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The Love Locker Opened
The Love Locker Opened
14th February 2025
All the love locks from the bridge at Bakewell were successfully installed onto the Love Locker, all the locks were paced in the same position as they were on the bridge to make them easily found again.
The Love Locker was opened at midday on Valentines day, an army of people made this happen and it was so pleasing to see people reunited with there love locks once again.
Photo credit: Mark Henchley
Threading the love locks
Threading the love locks
16th January 2025
Today saw the day the love locks were removed from the bags and started to be threaded onto the new wires ready for installing onto the Love Locker.
An army of volunteers are working very hard threading the the locks onto the wires, keeping all locks in the same order as they were removed from the bridge at Bakewell. It will be easy to locate your lock once all signs are in place.
The locks are now safely stored at Thornbridge Hall
The locks are now safely stored at Thornbridge Hall
26th September 2024
All the love locks have now been removed from the bridge and are now in storage at Thornbridge Hall awaiting a new structure to display them again in all there glory.
The locks are now being removed from the bridge
The locks are now being removed from the bridge
24th September 2024
Work started today to remove the locks from the bridge, a team of guys carefully slid off the locks from the wires and placed them in sacks. Each bag is individually marked following a plan of the bridge, so they can be reinstated in order at Thornbridge.
Mike Hall receiving the bags from Ben Bagshaw.
Donation of bags
Donation of bags
16th September 2024
On behalf of the Save the Love Lock Group may a convey a massive thank you to Ben Bagshaw of M Markovitz Ltd Builders & Plumbers Merchants of Tideswell.
Their kind donation of the bags to collect the love locks in and also the transport of the locks to Thornbridge Hall is much appreciated.
Love Lock Bridge Closed
Love Lock Bridge Closed
16th September 2024
The love lock bridge at Bakewell is now closed for maintenance work and the estimated 40000 love locks will be removed. The bridge will be closed for approximately three weeks and there is a diversion route for pedestrians in operation.
We are working closely with Derbyshire County Council to remove the locks from the bridge. It is intended to remove them in order wire by wire and bay by bay keeping to a plan and then reinstated in the same order at Thornbridge Hall. The locks will eventually be moved to the hall where people will be able to visit them once again.
Please note that no more love locks will be allowed to be attached to the bridge once the repair work has been completed.
15th September 2024
Well I visited the Lovelocks of Bakewell for the last time today to see them before works starts on the 16th. The bridge was well attended by lovelockers, tourists and even a Storm Trouper from a galaxy far far away and they all looked magnificent.
Over the next few weeks the locks will be removed and placed in the safe hands of the “Save the Love Locks at Bakewell” group who have rescued them from being scrapped.
I witnessed many a lock being photographed, some being found when thought lost and some being cut off. It was a sombre day and from the conversations I had on the bridge all were pleased that they were being saved.
I fished out a number of locks from the river and will be collecting more from various places tomorrow. I will photograph them all and give the pictures to admin to process. Hopefully the owners will be happy that thier lovelock has also been saved.
By the way, the second bridge and the river beneath were lock free.
This chapter is now coming to an end at Bakewell but the story lives on and the new chapter will start at Thornbridge Hall over the next months.
Long live the lovelocks of Bakewell.
Mike Hall
23rd August 2024
We have reached £500 and I would like to thank you all for your donations.
Emma at Thornbridge Hall is now working on the design for the structure which will display the love locks for many years to come.
Mike Hall and myself are having discussions with the council finalising the finer details of the safe removal of the locks from the bridge.
We are also preparing photographs of the locks which have been handed in so people can be hopefully be reunited with them. The post will go out in the next day or so.
We are still a long way of the £3000 target for donations, if you have not already donated, please help us. Many thanks
22nd August 2024
Emma and Jim Harrison are putting in £3000, they are paying for the transport, providing the grounds, storage and will maintain them for many years to come
Surely we can match this by donating £10 or more or whatever you can afford.
19th August 2024
We have some encouraging news. There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes to work out how the near 40,000 memories can be preserved. We are pleased to announce that we have found a potential new home for all the love locks that are on the bridge at Bakewell. Thornbridge Hall have kindly offered a forever home for the love locks within their grounds.
It is our intention to remove the padlocks bay by bay and reinstate them onto a similar structure within the grounds of the Hall, there will be enough space so that the tradition can be continued.
Dr Ceri Houlbrook, Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire, will be assisting the group by attempting to record as much information she can whilst the locks are on the bridge to capture their “moment in time” before they are moved.
We appreciate that it will not be the same as the bridge at Bakewell but it will be a lasting final resting place for all to enjoy.
Thornbridge Hall, is a delightful, restored country estate with fine gardens, walks and tours and is just a couple of miles away near to the village of Ashford-in-the-Water. The Hall has free parking, a café and is easily accessed by road and path with a direct link to Bakewell via the Monsal Trail and is open 352 days of the year.
We are also hoping to place a “Love Lock” bench near to the bridge in Bakewell so that people can sit and reflect next to where they originally locked their memories away.
There is still lots to do, however this option is now on the table and is being explored and the details are being worked through with Derbyshire County Council.
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