Now town is going for the gold award
HUNSTANTON
pulled out all the stops for the Anglia in Bloom competition and hopes
are high that the town will win a silver or gold this year.
As
part of the town's bid, new hanging baskets and plants were added to
the High Street and sprinklers were installed in the Esplanade gardens
by West Norfolk Council.
Around 12 volunteers took part in a
community clean-up, picking up litter and cleaning graffiti off bus
shelters before the judges visited on Wednesday, July 12.
And seven households took part in the town's own best garden competition.
But green-fingered residents face a nailbiting wait until mid-September, when the results will be announced.
Councillor Elizabeth Nockolds, cabinet member for culture, said: "Hopes are running high this year.
"Last year, Hunstanton won a bronze award, which was fantastic as it was the town's first attempt.
"Following that, we developed a three-year improvement plan, which includes a whole host of street scene improvements."
Mr
Chris Bamfield, the council's head of leisure and public spaces, said:
"The feedback from the judges was there had been a lot of improvements,
and they were very impressed with the work that we had done. We're
hoping for silver or gold."
He said the judges liked the changes to
the Esplanade gardens, including the new automatic watering system, and
a boat donated by Leziate Park Sailing Club which was filled with
flowers.
And an art project by pupils at Hunstanton Infant School,
Redgate Junior School, Glebe House School and local Brownies and Guides
also caught the eyes of the judges.
The creative children put together a Wendy house, a caterpillar made of flowers, mosaics and a hopscotch area.
Councillor
Alan Booth said: "I've got my fingers crossed for gold, because the
town was absolutely beautiful on the day, everything was tidy and there
was no litter or graffiti."
Mark and Mary Dyble, of Hunstanton, won
the town's gardens competition and their garden was viewed by the
judges as part of the Anglia in Bloom bid.
Mr Dyble told the Lynn News: "We were very pleased to win. We hope to enter next year and do the same!
"We entered last year and came second."
He said he thought the judges liked the amount of bloom and colour in their garden.
Mr and Mrs Dyble won a meal for four at the town's Lodge Hotel.
Mr Booth wanted to thank Mr Richard Searle for giving the judges a meal at Searle's on the day