The Quayside festival will see Bridgwater packed to the brim with creative ideas. In Blake Gardens there will be family fun, stalls, street theatre events, music and all sorts of mayhem. But just across the road in a small hidden spur of the park is the Wessex Water Pumping station, which, for a few years now, has been the site for a piece of community art that is now getting a make over.

Community artists have been brought in under the guidance of Rachel Gundry and helped by funds from Bridgwater Town Council and  Westover ward members , to repaint the walls of the pumping station to feature themes of historic Bridgwater.

Bridgwater Mural Takes Shape

Westover councillor Brian Smedley said “The area faces directly onto the nearby Broadway and has been visible to passing (and queueing) traffic for several years and so is in the perfect location for some work of art of long lasting value that can promote the town and celebrate it’s history.”

“Residents had asked for a new mural on the site and are working with artist Rachel Gundry to create something which they can be proud of and take ownership of. Other artists are welcome to turn up and help out and we are also making sure that the traditional ‘graffiti wall’ part of the building is retained for its original purpose – to provide an outlet for graffiti artists.”

“Also, we plan to have the area around the Mural planted with shrubs and plants and flower beds to make the whole area something to signal to the passing motorists that our town has a lot to celebrate. What better place to launch this than the Quayside festival which in itself is all about  community, culture and creativity. Something which we have in abundance in Bridgwater.

Artists get to work