FAMILIES came together to celebrate the newly refurbished Bridgwater town hall on Sunday.

A free fun day saw the High Street cordoned off for a street fair, farmers market, samba band, majorettes troupe and a balloon release to commemorate the landmark's new look.

Scaffolding has come down after a 30-week project - costing £1.1million - to restore the town hall to its former glory.

Sedgemoor District Council, which organised the spectacular celebrations, has also announced a pioneering scheme to keep Bridgwater's town centre vibrant.

The council was given a £52,000 grant to launch the ShopJacket scheme, which gives empty stores in the town centre a fake shop front - to improve their look and to entice businesses into them.

The former premises of the Bridgwater Bookshop, at 34 High Street, are the first to get a new “jacket”; the frontage now shows a pretend chocolate shop.

Allison Griffin, corporate director for Sedgemoor District Council said: “This is another step in Bridgwater's progress and alongside the newly refurbished town hall, we think that the whole of the High Street now makes a positive impression.”

Click on the link below for a gallery of pictures.