A £4.9m project to future-proof the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival has officially begun after seven years of planning and fund-raising.
Contractors have started work on the first phase of a long-term redevelopment of the Carnival’s main cart-building site off Bristol Road. The initial stage will see construction of five modern workshops equipped with lighting, heating and running water.
Eight of the Bridgwater cart-building clubs currently occupy the site, where many of the existing sheds are in need of upgrading.
Chris Hocking, who has been leading the rejuvenation project, said: “This upgrade will support the continuing enthusiasm of clubs and volunteers to create the world-class carts which form such an impressive backbone for the annual Bridgwater and Guy Fawkes Circuit parades.”
One of the new workshops will be dedicated to the organising committee, with space for meetings and a display area showcasing the Carnival’s rich heritage, including historic artefacts and memorabilia.
The scheme has received a £3m grant from the government-funded £23.2m Bridgwater Town Deal Investment, which is supporting a dozen major projects across the town.
Town Council and Town Deal Board member Mick Lerry said the Carnival was backed “because of the vital part it holds in the local community. These resources will help usher in a new era for the Carnival, ensuring its enduring success for generations to come.”
BGFC President Dave Creedy added: “The financial support we have received provides a strategic asset which will underpin the future of Carnival in Bridgwater for many generations to come. We are humbled and honoured to have received such a significant lifeline for the future.”
Bridgwater Mayor, Cllr Kathy Pearce, congratulated all involved and welcomed the start of the project, saying: “Carnival is such an important part in Bridgwater life.”
The scheme has also benefitted from a £1.25m grant from the HPC Community Fund, administered by Somerset Community Foundation, alongside £650,000 from Arts Council England.
Justin Sargent from the Foundation said: “This grant of £1.25m was the largest we have ever made and reflects the incredible role the Carnival plays in the Bridgwater community and the surrounding area. We’re delighted to see construction starting and look forward to seeing this superb, purpose-built facility when it comes to fruition.”
The contractor for phase one is Rigg Construction, based in Melksham, Wiltshire. A spokesman said the company was proud to deliver the new Carnival buildings and remained committed to providing high-quality, socially and economically beneficial construction for the community.
Bridgwater Carnival has been a formally organised annual event since 1881, with its earliest recorded origins making it the oldest surviving carnival in the UK, supporting Bridgwater’s claim to be the Home of Carnival.
Pictured: At the turf cutting ceremony at Bridgwater Carnival’s Bristol Road site were (from l to r): Cllr Mick Lerry (Bridgwater Town Deal); Cllr Gill Slocombe (Somerset Council, Carnival Representative); Cllr Jacqui Solomon (Bridgwater Town Council – Eastover Ward); Cllr Kathy Pearce (Mayor of Bridgwater); Gavin Alderman (Contracts Manager, Rigg Construction); Dave Creedy (Bridgwater Carnival President); John Venner (Site Agent, Rigg Construction); Sean Rendells (Bridgwater Gangs & Features Chairman); Martin Wasley (BGFC); and Chris Hocking (BGFC Bristol Road Project Lead).
