Showtime: Bishop’s Stortford BID to pedestrianise North Street for 10 hours of free family fun

Acrobats, stilt-walkers and a juggler will bring free, family-friendly fun to the town centre as Bishop’s Stortford BID hosts Showtime on North Street.

The community event begins at noon on Saturday, September 14. After a fire performance at dusk, covers band The Jjarrs will entertain the crowds from 6pm to 10pm.

Organised by BID (Business Improvement District) joint managers Madeleine Lees and Karen Burton, in conjunction with Odin Events, Showtime is the BID’s biggest event in its six-year tenure in the town.

Madeleine said: “High streets continue to face huge challenges. Footfall is down and Bishop’s Stortford is no exception, particularly on the north side of town.

“Showtime is an opportunity to shine a light on historic North Street and the surrounding area; what it has to offer and the versatile and attractive space it provides for outdoor entertainment, gathering, eating and drinking in the town centre.”

The street will be dressed for the occasion with colourful bunting, vintage barrels doubling up as standing tables and festoon lighting.

Communal seating areas, including picnic benches and deckchairs, will be dotted down the 70-metre stretch of road so visitors can enjoy takeaway food and drink from town centre traders while watching performances and soaking up the atmosphere.

Circus skills workshops for kids will run from 1pm to 6pm and face painting will be available.

On the day, North Street will be closed to vehicles from 6am to midnight from the Bridge Street/High Street junction to Water Lane, allowing people to wander freely and enjoy the entertainment and what businesses have to offer.

To help traffic flow and ensure all-important access for businesses and the church, traffic will be reversed on Water Lane. Vehicles will access Water Lane from North Street and exit onto Bridge Street.

Karen Burton said: “The BID has a longer-term vision for North Street and Bishop’s Stortford.

“Showtime is a trial event, aiming to boost business, instill a sense of pride in our community and provide residents with a glimpse of how North Street could evolve into a pedestrian-friendly area.

“Conceptual visuals have been worked up and will be available to view on the day. We welcome your thoughts, so please come and take a look. You’ll find us (and them) in the big gazebo together with some old photos of North Street, showing how it has evolved.”

The street has long been a focus for town celebrations. Bishop’s Stortford archivist Paul Ailey’s website www.stortfordhistory.co.uk records a big bash in 1769 to mark the grand opening of the Stort Navigation.

He writes: “The event was commemorated in unprecedented style, with both dignitaries and townspeople enjoying a day-long street party that culminated in an enormous feast.

“When Princess Alexandra of Denmark visited Bishop’s Stortford in 1863, prior to her marriage to Edward Prince of Wales, townspeople marked the occasion by building seven huge arches of evergreen foliage at various points on her route.”

One of the arches straddled North Street, from the Half Moon to what is now the Paisa bar.

Paul adds: “In 1897 North Street was once again a riot of colour for the huge celebration that marked Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the party continuing long into the night.

“Eight years later, when King Edward VII passed through the town in his chauffeur-driven car, the local volunteer fire brigade, clad in brass helmets and full uniform, stood on either side of this road and formed an arch with their ladders for him to pass under.”

Parades at Easter and Whitsun were a regular feature, but the party to end all parties in North Street took place in 1918 as the First World War ended.

Paul writes: “North Street was the starting point of a huge procession that wound its way around the entire town, and residents partied ’til dawn.”

Celebrations in North Street also took place with the ending of the Second World War in 1945, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

To find out more about the BID’s plans, follow @discoverstortford on Facebook/Instagram, @StortfordBID on X or visit www.discoverstortford.co.uk.