A Plea to Save the Vanishing Art of the Pub Sign .

“Don’t it always seem to go, That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” A line from Jodi Mitchells 1970’s song “Big Yellow Taxi” aptly reflects the British Pub Industry today and in particular the thousands of pub pictorials that decorated the front of these “ale houses” in the form of a swinging metal or wooden sign.

Countless pictorials have gone forever over the last few decade, being either skipped, weighed in for scrap or sold overseas, as they are fast becoming collector’s items particularly by North American buyers.

Many of England’s pub and inn signs hold historic and local significance. The painted pub sign, one of the oldest popular visual arts traditions in Britain is locked in decline.

Campaign groups such as the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, have lobbied vigorously on behalf of this dying art.

Now, Pictorial artist of 40 years, Gary Hunter and friends have joined the fray in an attempt to save this important part of Britain’s heritage.

Gary has painted more than 1,000 pub and inn signs in his career for breweries such as Tetley’s, Whitbread, John Smith, Bass Charrington, Ansells and lots of independent breweries, An exhibition of his work was held at the The Bolton Royd Gallery, Bradford, in an attempt to raise public awareness around this unique art form. Gary say’s "What’s happening is a great shame, times move on and, there are many reasons for the loss of pub signs, but to lose and forget about an essential and meaningful part of this country’s history, local and national, is something that we at Pub Sign Art are hoping to redress. "

Fortunately Gary has kept a record of every pictorial he painted either in the original hand painted form or as a photograph which can easily be reproduced and enjoyed again as an authentic pubsign. Without this foresight hundreds of pub signs, would now have been lost to the public and gone forever. Being aware of the research and work that goes into them along with their historical and artistic significance, Pub Sign Art is preparing to open a gallery which will showcase these artifacts. Offering people a second chance to remember or re-evaluate [as above song says] what could have so easily vanished forever.