Striking murals painted as part of £125,000 scheme to bring new life to Bridlington

Two colourful, eye-catching murals have been painted on the side of buildings in Bridlington as part of a £125,000 regeneration project.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council commissioned the huge murals, depicting aspects of the town’s history and local wildlife, as well as making improvements to the nearby Westgate Park in the Old Town and to Harbour Road to encourage more visits.

One striking artwork shows a ship caught in the Great Gale – the infamous sea tragedy of 1871 – alongside gannets, a puffin and a lobster, painted on the side of a building in Prince Street, on the harbour.

And a wall painting of the Gansey Girl – representing fishermen’s wives from years ago – appears alongside images of nearby Priory Church, a jackdaw and a swallow on the side of a shop in High Street, Old Town.

The murals have already generated significant interest. Even before their completion, they attracted visitors from out of town, fuelled by widespread social media attention, with one person travelling more than 100 miles from Oldham, Greater Manchester, to see them.

Pupils from local primary schools have also been on visits to meet the artist who made them.

Councillor Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “These stunning murals are a real celebration of Bridlington’s history, heritage and local stories.

“They have already attracted a lot of attention for the town, which is fantastic.

“They are a shining example of the new investments we have made to enhance Westgate Park and Harbour Road to make them even more pleasant and inviting for residents and visitors.”

The murals have been created by professional artist Sam Porter, of Mural Minded, who is based in Harrogate.

Both artworks have taken him around four weeks to paint, from designs he created from ideas put forward by local residents.

He is currently making the finishing touches to the Old Town piece.

Sam said: “The reaction has been massively positive. The amount of nice comments and people coming to look at the murals while I’ve been painting them has been amazing.

“And I’ve seen so many posts about them on social media, almost daily.”

Westgate Park, Old Town

As part of the scheme, the council has carried out a series of improvements to the park, designed to make the area safer, more welcoming and a place where people can stay a while and enjoy the surroundings.

A new footpath has been created to run through the park, and benches have been positioned on either side, to encourage visitors to pause, relax and take in the space.

More improvements will follow in the coming months, with the installation of new lighting – funded in a partnership with Bridlington Town Council – and CCTV cameras.

These measures will play a key role in preventing anti-social behaviour while giving people a greater sense of safety and confidence to spend time in the park, both during the day and in the evening.

Harbour Road

Benches have been installed along Harbour Road to encourage people sit a while and soak up the unique atmosphere of the historic fishing port.

From these seats, visitors can also enjoy clear views of the new harbour mural.

All the works have been funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered by the council’s regeneration and funding team, to ensure lasting benefits for the community and visitors alike.