Riviera International Conference Centre

17 September 2009
Morpeth back to its blooming best

Published Date: 17 September 2009
By Andrew Coulson

MORPETH'S flower team is getting used to that winning feeling as the town once again took top honours in a regional event.

At the Northumbria in Bloom ceremony in Durham on Monday, it was awarded the accolade of a Gold medal and took the title of Best Town for the fourth year running, despite all the effort and money needed to clean up after last year's floods.

Judges were impressed by how well everyone had pulled together to keep Morpeth clean and attractive, enhancing its local heritage and pride of place and living up to its theme this year of 'Restore, Rebuild, Renew'.

Morpeth Town Council Mayor Ken Brown said: "It's absolutely fantastic for the town, particularly after last year's floods which did a lot of damage to our floral displays and beds.

"I'm really excited that we have won the Best Town award again and this reflects the hard work by all of our partners and members of the Morpeth community.

"We had some new initiatives, such as our school garden competition and the painting of a mural at the railway station, that have taken us further this year and we are hoping this will help us win the award at Britain in Bloom."

There was further success in other categories, as Bridge Street store Rutherfords received the Best Individual Commercial Premises gong.

And Morpeth and District Chamber of Trade was victorious in the Best Shopping Precinct or Retail Park section.

Les English, who heads up the Chamber's annual contributions towards the competition, said: "It has been a great effort made by everyone this year, including the Chamber which was very generous with the funds it gave.

"This is even more of an achievement because of the devastation caused by the floods, but we pulled out all the stops to make the town look wonderful.

"We have such a strong entry this year that I've got a good feeling we will win the Best Town award at the Britain in Bloom event next week."

This is the third year in succession Morpeth has been entered for the national competition and officials will find out if they are victorious during a ceremony on Wednesday at the Riviera International Conference Centre, Torbay.It is competing against Oakham (East Midlands), Rustington (South East), Thornbury (South West) and Ilkley (Yorkshire) in the Best Town category.

Northumberland County Council's Neighbourhood Services teams supported the bid by preparing Carlisle Park, providing some floral displays, sweeping streets, recycling and cutting grass all over the town, among other things.

Terry Garnick, Neighbourhood Services Manager North, said: "I'm overjoyed and the award is a great reflection on the work we do, as some people may not recognise us because we start very early in the morning.

"Everyone plays a role in the entry, including the Morpeth environmental champions who let us know when gullies need unblocking and streets need sweeping and the vibrant market also makes a great impression on visitors."

Northumbria in Bloom also rewards hundreds of enthusiasts with Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver or Bronze awards for their efforts in brightening up where they live and work.

Carlisle Park, Waterford Lodge and the Millennium Green received Gold accolades, Morpeth Railway Station was given a Silver Gilt and St Robert's First School in Oldgate was awarded a Silver Medal.

Eileen Burn, Northumbria in Bloom Chairman, said: "It's wonderful to see how Morpeth and other flood-affected areas fought back after the disaster of last year back to blossom again with such enthusiasm. We gardeners never give up."

Northumbria in Bloom is supported this year by the Big Lottery Fund.

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