Rain or shine, Bowstring Bridge demolition goes on
Workmen continued the demolition of a historic bridge through the wind and the rain yesterday.
Campaigners spent two years fighting to save the Bowstring Bridge in Duns Lane, in Leicester's West End.
Their battle was unsuccessful and the bridge is now being demolished to make way for De Montfort University to build a sports centre and swimming pool.
Yesterday, parts of the Victorian railway bridge were being removed piece by piece.
Stuart Simmonds, from Leicester's Civic Society, said: "I drove past in the morning and from the De Montfort University end there is now about a third of the bridge left.
"It looks as though they have started on the Braunstone Gate end.
"I think they are working from the south and moving towards the Pump and Tap part of the bridge.
"There are some big heavy girders at the top, so I wonder if they will remove the bottom part of it first."
Workers began demolishing the bridge in early October.













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by matt, Creed Design : Enderby
Thursday, November 26 2009, 12:25PM
“The Bowstring Bridge will live on!
Courtesy of a new painting by local artist Tim Fowler - which is proudly hung within the newly refurbished Pizza Express on King St!”
by West End Girl, Leicester
Thursday, November 19 2009, 10:35AM
“Loss of the bridge, the symbolic gateway to the West End the railway and canal created when they were built, will be a devastating blow to community identity and cohesion. Remember a few years ago, when the Council planned to take away the roundabout on London Road at the Victoria Park Road junction? Stoneygate residents said it was important to the separate identity of their area. The Council agreed and left it in place. Well the bridge is the same for us West Enders.”
by Mr LFE, LFE
Tuesday, November 17 2009, 12:14PM
“Snooze...
The thing is though Sandie (POINTLESS Bowstring Bridge protestor), Westcotes Sandie, is that you appear to be deludied into thinking people actually want the bridge. The problem you have is that this really is old news now as the rusty old pidgeon loft is nearly on the floor and there's only a handfull of protesters who really think they can make a difference at this late stage...(why is that anyway).
I think you'll find that the 'usual 3 or 4' is more than '3 or 4' if you read old postings on this ongoing waste of paper...also, you'll notice that this 'much cared' for story is getting less and less paper space - probably due to the lack of interest and you can only flog a dead horse so much!
So after all of the vigilant fighting you can have a good long rest to get over your tiredness, devestation and emotional distress - surely this is a good thing for your health that you don't have to worry?
Give it a rest now, most of us are bored with it and, be honest, you must be too to a point...when are you actually going to realise that you've lost?”
by C, West End
Tuesday, November 17 2009, 12:13PM
“I have never said I hate the merc, I am just frustrated with this daily update of the demise of the bridge. You know it going, I know is going - do we really need a today they took another little bit of metal down?
In some respect I do admire the protesters, people standing up for what they believe in.
But on the other had, you talk about 3 or 4 people diverting attention from their own pointless lives - thats what this campaign sometimes has been. 3-4 people wasting their own pointless lives standing by a bridge after they started work on it, on the backing of a 4000+ apathetic facebook group - saying that is a majority and not really listening logically with anyone that disagrees, as they 'simply to not care'
This campaign would have had more impact if the paper hadn't bored so many people by ranting about it daily.”
by Leicester Resident, West End
Tuesday, November 17 2009, 12:07PM
“Well said Sandie! This deserves to be in the news. Shamefully the council is demolishing the lovely Bowstring Bridge without even realising what they are destroying. American bridge experts (sadly discovered too late to affect the listing appeal) recognise that the bridge is rare, precious and unique (see recent letters to the Mercury from Chris Dunne).
People much further afield than Leicester, including overseas, do care about the bridge and because the Mercury is doing a great job of keeping it in the news, interested parties in the UK and beyond are able to keep up with the story.
If you are not one of these interested parties, no-one is forcing you to read!”