WORK to replace rotten timbers at Newton Abbot’s Golden Lion Square is under way.

Maintenance staff from the Town Council started the repair programme on June 17 with the task expected to take a few weeks to complete.

The wooden sleepers that contain the flower borders were installed a dozen years ago when the public space was created on the site of a former car dealership at the junction of Bank Street and Market Street.

They are being replaced with superior treated timber and will be lined with a waterproof membrane to ensure a long life.

Town Clerk Phil Rowe said: ‘Golden Lion Square has proved to be a popular spot for people to meet or perhaps enjoy their lunch breaks and we want to keep it both attractive and safe.

‘The restored woodwork will look smart and we’re carrying out the refurbishment in a manner that means seating will still be available throughout.

‘I note with some amusement the comments on social media that we’re spending up to £2 million on the scheme.

‘In fact, because we’ve kept the job in-house using our own staff, we’ve saved the likely £50,000 a contractor would charge meaning the only significant cost is the timber at £6,000.

‘We think that’s pretty good value for a community asset that benefits the whole town.’

Golden Lion Square sits next to the town’s oldest pub, The Golden Lion, which dates to 1623.

In the early 2000s developers had tried to replace the redundant car sales pitch with housing but Teignbridge District Council stepped in and snapped up the site at auction before handing it over to a charitable trust.

The square was created with financial support from a number of external funders including Devon County Council.

Newton Abbot Town Council acts as the square’s custodian.

A recent nearby addition is the Community Tree mural, a striking 16-metre image by graffiti artist Joe Webster who worked with local groups, schools and residents to create the piece.

Its inspiration is the mature tree that was felled more than a century ago to allow constriction of the town’s war memorial.