Paddington bear arrives in Newbury’s town centre
A statue of the bear called Paddington has been unveiled in Newbury’s Northbrook Street – just outside Camp Hopson.
Newbury’s Mayor unveiled the feature this week, revealing a colourful Paddington eating his marmalade sandwich on a bench.
Paddington’s creator, Michael Bond, was born in 1926 in Newbury in Edinburgh Terrace, West Mills. His father, Norman, worked at the local post office and his mother, Mary, worked at Camp Hopson itself. Michael Bond later fondly remembered Griffin’s Pork sausages, sold at the butcher’s shop on Newbury bridge. The family moved to Reading shortly after Michael’s birth.
The unveiling in Newbury is one of 23 Paddington statues, created by Sally Regis, placed across the UK, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, sponsored by StudioCanal.
The ‘Paddington Visits’ trail has launched ahead of the upcoming film Paddington in Peru, in cinemas from November 8th 2024.
Our picture above shows Newbury Mayor, Councillor Andy Moore (right) unveiling the statue watched by (L-R) Councillor Billy Drummond, Chairman of West Berkshire Council, Warwick Heskins, chairman of Newbury BID and Councillor Louise Sturgess, Executive member for Economic Development and Regeneration for West Berkshire Council.
