Crescent Road car park

Crescent Road car park gets a face lift

Crescent Road car park in Tunbridge Wells town centre has been given a face lift by an artist working to the designs of a group of local school children.

Children from St Barnabas School who designed the artwork painted on the stairwells

Pupils from St Barnabas School

A group of Year six pupils at St Barnarbas school in Tunbridge Wells designed the murals that have been painted on to the floor of the stairwell at the town centre car park.
Although they were unable to actually paint the murals themselves they have been involved in the project throughout.

Their designs were taken by artist Emily Tull
and turned into the paintings that now brighten up
the car park.

Councillor Paul Barrington-King who is the portfolio holder for Environment and street scene was quick to praise the school and the children's work, “The school should be applauded for the efforts they have made in coming willingly onto this particular project. Car parks are austere places, which are not the most welcoming. The children have become involved in taking a civic pride in the town, hopefully this will send a positive message across the borough. By getting the young people involved we can brighten up the stairwells, make them less intimidating,but most importantly this is an intelligent alternative to graffiti.”

Councillor Paul Barrington-King

Artist Emily Tull	Artist Emily Tull spent time with the children the idea is very simple “I spent a day at St Barnarbas’ doing a design project , I gave them a theme for each level, there is a welcome floor at the bottom, then water, land , sky and finally space. “ The murals are now finished and there are plans afoot to inprove other car parks around the borough. Cllr Barrington-King “We have undertaken a major investment at Torrington Road car park, which has an unfortunate history, I am quite passionate about the fact that we improve all of our car parks, and we are looking at any opportunities, any concepts that come forward through consultation from the public. We spent nearly one hundred thousand pounds on Torrington Road car park recently, brightening up the ceilings and we have also invested heavily in Disability Discrimination Act compliance, to make sure we give access to all the people who use our town centre.”

The murals certainly brighten up the stairwell and the young people involved were obviously pleased that their ideas had been used to acheive the effect.

You can read more about the project at: http://www.paintthecarpark.blogspot.com


The land mural	The water mural	The space mural