Work has started on a series of murals commissioned by the council on Thornton Heath High Street to celebrate  the diversity of the area.

The first design by Mat Pringle, which will feature on the flank wall of Fast Eddys cafe  next to the post office, promotes the hidden nature and green space in Thornton Heath. Scaffolding has also gone up on the Hindu Ghanapathy Temple on Brigstock Road which will feature a design by the Snapshot Collective (see design).

The artworks are part of the £2.7 million regeneration scheme.

Palace fan Mat, a print-maker illustrator, who teaches Illustration and Printmaking at BRIT Kid has has lived in and around Thornton Heath all of his life.

His idea was to create an artwork on the theme of the nature of Thornton Heath, more specifically the flora and fauna of Thornton Heath.

He held a workshop at which people shared knowledge of local plants and animals, such as the white squirrels who lived in Grangewood Park, or the Jerusalem artichokes that are grown at Thornton Heath Rec.

He said: “The community desire to see more and to celebrate nature in the area is the central theme of my mural.”

The remaining murals will feature designs from artist Ben Connor and  illustrator Philip Dennis.

More recently a new flank wall became available on the side of the Lycamobile building on Gisland Road and after asking artists to submit works international artist Bareface who is originally from Thornton Heath was selected by the council, however his design caused some consternation amongst some local councillors.

Cllr Callton Young took to Twitter questioning how the mural came out ‘on tops’? Some may well be relieved to hear that Bareface is working on a less controversial design for the actual mural!