Town Centre ward
Location in the City of Preston district
Town Centre ward Location in Preston Show map of Preston Town Centre ward Location within Lancashire Show map of Lancashire
Population	6,671 (2001)
District	Preston
Ceremonial county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
UK Parliament	Preston
Councillors	Drew Gale – Labour Michael Lavalette – TUSC Salim Desai – Labour
List of places UK England Lancashire 53°45′19″N 2°41′58″W / 53.75528°N 2.69944°W / 53.75528; -2.69944

Avenham and Frenchwood are the central communities which make up the Town Centre ward of Preston City Council, in Lancashire, England. The name of the ward was chosen by the Boundary Committee for England prior to Preston being awarded city status.

In addition to Avenham and Frenchwood, Town Centre ward consists of the city centre itself, which includes numerous pubs, clubs, and new build housing. Landmarks such as the Harris Museum, and Preston Bus Station are also in this ward. The difference between the new build 6-figure sum properties of Winckley Square and the community association housing in Avenham is stark, as is the continuing regeneration of the city.

Avenham and Frenchwood form part of the Lancashire County Council electoral division of Preston City, in addition to the Broadgate and docklands ward of Riversway.

Demographics

Avenham is a varied and multi-cultural part of the city of Preston, with the most recent census recording a population of 6,671 for the whole Town Centre electoral ward, from which only just half (49.7%) recorded themselves as Christian, whilst 25.6% used the designation Muslim, a further 5.3% using Hindu. In recent years the increase of Eastern European immigration, in addition to students of University of Central Lancashire has made the Avenham area an increasingly varied area. The electoral ward of Town Centre goes as north as an estate of housing for elderly residents and the “Trinity Student Village”, a gated community for UCLaN students. At the 2008 Preston Council election the recorded electorate of Town Centre ward was 5,296^[1]

Geography

Avenham has always been a populous community at the heart of Preston, be it the age of back-to-back terraced housing, or the current mix of multi-occupancy homes, new build flats, old style high-rises, and low income houses. Avenham contains some of Preston's oldest streets, as well as the shining new build which followed city status. The Town Centre ward has the River Ribble and Frenchwood at its southern base, moving through in a northerly direction through Avenham, the city centre, and to the borders of the UCLaN campus.