23 colourful & fun pics as Preston's Canopy of Colour is launched on Fishergate

Last night saw the launch of a new sustainable public art installation which has transformed Fishergate with colour.

Preston’s Canopy of Colour, running from April 30 until the winter, sees more than 300 colourful flowers, butterflies and foliage elements ‘bloom’ above the city’s high street.

Spanning almost 700 metres, the decorative scheme means a canopy of bright, nature- inspired motifs are now suspended above Fishergate, creating an uplifting visual experience for shoppers, visitors and businesses alike.

The official opening of the Canopy of Colour took place at 6.30pm on April 30, with the SpudBros, the StreetMonkeys, members of the city’s business and public communities, as well as members of the public in attendence.

Speaking at the event, John Boydell, chair of Preston BID said: “It's the sort of thing you might see abroad but it's a pretty new initiative here and Preston is in the forefront of doing it. So it's here to try and bring further life, further footfall, further business, further feeling of activity and enjoyment to the place. That's what we're trying to do to distinguish Preston from other places. And it is proud Preston and this is a great feature and it's going to serve this city very well. So, it's here throughout the season. It's going to look tremendous at night as well, which is great. So, come back when it's dark. So, if you're coming out for the evening, make sure you come here to have a look at it in its night time glory as well.

Deputy Mayor of Preston Councillor Nweeda Khan added: “ A unique installation for Preston, and I'm sure you're all going to be very, very proud. It will bring hopefully many new shoppers into the area, visitors and many others - old and new - to visit and see the spectacular flowers that have all [been] made of recycled material just as mentioned before. Very organic I would say. There's about 300 in total and also there's some foliage and other items as well on display.”

Out photographer headed down to the launch to capture the scenes, take a look at 23 of his photos next.