Gremlins Carnival Club took the top award as the curtains closed last night on the 2014 Bridgwater Carnival Concerts.
With their performance Victorian Shipyard, the Bridgwater club won the prestigious White Hart Cup, which is awarded to the gang and feature gaining the highest number of points throughout the concert fortnight. This is the fourth time in seven years the club, who are based at Bar 27, have won the top prize at the annual concerts.
Andy Mclean, chairman of Gremlins CC, was delighted with the club’s success. He said: “We are absolutely delighted with the results, and I would like to thank every person who has been involved with this year’s stage performance. We had an amazing time, and we now can’t wait for the town’s carnival procession on Saturday 1 November.”
British Flag CC were overall runners up with Wouldn’t It Be Loverly and Renegades CC came third with Anubis Army. Wills CC were the highest placed tableau club and won the Sam Hooper Cup after coming 7th overall with Dr Suess The Suessical.
In other results announced last night, Gremlins CC also won the Millennium Cup for the best stage setting and British Flag CC took the Suffragettes Cup for best costume. Lime Kiln CC, Vagabonds CC and YMCA CC shared the Les Manley Cup for most improved club, and solo singer Georgia Handel took the Judges Cup for best single vocalist. The Sally Williams Dancers won the Starkey Cup for their show Life’s A Celebration, while ventriloquist, Kevin Cripwell, won the Arthur Rainey Cup for best comic act and the Reg Dyer Cup for the personality Award. There were also awards for Viva La Diva Showgirls who won the George Bown Cup for best song, dance, musical / novelty act, and Best Foot Forward who took the Bert Snook Rose Bowl for best under 17 front of curtain act.
Last night’s performance brought the curtain down on a successful 2014 carnival concert fortnight, and was attended by many local dignitaries and sponsors, including Sedgemoor District Council chairman, Cllr Peter Downing, Bridgwater Mayor, Steve Austen and Refresco Gerber’s Richard Dale.
Dave Stokes, publicity officer for Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Committee, paid tribute to all of the entertainers. He said: “Once again this year’s show has been absolutely tremendous, and it is great to know we have so many talented individuals in Bridgwater.”
Carnival concerts have been held in the town since 1883 and the main sponsors for this year’s event were Refresco Gerber UK Ltd and Arts Council England, with Somerset Car Sales sponsoring the tickets, Northcliffe Media sponsoring the souvenir programmes and Anderson and Wall sponsoring the auditions.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors for their generosity and continued support”, added Dave. “Without this invaluable help the concerts would not be as popular as they are.”