RESIDENTS and traders flocked to lower South Street in Dorchester for its grand reopening.

The street was officially reopened at 10am on Saturday by the Mayor of Dorchester, Susie Hosford, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, after weeks of works.

The ceremony was followed by a performance from the Casterbridge Male Voice Choir.

Phil Gordon, project director of Dorchester Bid, said he was ‘delighted’ at the street's new image and is confident it will attract more visitors to that part of town.

He said: “Dorchester Bid has been encouraging the local authority to transform South Street since 2008, when we first started on behalf of businesses in town. I am delighted that, thanks to the efforts of the Town Clerk and town council and the highways department, we have now realised the dream we have had for all these years. The result is an outstanding new landscape at the bottom of South Street. I think it makes it one of the most desirable places in Dorchester to open a business. The footfall is only going to increase in this area of town.”

Neil Strudwick, owner of Goldcrest Jewellers, organised the reopening event, and said: “I have been really happy with how today has gone. It is the first time I have organised something like this. The quality of the work they have done is fantastic. I think it will bring more people down to this part of town.”

Visitors to the town were also impressed by the street’s new look.

Nicci Rossiter a visitor from Bridport said: “We have noticed, it looks very nice and it looks a lot cleaner. The live music they have put on is great.”

Phillip Mcfarlane said: “I must admit I like it. It makes it very clear that it is not a road. In the past, we would watch people stick to the pavements and now it is more open they won’t have to do that."