Plans for an open-top bus parade and civic reception tomorrow (Tuesday 7 June) to celebrate Grimsby Town Football Club’s promotion to the Football League have been revealed.
North East Lincolnshire’s Mayor Stephen Beasant and Council Leader Philip Jackson will welcome the club’s players and officials to Grimsby Town Hall for the reception, which will officially begin at 7pm.
Earlier, at 5:00pm, an open-top bus carrying the Mariners’ players and staff will set off from Blundell Park on a route which will take in parts of Cleethorpes and Grimsby – to give supporters unable to get into the town centre a sight of their sporting heroes – before arriving at Town Hall Square at around 6:30pm, where it’s expected thousands of fans will gather to pay tribute to the team.
Officials and players from the club will address supporters and give short speeches from the bus before heading inside the Town Hall for the civic reception.
Several roads on the route will have to be temporarily closed during the event, and motorists in the area are being warned to expect some delays.
Roads near the Town Hall (Town Hall Street, Town Hall Square and East Street) will close from 5:00pm and some buses will need to be diverted for a short time in the evening. Please check the details before travelling.
Stewards from the club will also be assisting with crowd control during the bus ride and in and around the Town Hall.
The open-top bus will take the following route:
- 5:00pm set off from Blundell Park along Grimsby Road to Isaacs Hill
- Right into A46 Clee Rd/Weelsby Road
- Turn right at Nuns Corner into Bargate
- Right at Deansgate bridge
- Church Lane, Bethlehem Street and Osbourne Street
- Arrive Town Hall Square at about 6:30pm
There will be no access to or from Grimsby Town Hall car park after 5:00pm.
Abbey Walk Car Park is the next nearest car park to the Town Hall. It will remain open until 9pm and parking will be free after 5pm. Please access via Garden Street to avoid potential congestion on Osborne Street and Bethlehem Street.
Mayor of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Stephen Beasant said:
“What the club has achieved this season is fantastic it is. The team’s performance in the play-offs has been inspirational, coming from behind each time with extra-time goals sealing their wins.
“The atmosphere from those games is spilling over into the borough and the whole town is buzzing with what they’ve achieved and what’s to come next season.
“I’d like to congratulate the club on their success and the town is immensely proud of the way they’ve worked hard together to put themselves back in the football league.
“We want to celebrate their accomplishments and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to arrange a civic reception for the club so quickly.
“I’m sure supporters will turn out in large numbers on Tuesday to congratulate the players, officials and everyone at the club on their success.”
Delighted for the club and everyone involved, Cllr Philip Jackson, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council said: “The determination, hard work and team ethos that everyone at Grimsby Town has shown makes this success even better. It sends out a hugely positive message to their fans, and wider than that, to the whole community. This is great for us all.”
Debbie Cook, Grimsby Town Football Club Chief Executive said ‘It’s fantastic that the open bus tour and civic reception have been organised so speedily and my thanks go to everyone involved in this.
We are absolutely thrilled with our promotion. We can’t underestimate what the Club’s promotion back into the Football league means to the people of this Town and Mariners fans everywhere. It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate this success with them in this way. Our supporters, this community, have been incredible, and we want to celebrate that and thank the whole Town’.
