'Outdoor gallery' brings a splash of colour to the town centre

Volunteers from Larne Renovation Generation installed a series of colourful pot plants at Main Street on the former site of Cellars bar.

The eye-catching display is part of a wider scheme to celebrate Larne’s tourism story, said Angeline King from LRG.

“We were really frustrated with the fact that there were these empty spaces on Larne Main Street, and we wanted to do something to fill those spaces,” she added.

“Last year we had a display of welly boots on the way into Larne, but this time around we thought we would do something that would focus on the town centre. Lynda Hill and her daughter Tricia were instrumental in getting [the display] set up.”

Featured along with the dozens of colourful flower pots is an excerpt from a poem by 'Bard of Ballycarry’ James Orr, called The Banks of Larne.

“We picked that particular stanza as it described the town in a really beautiful way,” said Angeline.

The display is accompanied by two pieces from local artist, Chris Gilbert.

Meanwhile, the group is behind a number of other colourful art projects in the town, including a coastal-themed mural near Laharna Retail Park, created with the help of pupils from Larne Grammar.

Other murals - many echoing the tourism motif - can be spotted in the alleyways beside Superdrug and SpecSavers in the town.

The works were supported by Mid and East Antrim Council with help from Belfast artists, Eoin McGinn and Dee Craig.

A separate mural celebrating actor, broadcaster and writer Richard Hayward is also planned for the wall of the Shoe Zone shop on Main Street.