Dudley traders are getting into the racing spirit as the town gears up for the Dudley Grand Prix cycling event on Friday.

The town centre remains open for business on race day with retailers and hospitality venues offering a warm welcome for visitors to Dudley.

A bumper crowd is expected to come to town to watch the Grand Prix, which will feature the top talent from British Cycling’s National Circuit Series.

The event is also part of this year’s Black Country Festival, which celebrates our region’s unique culture and heritage. It coincides with the weekend of Black Country Day, which takes place annually on 14 July.

Christopher Bradnick and Wendy Farmer, who sell flowers and children's clothes from their stalls at Dudley Market, were joined by Dave Brownhill and Gemma Evans, organisers of the Black Country Festival, to put up bunting ahead of race day. Gemma Evans, co-organiser of the Black Country Festival, said:

"This year’s Black Country Festival will be bigger and better than ever. We have a fantastic programme of events across Dudley borough and the rest of the region for all of the family to enjoy.

"We’re delighted to have the Dudley Grand Prix back in town as part of the celebrations. Like most of our festival events, the Grand Prix is free to watch and we hope as many people as possible will come along and cheer on the racers".

Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said: "We’re keen to remind residents that their favourite town centre traders are fully open for business on Friday as the Dudley Grand Prix returns to our streets.

"Big sporting events like this are a great source of extra footfall for the borough. For visitors to Dudley, race day will be the perfect opportunity to explore the capital of the Black Country and see what’s on offer from our hard-working local traders."

The event will be opened by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Hilary Bills, at 3.45pm ahead of a community social ride around the course.

Spectators are encouraged to line the barriers and cheer on the competitors, who will be chasing glory in a variety of exciting races including junior, amateur, men’s and women’s categories.

To help more people to enjoy the event, the council-run car parks on Stafford Street, Tower Street, Wolverhampton Street and Pitfield Street in Dudley town centre will be free of charge from 7pm on Thursday 11 July to 8am on Saturday 13 July.

For more information on the Dudley Grand Prix, including race timings and details of road closures on the day of the event, visit the Dudley Council website.

Follow the Dudley Grand Prix and other Black Country Festival events live via Black Country Radio on 92.2 and 102.5 FM and online.

The Dudley Grand Prix is funded by the UK Government, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund.