Race to Rescue Iconic Car Park Sculptures Before Demolition Begins!

In Grimsby, a debate is happening as demolition begins on the Abbey Walk car park, a building from the 1960s. The North East Lincolnshire Council decided to tear down the car park after finding serious structural problems. Water had leaked into the supports, making the building unsafe. The car park was closed in May 2024, and now the council plans to replace it with a surface-level parking lot.

What makes this demolition special is the artwork on the side of the car park. The sculptures were created by Harold Gosney, a well-known artist. These concrete reliefs are built right into the car park’s walls. The Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society, a group that works to protect local history and culture, is leading a campaign to save these pieces of art. They believe the sculptures are an important part of Grimsby’s heritage and should not be lost.

To try to preserve the artwork, the council used 3D scanning technology to make digital models of the sculptures. This means that, even if the originals are destroyed, there will be a record of what they looked like. However, Angela Greenfield from the civic society says that digital scans are not enough. She argues that the real sculptures have value that cannot be replaced by a copy. She is worried that not enough is being done to save the actual pieces. The council says that removing the sculptures is very difficult because they are part of the building’s structure, with metal bars running through them. They promise to investigate if any of the artwork can be saved once demolition starts. The process is expected to take about 12 weeks. This situation has sparked a conversation in Grimsby about the importance of public art and how to protect it when old buildings are taken down. Many people hope that at least some of Harold Gosney’s work can be saved for future generations to enjoy.