Leominster’s long history has been rooted in time and space – in shop windows.
This week, as the town keenly awaits a verdict from Heart of England in Bloom judges, the community’s own Leominster in Bloom team has been trawling the streets to find the best entries in a special window dressing competition with a historical theme.
Leominster’s branch of Specsavers in West Street has peered into the past with a display centred around the famed Leominster Knot, and staff were delighted when Mayor Councillor Peter McCaull presented them with first prize. Judges Jenny Thompson and Josie Owen praised the Specsavers’ team for their “highly original and imaginative” window with illustrated references to Leominster’s past, such as flooding in 1947, hop farming in the area and the opening of the Clifton Cinema in 1936, accompanied by details supplied by local people.
Staff at Bluebells, a floristry business in South Street, were awarded second prize, Hintons Country and Garden Shop in Broad Street picked up third prize and Utter Clutter in West Street was placed fourth. Leominster in Bloom chair Mike Thornhill said: “The standard was very high and presented judges with a very difficult decision. The top winners were all within one point of each other.”
Response to this summer’s window competition had been very high, said Mr Thornhill, with an increase in the number of businesses taking part from 15 in 2007 to this year’s 27. Councillor McCaull thanked everyone for entering the competition. “The standard has been excellent and the competition has been extremely close,” he said.
More pictures in next week’s Journal
