A NEIGHBOURHOOD shopping parade has been given a spruce up with the help of the local community.

New shrub containers have been installed at the parade in Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, to go alongside other work carried out recently including refurbishing benches and cycle racks and planting two new trees.

A noticeboard has also been installed with help from district and county councillor Rob Prowse’s locality budget and specialist street-cleaning and gum removal treatments have been introduced on a monthly basis.

The wood planters, which have been planted up by members of the Cell Barnes Residents Association aided by local councillor and Deputy Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Geoff Harrison, were funded by the district council with a contribution from the residents association to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

They each have different themes with one filled with grasses, another with firs and the largest with low-maintenance shrubs.

Portfolio holder for community engagement and localism, Cllr Beric Read, commented: “This community effort has helped brighten up the shopping area at Cell Barnes Lane. It is the second shopping parade in the district to have received a makeover from the district council, the first was Abbots Avenue West.

“We are planning to work with other local communities in the district to give their local shopping areas a fresh new look as well.”