News / Castle Bridge
New bridge hit by graffiti days after opening
Castle Bridge connecting Castle Park to Finzels Reach was named following a public competition to find a moniker for the 91-metre curved steel structure.
But as we all know, asking the public to come up with a new name for something these days is asking for trouble, ever since Boaty McBoatface won a poll last year to name a polar research vessel.
Bridgey McBridgeface failed to win the competition but that name has now been roughly scrawled onto the wooden slats on the Castle Park side of the span.
is needed now More than ever
It comes less than a week after Bristol singer-songwriter Barry Walsh was guest of honour at the official opening of the bridge, which he had named Castle Bridge.
Gavin Bridge from Finzels Reach and Barry Walsh at the opening of Castle Bridge
“I am over the moon,” said Barry, who has a particularly personal connection to the name and was keen to ensure it would not be lost to future generations.
“My mother used to shop in Castle Street. It really was a fantastic street, but it was destroyed in the Blitz in 1940 and my mother got caught up in the carnage. She has described how blocks from the street shot 60 feet in the air.
“That is why the name Castle stayed in my mind really. It will now live on for generations.”
A lovelock was also attached to the new bridge this week, but it appeared to have been removed by Thursday morning.
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees has previously pledged his support for the unsightly lovelocks on Pero’s Bridge and said it is unlikely they will be removed, calling them “a part of the creativity and iconic sights” of the Floating Harbour.
Read more: Rees pledges to keep ‘iconic’ lovelocks
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