The new name of Stretford town centre's public square has been chosen following a competition that saw 400 suggestions from locals. The town centre will now be known as 'Lloyd Square' as a tribute to the local politician and Stretfordian, Sir Tony Lloyd.
In January, Sir Tony's family announced the tragic death of the Rochdale MP. The member of parliament had previously revealed that he had developed an 'aggressive and untreatable leukaemia'.
Sir Tony was a prominent local Labour politician, best known for his extensive career as a dedicated public servant. Born and raised in Stretford, Sir Tony began his political journey as a Trafford councillor, and also went on to represent Stretford, Manchester Central and Rochdale in Parliament.
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He tirelessly advocated for the residents of Stretford and significantly contributed to the area’s development and well-being. Beyond his parliamentary roles, he also held significant positions such as the Chair of Parliamentary Labour Party and the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner.
His decades spanning career and advocacy for social justice, community safety, and workers’ rights earned Sir Tony a knighthood in 2023 before his untimely death in January 2024 at the age of 73.
The official unveiling ceremony took place on Saturday 6th July, led by Councillor Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, with Sir Tony's widow, Cllr Judith Lloyd, also in attendance to commemorate the occasion.
Connecting the newly restored King Street and Pinnington Lane, the new public square will play a key part in the transformation of the area and bosses say it 'will be a new focal point for Stretford featuring greenery and seating areas'. Over 400 entries were submitted by the community for its name when it opens next year.
These ideas were then whittled down to three finalists by the Stretford town centre team and a public poll saw over 1,600 votes cast by the Stretford community. Voting took place from a polling station set up within the centre of the Mall, alongside social media polls and via a form on the Stretford town centre website.
The other two shortlisted entries, Enriqueta Square and Hibberd Square, also received significant support. However, Lloyd Square was declared the winner after receiving the largest share of the vote across all platforms.
James Tootle, head of retail & leisure at Bruntwood, said: “We are delighted that the people have spoken and named Stretford’s new public square. We want to thank all of the community for their participation in this initiative - whether that was through submitting an entry or voting.
"Lloyd Square is a fitting and well-deserved winner of our Naming the Square project. Sir Tony Lloyd’s unwavering commitment to Stretford’s community throughout his career and life is unparalleled and we are so pleased that his legacy lives on in such a meaningful way.
"After we were inundated with so many interesting entries to the competition we decided to celebrate them with the exhibition and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to it.”
Cllr Tom Ross, leader of Trafford Council, said: “The ‘Name the Square’ project has been a massive success with more than 400 entries and I am delighted with the response from the community. Sir Tony Lloyd was an incredible politician and public servant who had an amazing career. It is only right that the square should be named in his honour.
“Thank you again to everyone who took part. These are massively exciting times for Stretford and I cannot wait to see the new square when it is completed.”
Cllr Judith Lloyd, Sir Tony Lloyd’s wife, added: “Our family are delighted that Lloyd Square has been chosen to recognise Tony’s contribution to Stretford. We are grateful to all those who voted in recognition of Tony’s service to his constituents.”
A brand new community-powered exhibition also launched alongside the announcement of the winner. The 'Stretford Name the Square Exhibition' has been created to celebrate all of the fantastic entries that Stretford town centre received after launching the initiative.
Paying tribute to the history and heritage of Stretford as well as the local community, a number of the entries will be showcased in the centre of the Mall, also accompanied by artefacts that have been found during the development works. Visitors can immerse themselves within the space whilst learning more about the area’s rich past, present and future from now until Monday 15th July.
