A pop-up parklet is to be created in Dudley town centre this month – and people can have their say this week on how it should look.

Parklets are pavement extensions to provide more street space, and can be used as places to drink, eat and chat.

The project will be led by local organisation CoLab and created by temporarily suspending a parking space located outside French Connection Coffee House on the High Street. Measures will be taken to ensure social distancing guidelines are observed in the parklet.

It will be in place throughout October, and council bosses hope it will act as the stimulant for conversations with borough residents and business managers.

The conversations will be about possible short-term interventions to help make high streets Covid safe, but also more longer term thoughts will be encouraged about the regeneration of town centres in the borough. Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for public realm, said:

“Parklets have proved very successful in other town centres and we are excited to bring one to Dudley as a trial.

“We hope it will act to stimulate discussions between the council, the public and local businesses about changes that could be made in our high streets to ensure people feel safe during Covid-19.

“We also want to hear the thoughts of people on the long-term regeneration of our town centre, how we can make spaces more vibrant and safer for pedestrians and encourage increased footfall.”

People can go along to one of the “design and build” sessions this week to help create the blueprint for how the parklet should look. They have been running all week and continue until Thursday, from 11am to 3pm.

For further information, go to doingindudley.net.