Unique ‘Two Queens’ subway decoration underway
Unique new images of two historic queens will flank pedestrians as they walk into Newcastle.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is retiling the town centre subway which emerges by Queens Gardens with the eye-catching design to mark the Borough’s 850th anniversary.
Images of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II will be interwoven with the design marking the Borough’s special anniversary.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said:
There has been a rolling programme of improving the subways ringing the town centre, cleaning them, putting up fresh designs and CCTV where appropriate to make them feel safer and brighter.
With the recent anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s death 12 months ago, we wanted to do something special – and also complement the hope that we will soon have a statue of each monarch in Queens Gardens.”
Queens Gardens already has a statue of Queen Victoria, first unveiled in the town in 1903, and it’s hoped that will soon be joined by a statue of Queen Elizabeth, designed and sculpted by renowned local artist Andy Edwards.
Designed by artist Liz Taylor of Parleycoot , the subway tiles have been made by Tunstall-based Digital Ceramics and installed by LP Tiling of Kidsgrove, and portray the two monarchs at different stages of their lives.
The council’s wider programme of subway art includes the whole of Grosvenor Roundabout; Ryecroft subway, which focuses on circus; and Knutton Lane subway which reflects the history of Newcastle and Britain in Bloom.
Once Queens Gardens is complete, the next upgrade will be the large subway at Pool Dam, where a gallery style design will include photographs from The Brampton archive.
Simon Tagg added:
Newcastle is steeped in history and the different designs on the subway walls reflect our rich heritage.
Once the work is complete I think people will agree that it looks fantastic.”