Newport owners make formal bid to keep purple paint job on historic building
A couple who attracted worldwide attention for painting a high street building purple have appealed to council chiefs to let them keep the new look.
Julia and Gary Price believe Boughey House brightens up Newport's High Street – and have applied to Telford & Wrekin Council for listed building consent amid fears they could be made to repaint the building in its original cream colour.
The couple spent £1,200 painting the house but were told by council officials earlier this summer they may have to undo their work after two people complained. A petition has now gained more than 3,000 supporters saying they love the colour, and Mr and Mrs Price have also received support from as far afield as America and Australia.
Mrs Price said: "We decided to apply for planning permission to keep the building purple, as we have thousands of people on our side.
"We set a petition up online and we have one in the building and altogether we have got about 3,000 people supporting us.
"So many people love the purple, and lots of people say it really brightens up the high street, which if you see it, you will agree.
"We have so much support, and we are hearing a lot of positive things, but until we know exactly what the outcome will be I don't want to get my hopes up. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is, and also we shall have to wait and see if the two complainants make any comments.
"However, I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone for their support, it's been amazing."
The building dates back to the 1400s and since Mrs Price and her husband took over it in 2001 they have renovated it to make it more modern. Boughey House was also one of the only buildings to survive the Great Fire of Newport in 1665.
Anyone wishing alter or extend a listed building in a way that affects its character or appearance – or even demolish it – must first apply for listed building consent from their local planning authority.
A planning authority can insist that all work carried out without consent is reversed, and Historic England advises people to always talk to the authority before any work is carried out to a listed building.
