Westport’s Paddington Bear reopens to the public following repair works

AN attraction that has drawn thousands of visitors to Westport became a brief victim of its own success this afternoon when the Paddington Bear statue was temporarily closed to the public.

South West Mayo Development Company CLG  carried out repair works to the surrounding surface, which became necessary due to the volume of visitors flocking to see the famous bear. The area has now been reopened. 

^{Paddington sitting above the newly-installed surface at the Fairgreen in Westport (Pic: The Mayo News)}

Since being officially unveiled on the Fairgreen last month, Paddington has become one of the most popular attractions in West Mayo, with visitors and locals regularly stopping to take pictures with him. 

Sitting open a bench overlooking the iconic Mall river, the Westport bear is one of 23 dotted around Ireland and the United Kingdom to promote ‘Paddington Visits’ ahead of the opening of ‘Paddington In Peru’. 

It is the third in a series of popular live-action films starring the much-loved Paddington Bear and will be in cinemas this Friday, November 8.