CIRENCESTER Market Place was buzzing with people and music this afternoon at the grand unveiling of the street piano.

Town crier John Lawrence, dressed in his red and gold coat and tricorne hat, rang his bell and beckoned high street shoppers to admire the brand-new piano for the first time at 1pm on Wednesday, June 28.

The piano is located next to the Clarendon Fine Art gallery, to the left of the St. John Baptist Church, in Cirencester Market Place.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: The team involved in this piano project and its unveiling (L-R) David Sherriff, Cllr Sarah Orr, Reverend Canon Graham Morris, Toni Karim, town crier John Lawrence and Becky Coles The team involved in this piano project and its unveiling (L-R) David Sherriff, Cllr Sarah Orr, Reverend Canon Graham Morris, Toni Karim, town crier John Lawrence and Becky Coles (Image: Camilla Foster, Newsquest)

Reverend Canon Graham Morris, of St. John Baptist Church, treated onlookers to a range of impressive tunes including from top hits from Elton John and God save the King.

This street piano has been provided by The Corinium Hotel and Restaurant and located with help from Cirencester Town Council.

The man behind the idea David Sherriff, proprietor of The Corinium Hotel and Restaurant, has been busy adding the final decorations to the piano over the last few days.

He was inspired by the pianos that Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram has deployed throughout the country, part of his Play Me I’m Yours Street Piano Project, and thought this concept would work well in Cirencester.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Reverend Canon Graham Morris and Town crier John Lawrence at the unveiling of the new street piano in Cirencester Market PlaceReverend Canon Graham Morris and Town crier John Lawrence at the unveiling of the new street piano in Cirencester Market Place (Image: Camilla Foster, Newsquest)

David revealed that plans for this piano have been in the works since January. 

David said: "We brought the piano for £100 from Ebay and paid twice that much to get it shipped down here.

"We had to wheel it down from the hotel, push it through Abbey Grounds before we could set it all up here.

"It was a nasty brown colour so we decided to paint it blue, put on various logos and added some Banksy stickers on the side.

"Cirencester is such a vibrant town but it totally lacks music, so this will hopefully provide just that over the summer.

"Although our hotel is five minutes away, many people don't know about us so it is great that Corinium Hotel will now have a presence down here too.

"Hopefully it will encourage more tourists to our town, will help businesses and provide a better ambience for the markets."

 

The piano will be available to use most days between 10am and 6pm, and occasionally during the Twilight Markets too.

It will remain next to Clarendon Fine Art throughout the summer until September.