Town mural is given a facelift

Dedicated volunteers rolled-up their sleeves to take on the gruelling task of sprucing up the huge painted mural that greets visitors to Matlock.
Members of the team who helped with the work. Photo: Ken Parker.Members of the team who helped with the work. Photo: Ken Parker.
Members of the team who helped with the work. Photo: Ken Parker.

A group of volunteers from Matlock Civic Association spent three hours cleaning the 250 metre long Matlock Mural on Saturday, June 12.

In 2015 the association organised the original painting of the mural on the concrete wall alongside Derwent Way (the A6).

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Several ideas were considered but only one – the painting of a mural – got the seal of approval.

The cleaned-up mural. Photo by Tracey GrantThe cleaned-up mural. Photo by Tracey Grant
The cleaned-up mural. Photo by Tracey Grant

After securing relevant permissions, MCA commissioned Peter Barber, a mural artist, for the project.

Peter’s design in cream, beige and blue features the words ‘Welcome to Matlock, Historic Spa Town’.

The piece comprises flowing oak leaf scrolls which represent ‘the meeting place by the oak’, which is the origin of the town’s name.

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Its completion transformed a stained and ugly structure into an award-winning artwork based on key features of our town.

The association last cleaned the mural in 2019 and after two years it was becoming stained and dirty again.

The cleaning by the Civic Association was on behalf of Matlock Town Council.

Derbyshire County Council licensed the work.

Members of the Matlock Civic Association Team who took part included Brian Wood (organiser ofthe cleaning), Len Webster, Rod Peach, Ian Grant, Brian Ford, Chris Wragg, Phil Smith. Tony Symes, Tracey Grant, Helen Crane, Richard Walker and Ken Parker.

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A spokesman for the civic association said the group is currently developing other ‘exciting projects’ which will also rely on partnership with the local councils.

Matlock Civic Association is a registered charity dedicated to improving Matlock.

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