Barrow will welcome the King to Barrow Town Hall this afternoon.
The visit marks the formal celebration of Barrow being granted royal status for its port, announced in March in recognition of the town’s unique and critical contribution to the UK’s nuclear submarine building programme and national security.
As part of the public celebrations, there will be a full programme of activities from late morning, including a performance from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and free street entertainment such as face painting, stilt walkers, and a drumming band. Traditional games, including hook-a-duck, will also be available.
This is a public event and is free for anyone who wants to come and see the King at Barrow Town Hall.
The bells at the town’s St James’ Church will ring out from 2pm to 5pm in celebration of the King’s visit.
Bellringers will perform a full peal for the visit and people can pop into the church to see a live video of the church’s bells as they are being rung.
His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria, Alexander Scott, said: “This is a historic day for the Port of Barrow and for the people of Barrow as we celebrate the port’s royal status it really is a very prestigious honour.
“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this possible, the skilled shipbuilders, port staff, and the wider community whose dedication and hard work have brought us to this special moment.
“I hope everyone enjoys today’s celebrations and takes pride in this recognition of Barrow’s unique contribution to the nation as a whole.”
Barrow mayor Fred Chatfield said: “This is fantastic news for our town and, of course, for the port. It reflects the hard work, dedication, and talent of everyone in our community. I am thrilled that The King is joining us to celebrate this special occasion.”
The day’s celebrations have been organised by Westmorland and Furness
Council.
Chairman Cllr Doug Rathbone said: “This is a tremendous honour for both the port and our town.
“Today’s event is also a unique opportunity to celebrate our town’s rich heritage and exciting future. I would encourage everyone to take part and come down to the town hall to show our appreciation for this significant honour that the King has bestowed upon us.”
Vanessa Reed, chief executive of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: “We are delighted to be a part of the celebrations in Barrow. We’ve been working in the community for almost three years now and have seen first-hand the transformative impact that increased access to live music has on the community.
“We look forward to welcoming His Royal Highness, who we know has a life-long love for classical music and we hope to also welcome him to our home in Liverpool Philharmonic Hall soon.”
A decision has been taken to temporarily close some of the buildings and car parks by Westmorland and Furness Council due to the visit.
The following roads will be closed until 6pm today, Monday September 22:
- Cornwallis Street
- Lawson Street
- Market Street
- Duke Street near the town hall from Schneider Square to Cavendish Street
Plan your day
People who would like to take part in the celebrations are encouraged to arrive on foot via Market Street Car Park.
Market Street Car Park will be closed to vehicles for the duration of the event but will remain open as a pedestrian access point.
Barrow Town Hall
- Access: Barrow Town Hall will be closed to staff and the public until 6pm today, Monday September 22.
- Customer services: For today, Customer Services, Housing and Homelessness services will be available at Barrow Library
- Toilets: Portable toilets will be available on site.
- Food: Catering will be available via a food stall supplied by Barrow Town Hall Café. The town hall café itself will be closed to the public during the event.
- Entertainment: All games and activities are free of charge. Entertainment will begin in the late morning in the courtyard at Barrow Town Hall.
