In preparation for the holiday season, things have got off to a good start in Royston town centre with a project delivering seasonal motifs painted onto shop windows.
Hand-painted scenes and motifs have appeared, as if by magic, on 25 shops throughout the town centre.
Among the designs are festive characters, including, Santa at the Library, the Grinch at The Hair Boutique, and gingerbread men at Days the bakery - all in colourful graffiti.
The project was conceived and sponsored by Royston First – who runs the Business Improvement District – in order to brighten up the town for the run up to Christmas whilst hopefully attracting extra people into the town centre.
Andrew Allen, managing partner of Marshalls Estate Agents, said of the project: “The town has certainly been brightened up. Our clients comment on the designs as they come in and we’re very pleased to be a part of bringing Christmas cheer to Royston.”
Town manager, Geraint Burnell, said; “We have sponsored bits and pieces of window painting at Christmas and Easter over the years. Last year we went for a big scene painted across the biggest set of windows in the High Street … and that received a good deal of positive comment. “This year we thought we’d spread the net a little wider and invited applications from all town centre businesses. Given that our original allocation of 15 windows was reached within a matter of days, we rapidly contracted for as many extra resources as we could at a very busy time of year.
“We eventually had to draw the line at 25! So, a success with the businesses and, given that images posted online received 2,500 hits in the first 48 hours, it would appear to be a hit with the public.”
The fun creations were sprayed painted by traditional sign-writer, Paul Myerscough, at Bespoke Signs.
The Business Improvement District was first established in Royston in 2009 and is one of over 300 such in the United Kingdom. Voted in by referendum, the Royston First BID is due for renewal in early 2019.
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