Saving a town centre from the bulldozer – and so much more

Chesterfield Town Centre

Godfrey Holmes looks at how the 60-year efforts of Chesterfield Civic Society have ‘saved’ so much of this historic town.

EVERY SOCIETY, LIKE EVERY INDIVIDUAL, HAS A FINEST HOUR. Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the formation of Chesterfield Civic Society: a healthy o shoot of the town’s Chamber of Trade. And its nest hour? Undoubtedly: constructive and persistent intervention to prevent Chesterfield’s historic – in many ways unique – Market Square being bulldozed out of existence to become a soulless shopping centre…