Cash machine facade removed from river bridge

Impro Facade of grey atm machine with screen, buttons on brick buttress with rippling water below Impro
The cash machine, which could only be reached by boat, popped up on the bridge at the weekend

A cash machine facade that appeared on a buttress of a Grade II listed bridge has been removed.

The grey ATM was placed on Sonning Bridge in Berkshire over the weekend by artist Impro.

Wokingham Borough Council said it was taken off by contractors in waders and was now being safely kept in storage.

The buttress of the bridge over the River Thames has seen a variety of short-lived mystery additions, including a phone, a post box and a urinal.

A '"mysterious" black door has also previously appeared on Sonning Bridge

Other bizarre additions to the bridge by Impro, who lives in Oxfordshire, have included a black front door, complete with a floating doormat, prompting one resident to row up to the door to knock on it.

As with other items, the ATM had to come down as the bridge is a listed structure, meaning it is protected and any alterations must be approved by the council.

The arched road bridge, built between 1780-1790, across the river was first listed with Historic England in 1952.

Impro Two arches of the red brick bride reflect in the river with the grey atm attached to a central buttressImpro
Along with previous facades the cash machine had to come down as the bridge is a listed structure

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.

External internet links