Hopes raised that car park art may be saved

Campaigners have welcomed news that art on a car park that is being demolished could be saved.

The Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society has been campaigning to save the Harold Gosney reliefs on the 1960s Abbey Walk car park, which closed in May 2024 after North East Lincolnshire Council said it discovered structural defects.

The authority has already taken 3D scans of the art and in an update said plans were in place to try and save one of each of the four designs, which are repeated on the building's columns.

If they can be saved, the artwork would be put into storage until a new home is found, the council added.

Kerry Henderson, from the civic society, which has been campaigning to save the artwork since last year, said: "It's been the best news that we've had so far that they are going to make a serious effort to save four of them.

"We'd then like a plan for them to go on public display, with the proper equipment. I really don't see how they wouldn't be able to save four in tact."

For the past two weeks, contractors GBM has been on site demolishing the car park and has assessed how the artworks on the columns of the structure could be saved.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn said: "We have always said that we would look to save one of each of the sculptures, if we can.

"The contractors have advised that because of the way the sculptures are integral to the structure of the car park, there is opportunity and means to remove the artwork in one piece.

"However, there are several risks, and they may be damaged in the process."

Last year, the council commissioned 3D models of each of the four relief designs, which could be used to recreate the sculptures in the future.

Swinburn added: "The only guarantee for preservation is the step we have already taken in doing the 3D scanning, so that the artwork can be recreated."

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