Derby's Sadler Gate gets colourful new look
"Everyone's saying it looks like Balamory, but I'm saying Sadlergory."One of Derby's oldest and most well-known streets is getting a makeover. Love Sadler Gate - a consortium of local businesses - has teamed up with Derby City Council to give the independent shopping and dining destination a spruce up - with five of its buildings being painted in a range of bright colours.A grant of £15,000 - £3,000 for each building - was awarded to the consortium, which is leading on a number of projects in the area.
Paul Hurst, chair of Love Sadler Gate, said: "Sadler Gate is Derby's original High Street and is over 1,000 years old. The aims of our group are to help protect its history and heritage - and drive its future."The criteria for the works were that the buildings can't be listed - they must be brick or rendered and have been previously painted.The uptake was huge, and the community have been very positive about it."Mr Hurst said the painting was not the only change people would see."We are adding festoon lighting which will be in keeping with the look of the street," he said. "One of the reasons for the lighting is a historical one. Sadler Gate was the first street in the city to have Christmas lights. We are also planning on arches at each end of the street."We have exciting plans for the future of our little street, and I think that is very important with many high streets struggling that we can be positive about our future."
Threadz - a vintage clothing shop - was the first to be painted, in yellow.Owner Danny Drummond said: "I love it. Everyone's saying it looks like Balamory, but I'm saying Sadlergory."It just brightens up the street. When you walk around the corner you see a palette of colour and it's nice."You know what Derby's like, there will always be negative comments but we're trying to do something positive."
'Paint the whole city'
Shoppers seeing the new-look for the first time voiced their approval.One said: "It brings a bit of vibrancy to the area - and in fairness, we were just walking by and actually the colours just drew us down here."Another said: "It's an amazing idea, because Derby is so dull it needs to be brightened up a bit. I'm all for it. Paint the whole city this colour." Derby City Council leader Nadine Peatfield, said she was proud to provide funding for the work.She told the BBC: "We're supporting their [Love Sadler Gate] work to make Sadler Gate a unique and appealing destination for independent shopping in Derby as part of our broader efforts to invigorate the city centre and build on the buzz created by the recent openings of Derby Market Hall and the Vaillant Live."
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