04 Opportunity area

Cultural Quarter

The Cultural Quarter is one of the opportunity areas identified in Rugby’s Town Centre Delivery Plan. The area includes Old Market Place and Brotherhood House, close to the route between the town centre and Rugby Station.

Artist's impression of Old Market Square with market stalls and a large spherical sculpture, people walking and cycling across herringbone brick paving, and white buildings on either side.

It has the potential to become a more active part of Rugby, with a stronger cultural and community focus.

Framework plan for the Cultural Quarter. A full description follows. — Framework plan for the Cultural Quarter.

Read a full description of this plan

The plan shows the Cultural Quarter inside a red site boundary, between James Street at the top, Castle Mews and Castle Street on the left, Church Street at the bottom and Railway Terrace on the right. The numbers and colours follow the key.

1: the John Barford multi-storey car park, at the top of the site, with an improved facade along its southern edge.

2: potential homes with an improved facade (2 to 3 storeys), near Railway Terrace.

3: potential homes with an improved facade (2 to 3 storeys), below site 2 near Railway Terrace, marked as a proposed landmark.

4: potential homes (2 to 3 storeys) along Gas Street, marked as a proposed landmark.

At the centre of the site, below the car park where Castle Street enters, is a major events square, within the area of Public Realm Priority Project 1. Brotherhood House, shown in purple, sits beside it at the top of Gas Street. West of Gas Street is a public green space or car park. There is a listed building at the corner of Castle Street and a locally listed building on Church Street. Other buildings are positively contributing historic buildings or retained buildings.

Movement:

Pedestrian routes to the town centre run from the events square along Castle Street towards Albert Street, and south along Gas Street to Church Street.

A pedestrian route runs east from the events square to Railway Terrace and on towards Rugby railway station.

Vehicular access enters from James Street, Castle Street and two points on Church Street.

Large arrows show the town centre link to the west and the Rugby railway station link to the north-east.

St Andrew’s Gardens lies south of Church Street.

Old Market Place

The Council is progressing design work for public realm improvements between the Clock Tower and Old Market Place, including how the space could be used more flexibly for markets, events and everyday public use. The aim is a more welcoming place that supports activity throughout the year and creates a stronger setting for surrounding buildings.

Brotherhood House

A prominent building within the area. The long-term ambition is to explore how it could be brought back into use as part of the wider Cultural Quarter, supporting local cultural activity and community uses. Any future proposals would be subject to funding and approvals.

Connections

The Cultural Quarter also has a role in improving links through the town centre — making it easier to move between Old Market Place, nearby streets and the route towards Rugby Station, helping the area feel more closely connected to the rest of the centre.

The area today

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Gas Street looking north
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Brotherhood House
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John Barford multi-storey car park and Old Market Place car park

Cultural Quarter reimagined

Timeline

What happens next

A longer-term opportunity, with design work for Old Market Place already being progressed. Further work will be needed for Brotherhood House and other parts of the area. Updates will be shared as plans progress.

Other opportunity areas

For more information on our work to regenerate Rugby town centre, please contact the Major Projects and Regeneration Team.

Contact the team