THE HILL GROUP SUCCESSFULLY MOVES AND STORES HISTORIC GRADE II LISTED THREE TUNS MURAL AT CITY CENTRE SOUTH

The Hill Group has successfully lifted and securely stored the Grade II listed Three Tuns Mural, one of Coventry’s most distinctive pieces of post-war public art, as part of the ongoing transformation of the landmark City Centre South regeneration project.

Created by renowned artist William Mitchell, the unique double-sided Aztec-style mural was commissioned as part of Coventry’s post-war rebuild and became iconic when built into the Three Tuns pub in 1966. Cast in reinforced concrete, the artwork is a much-loved feature of Coventry’s architectural heritage.

Ahead of demolition works in the area, Hill appointed specialist heritage contractor Cliveden Conservation to carry out the delicate operation of separating the mural from the surrounding structure and lifting it to safety. The team began with a detailed structural assessment of the wall and its suitability for removal, before installing a complex temporary works arrangement to support the surrounding building. The mural was then carefully separated from its structural wall, with steel supports threaded through the base plinth to protect the artwork during demolition and later serve as the lifting structure.

Made up of four separate sections, the mural was lifted clear of its foundations over two days, in eight controlled lifting operations. Each section was transported by flatbed across the site and lowered into a dedicated temporary storage area within the development.

The mural will be reinstated as a key feature of the first phase of City Centre South near to Coventry Market to ensure it is once again visible and accessible to the public.

The careful preservation of the Three Tuns Mural forms part of Hill’s wider public art strategy for City Centre South. Every piece of artwork identified for retention has now been removed from its original position and safely placed into storage.

Stuart Bale, Regional Director at The Hill Group, said: “The Three Tuns Mural is an important piece of Coventry’s history, and it was important to us that it was preserved with the greatest possible care as we bring forward this transformational project. Successfully lifting and storing the mural is a fantastic achievement by our team and our specialist partners, and we are proud that it will have a new home at the heart of City Centre South, where it can continue to be enjoyed by the people of Coventry for generations to come.”

Cllr Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “The Three Tuns Mural is a familiar and much-loved landmark so it’s brilliant to see it saved and safely stored ahead of its future return to the city centre. It was a really tricky move, so the team did very well to ensure it stayed in one piece. It’s a great example of how City Centre South is bringing together the best of Coventry’s past with an exciting new future for this part of the city centre.“

Once complete, City Centre South will provide up to 1,575 new homes, including a mix of studio to three-bedroom apartments designed to suit a diverse community of residents. The first phase will deliver 991 of these homes, alongside 8,000 square metres of new commercial space for shops, hospitality and businesses, and 17,000 square metres of public open space.