GRIMSBY'S heritage is proudly on display in the town centre thanks to a unique new partnership.
The Wilkinson's store in the Bull Ring was re-branding two years ago and came up with the idea of putting product pictures on the back wall of the building, backing onto Bethlehem Street.
When the national firm applied for planning permission, Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society objected to what member Ann Turner described as "bright and garish advertisements" right next to the historic Grimsby Minster.
Mrs Turner devised some alternative designs, based on Grimsby's landmarks such as the Dock Tower, and the group made its objection to the planning application.
So the high street chain talked to the group and employed a graphic designer to produce even better pictures of the area's top heritage sights.
Now they have been unveiled, and Wilkinson's staff and members of the civic society joined together to celebrate the new illustrations now on display. Mrs Turner said: "I'm thrilled to bits about the result. I think it looks lovely and the pictures are better than my original sketches.
"It says a lot about the company that they are willing to work with us to improve the area."
Wilkinson's manager Dave Adcock said: "We are a very large national company but we like to think of ourselves as part of the local community too. We have been here for 20 years.
"Our store is here in Grimsby, our staff are here in Grimsby and this is where our customers live, so when we saw a chance to give back to the community we operate in, we were glad to help.
"I really like the look of the pictures and they are certainly much better than the metal shutters we had before."
Liz Mayle, design and conservation officer for North East Lincolnshire Planning Balfour Beatty, said: "It is really important that in this spot, next to Grimsby's historic Minster, that planning decisions are sympathetic to the area.
"This partnership shows that even big companies like Wilkinson care about their community image."
