New Preston illustration takes centre stage to mark St George’s 50th anniversary

An 82ft illustration featuring some of Preston’s most iconic landmarks has been unveiled at St George’s Shopping Centre to commemorate 50 years since it opened.

Bosses at St George’s commissioned illustrator Chris Murphy to create the striking artwork, which has been installed in the heart of the centre.

The illustration features well known landmarks from across the city including the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, St Walburge’s Church, the Town Hall, the Corn Exchange and the famous Sir Tom Finney splash statue.

It takes pride of place on the third floor of the shopping centre’s rotunda and also includes sketches of Preston bus station, Avenham Park and Preston Minster.

Chris Murphy, from Arnside, lived in Preston for more than 20 years, he said: “I lived in Preston for most of my life so I was able to use my knowledge of the area to make sure all the key landmarks were included that local people would be able to identify.

“I have done many illustrations but this is the biggest by far and it has been a great project to be involved in.” 

The design was installed overnight and a cherry picker was used to reach the glass, taking more than 10 hours to complete.

To mark the unveiling of the artwork and to celebrate St George’s 50 years in the city, limited edition postcards featuring the drawings will be available to shoppers visiting the centre.

The collection of six postcards featuring sections of the illustration will be available from St George’s centre management office.

Andrew Stringer, general manager at St George’s Shopping Centre, said: “We wanted to do something special to mark 50 years since St George’s opened and we are thrilled with Chris Murphy’s work.

“St George’s is very much at the heart of Preston and the landmarks showcased in this design are a major part of the city we are proud to be part of.

“We really hope that shoppers will take a moment to stop and take in the illustration. This is our way of saying thank you for the past 50 years.”

ENDS

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About St George’s Shopping Centre
• St George's Shopping Centre is at the heart of shopping and boasts over 100 stores, 410 car parking spaces and is open seven days a week.
• The Shopping Centre caters a shopping experience for everyone with over 280,000 sq ft of retail space.
• St George’s Shopping Centre takes a lead role in the city for the benefit of the community of Preston and surrounding areas and aims to serve the city of Preston’s customers and businesses.
• With quality brands, independent retailers and a wealth of unique events, St George’s is worth a visit.

For further information visit http://stgeorgespreston.co.uk/