Traders are coming together to mark the completion of major improvement works in the town centre.

Work started in early April to pave the remaining southern section of South Street in efforts to enhance the town centre shopping area.

Although businesses remained open as usual and pedestrians still had access to the shops, a number of traders faced a few struggles.

Owain Lloyd, store manager at Oxfam reported a significant drop in the number of donations since Dorset County Council began repaving works and turned to the Echo for help.

But traders are now seeing light at the end of the tunnel with the improvement works nearing completion.

Neil Strudwick from Goldcrest Jewellers, located in the Hardye Arcade, decided it would be great to celebrate the end of the works.

Neil is a member of the Dorchester BID board, so together the town has pulled together to organise the event.

On Saturday, August 26 there will be a day of entertainment including face-painting, music, majorettes and more.

There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am with Mayor of Dorchester, Cllr Susie Hosford and town crier Alistair Chisholm.

Neil said: "Traders are really pleased that there are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

"It has been a hard few months for a number of businesses but it is all coming together now and it will benefit us all so much.

"The pavement and roadworks have opened up the street so much and it looks fantastic.

"And the workers have been great, we're all really pleased with how it looks and that everything has stayed on schedule."

The work, now almost complete, involved bringing the height of the road up to the same level as the pavements, using materials that will compliment those already in place in upper South Street, with higher quality materials being used to highlight Nappers Mite, the entrance to Hardy Arcade and the United Church building.

As part of this scheme, the disabled parking bays on New Street and South Street are being permanently removed. When the paving is finished, vehicles will still have access for loading 4.30pm to 9.30am as they do at the moment.

This scheme is funded jointly by West Dorset District Council and Dorchester Town Council, and is being managed by Dorset County Council.