Picture Gallery - Trust Annual Report 1971
The City Council is to be congratulated on opening the new picture gallery. The exhibitions have attracted many visitors and those showing views of Winchester have been particularly welcome especially by members of the Trust.
Judging from the state of the buildings, the smaller Winchester of fifty to seventy years ago seems to have been less prosperous than today. Had there been greater commercial activity then, it is probable that many more worthwhile buildings would have been demolished. On the other hand the lack of building maintenance at that time has added to the difficulties of preservation work now.
Many of the photographs show a plentiful miscellany of badly painted sign boards which fortunately perished long ago. But this problem is still with us in a different form. The mass produced signs of many chain stores manufactured in almost indestructable materials are very unwelcome intruders to the street scene, retaining their garish clamour for our attention until the fashion changes. Chichester has been concerned about these. The result of an enquiry there is awaited with interest as as a precedent for the rest of the country. Another prevalent eyesore is the multitude of stickers appearing behind windows in which no goods are displayed drawing attention to price reductions and bargain lines within. The whole process seems to be self defeating. The more strident the colours the less notice we take of the message.