Lipstick on the Gorilla - TrustNews Mar 2004
This is the title for a little series in TrustNews. It is an attempt to brighten up and improve visually some of the unattractive buildings in Winchester. Of course, it is true that ' beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and some of the suggestions may not be entirely popular.
I have illustrated one building called Wessex Court (Upper High Street), which was a drab office block, now converted into flats. What do you think of this lipstick? It illustrates what can be done to an existing building.
The next example is the Wessex Hotel. I have always thought it lacked something. Therefore, in the computerized montage, I suggest another floor with a low-pitched lead covered roof. Not only would this improve the look of the building but, by adding additional rooms, it could trigger the viability needed to change its appearance.