Percy Terrace puts on a Red Nose – March 15th 2013

Source : Alnwick Gazette

Puzzled posties and passers-by have been raising their eyebrows after families turned their street into an official comedy corridor. More than 15 front doors in Percy Terrace, Alnwick – where homes date back to the 1830s – have been adorned with an eye-catching variety of red nose-style artwork and images for today’s Comic Relief.

Door knockers and letterboxes have been transformed with comedy icons such as red noses, clowns, smiley faces and even a Gruffalo – and one door has been covered with a huge sheet of jokes. Another family have decorated their door with an image of their pet Jack Russell dog wearing a red nose – and another has turned the whole door into a giant face.Residents of the street have also been asked to cast their votes in a poll to choose the house with the best comedy theme.The winner will be presented with a special “Knoscar” – an Oscar-style statuette with a red nose – at an awards ceremony tonight.

Families who have accepted the challenge to dress up their doors have also secured sponsors for their efforts to help raise as much money as possible for tonight’s Comic Relief event.The novel idea was thought up by retired teacher Elizabeth Angier, who has lived with her husband Philip, a social enterprise consultant, at Lovaine House in Percy Terrace for 10 years.

Mrs Angier said: “With Comic Relief coming up, I was thinking about what we could do to support it, and our street has been invited by Alnwick’s Bailiffgate Museum to be part of a neighbourhood historic outreach project. We have been researching the history of our houses and documenting the things we do as neighbours. “The thought just struck me that the nose of a house is the door knocker and the mouth the letterbox, and I thought we could have a bit of fun with that.“We set the street a challenge of decorating their doorknobs in the spirit of Red Nose Day for Comic Relief, and we have ended up with quite a fantastic display. “Everyone has been given a voting slip for the best door and the winner will be presented with the Knoscar, which combines door knocker and Oscar, at a ceremony in our house on Friday night”.

“The response to the challenge has been really good and people in the street seem to have really enjoyed the whole thing. People going past have been stopping to have a look at the doors. It is one of the older streets in Alnwick and this has given it quite a different look. I haven’t had a chance to catch the postmen, but I dare say they’ve also been quite amused by it all. We will find out on Friday night roughly how much we’ve raised for Comic Relief.”

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