.
Public meeting
The next drop-in public meeting will take place today in the Lunesdale Hall from 5pm. All welcome to hear updates and ask questions.
Parking
Parking in Westmorland and Furness Council-run car parks – New Road 1, New Road 2 and Market Square – will be free to use until the end of December.
Parking off Wellington Court, next to the A65 and before the Lunesdale Surgery (with the exception of the specified staff parking bays) if offered throughout December as temporary unrestricted parking with immediate effect.
The Booths main store car park remains one hour free with an option to purchase a second hour as normal.
Please note that the Lunesdale Surgery parking is for patients of the doctor’s surgery only. Our thanks go to Booths for their ongoing support to the community and the economic recovery of the town.
Loading arrangements
While the cordon is in place, temporary loading bays have been created in Market Square to support businesses in Main Street and Market Street whose loading arrangements have been disrupted.
Anybody parking in Market Square is asked to use the spaces off Wellington Court if they are staying longer than an hour, to keep spaces available for shoppers.
Mitchelgate
Mitchelgate is open – but only open ONE WAY – so please drive with care and follow the diversions and signs.
Hophouse Lane
Hophouse Lane will be closed again today, Wednesday, from 8pm to 4am for safety reasons for work to repair of scoured verges and carriageway edge erosion.
With Mitchelgate one-way while the cordon is in place in Market Street/Main Street, there will be a diversion up to and along the C5081.
Traffic control teams will be deployed at either end of Hophouse Lane to advise.
Kirkby Lonsdale business showcase at Junction 36
Events by Shop Small is showcasing 35 Kirkby Lonsdale businesses impacted by the fire and Christmas Market stall holders affected by the cancellation of the event an opportunity to trade at a Late Night Shop Small event at Junction 36 Auction Mart at Crooklands today, Wednesday, from 6pm to 8pm.
Entry is free for anyone wanting to go along and it would be wonderful if people could support these local businesses at this most difficult time, said the partnership.
Late night shopping
Businesses in Kirkby Lonsdale are holding late night opening events until 7pm on Friday December 20 and Monday December 23.
Safety on Main Street
For your own safety no members of the public can go beyond the cordon area, there are a number of structurally unsafe buildings and heavy machinery operating in the area.
Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Fund
Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership is working hard to be able to offer immediate financial support to people who lived and worked in the area affected by the fire.
It is endeavouring to get this financial support to those who need it before Christmas Day.
Council staff are in the town today knocking on doors to help people apply for the immediate support.
If you have not yet been contacted or are displaced and not in the town, call 015242 36404.
If there is no answer, please leave a clear message with your name and contact details and somebody will call you back or call into the community support centre in St Mary’s Church.
The Go Fund Me page set up by Lunesdale Hall (Institute) charitable trust working with Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership and Cumbria Community Foundation has closed.
At the request of the Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership, Cumbria Community Foundation yesterday launched the Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal to help support the immediate and long-term recovery of people affected by the fire.
The appeal has been launched with a donation of £50,000 from Westmorland and Furness Council.
The appeal is focused on individual hardship caused by the fire and will broadly support the following:
- People who have lost their homes and possessions to the fire and been displaced, and
- People who are suffering hardship due to business closure linked to the fire and the loss of income to their households.
- If funds allow, community recovery activities
To donate to the fund, visit: https://cumbriafoundation.enthuse.com/cf/kirkby-lonsdale-fire-disaster-recovery-appeal/
To find out more about the fund, visit https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/kirkby-lonsdale-fire-disaster-recovery-fund/
