Poets' Corner - What is it about?

“Small space improvement at the corner of John Dickie Street and Strand Street. Planters integrated into street furniture, potential additional elements of hard landscaping giving support to the activity of “Spoken Word” and events throughout the year. Inclusion of inscribed poet.”

Where is it?

Poets' Corner sits on the corner at 3A John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock, KA1 1HW. It lies directly below the Robert Burns Mural on the gable end of the Civic Centre North building.

Background

The Robert Burns Mural was commissioned by East Ayrshire Council and delivered in partnership with East Ayrshire Leisure Trust, and the Robert Burns World Federation who are tenants of the Civic Centre North Building. The renowned artist Michael Corr designed and installed the mural following community consultation, and his own research.

On 29 August 2024, East Ayrshire Council passed a motion at a full council meeting which stated:

“We further recommend that the Kilmarnock Strategic Group investigates the feasibility of developing and enhancing the street corner in front of the new Robert Burns mural into a ‘Poets’ Corner’ as a base to promote ‘spoken word’ events, while also formally recognising and celebrating the John Wilson printing of Burns’s 'Kilmarnock Edition’ of poems.”

As a result, the Kilmarnock Strategic Group set up a sub group which met in May, June, and August 2025, to clarify the brief, identify options, and investigate, feasibility of those options. The sub-group comprised representatives from east Ayrshire leisure, council officers and elected members.

At their last meeting in August 2025 agreed to install two planters with Poets’ Corner lettering and two curved metal benches with cut metal backs showing the Burns Poem "The Ordination" on the back.

A budget of £46,000 was assigned to the project and agreed by the Kilmarnock Strategic Group.

Aspirations and approach

East Ayrshire Council is currently developing a Master Plan for the town centre. It will take a phased approach will be taken to create significant regenerative change.

This includes the area around the mural, so thought has been given to how the materials used – street furniture, paving and planting - will tie into the projects throughout the Town Centre giving uniformity and theme, specifically, its relationship to Wallace Chambers, the Foregate Civic Space and Spanish Steps at the Palace Theatre.

The design incorporates soft-landscaping in a planter to assist in developing an increase in biodiversity to the urban landscape of Kilmarnock. The implementation of improved green civic spaces is in keeping with wider aspiration of ‘green corridors’ around the town.

Key features include actively selecting native hardy perennial planting with reference to Burns’ poetry and plants that would have been familiar to Burns and his companions.

What happens now?

Work on the new area will begin on 19 June, with temporary traffic lights appearing on the corner of John Dickie Street and Strand Street to keep the traffic flowing during the installation. Resurfacing work will be done at night for three nights starting at 11p on Friday 19 June to avoid disruption as much as possible.

On 22 May work will begin on the pavement in front of the Mural to create the foundations for the bench and resurface with dropped kerbs and matching pavers.

Crane

On 1 July the new bench incorporating the metal panel with Burns' The Ordination will be hoisted into place by crane and signage will be installed with details and links to more information.

At this point our Greener Communities team will fill the planters ahead of completion on 17 July.

What next?

Watch this space for a programme of activities and events around the town centre featuring Poets' Corner as just one of our coming new town centre attractions. And if you're a budding poet, you'll have a chance to add your work to our Poets' Corner "Post a Poem" archive.