Colourful Cheltenham – Utility Cabinets

Friday August 16, 2024

Our commitment to adding vibrancy and interest to the BID zone continues to go from strength to strength each year through our Colourful Cheltenham initiative. 2024 has seen the launch of our utility cabinet project.

Often unsightly and always susceptible to graffiti and fly-posting, utility cabinets often detract from the overall aesthetic of the town. Our project has seen many of these transformed into attractive pieces of public art.

Thanks to the talent of the artists we commissioned, people can see a positive change being rolled out across the BID zone. By August 2024, 12 utility cabinets will have been decorated, all with a theme linked to Cheltenham.

Danielle Morrison (aka Danksy) has brought Cheltenham Races to the High Street with one of her murals whilst her other piece of work in this area depicts the pocket parks and gardens of our town. Also on the High Street, Catt Standon has used the ornate design of the Hardy and Padmore lamp posts as inspiration, giving us a modern take on Cheltenham’s history. She has picked out the vibrancy of the many planted areas within the town to create a floral display on Winchcombe Street.

Another artist who worked on the High Street was Brandon Higgins of Brandon’s Murals. The morning view across Imperial Gardens to The Queens hotel adorns one side of a cabinet and if you look the other side you will see the same view at sunset. Brandon brought tow other Cheltenham landmarks to the High Street, one being the Boer War memorial surrounded by poppies.

Bringing calm to the town Sarah Goddard has used the code-breaking link with GCHQ to create tranquil, thought provoking pieces on three cabinets. Whilst visitors are taking in the history of Neptune’s Fountain they can stop a while to reflect and look at the colourful ‘Wonder’ artwork. Commuters are treated to the view of the large cabinet on the corner of Rodney Road, reminding them to ‘Feel Connected’.

Cheltenham has a rich history of famous people, not least Brian Jones (founding member of Rolling Stones) who has been immortalised by Andy Dice Davies, founder of the Cheltenham Paint Festival.