Traders and customers joined in celebrating the £1.3m improvements to the tired end of the shopping precinct

The town centre management arranged the 'Lets Celebrate Fareham Past and Present' event and organised a host of activities, including a procession of vintage cars and a popular Samba band.

Carole Steadman, 66, of Mill Road, Fareham, said: 'It's absolutely wonderful.

'It's been such a lovely day, with the sun shining, and the traders have been fantastic, putting on stalls and raffles, music, and giving away free cakes and nibbles.

'I really think it will help bring this end of the precinct to life.'

Kelly Fryer, 20, of Devonshire Way, Fareham, said: 'This end of the street is normally dead, and now it's heaving.

'It's great for the traders up this end and for the town centre in general. It was always a bit disappointing having one half of the street looking nice and modern and then the other end looking as if it had been forgotten about.'

Traders also thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Mahim Uddin, owner of Naz Indian restaurant, said: 'We've been so busy during the celebrations.

'There's been hundreds of people around. It's been fantastic.'

And Beckie Packham, who works at Help the Aged, said: 'It's been great having so many people down here.

'I really hope it helps show people what this end of the street has to offer.'

For years traders and residents in the borough have complained about the western end of the street looking tired in comparison to the rest of the shopping area.

In response to this Fareham Borough Council started saving money to make improvements.

It raised £300,000 and then successfully won a £1m grant from the government to help with the project.

Work began last November and finished a month ago.

There has been 5,000sq yards of new paving laid, 33 new lamp columns installed on which businesses can now advertise, and 24 new trees planted, along with various other street furniture.

Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Sean Woodward, said: 'The celebration has been all about thanking the traders for them being patient during the improvement works and to bring the public to this end of the street so they can appreciated the specialist shops on offer.'