A £100,000 project to smarten up Bicester’s Crown Walk shopping precinct has begun.

The centre is getting a makeover before work on a £70m town centre redevelopment gets under way.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, which owns the precinct, is footing the bill for the month-long project, which will see a central steel and glass canopy removed and seating replaced.

Cracked and broken paving slabs will also be replaced and the whole floor area will be cleaned.

Jamie Cowen, head of property development at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re delighted to be commencing works to improve Crown Walk.

“These improvements will help create a more pleasant shopping environment and will link into the wider plans to redevelop the town centre, which we continue to progress with the council.”

Norman Bolster, Cherwell District Council’s executive member for economic development, said: “This renovation will see Crown Walk brought up-to-date as a modern shopping area that will fit in well with the forthcoming redevelopment of the town centre.”

In a joint initiative, Cherwell and Sainsbury’s are funding the £70m town centre redevelopment.

It was hoped work would start by the end of this year, but it has now been put off until early next year.