Chairman's Jottings - TrustNews Mar 16
We were recently approached by Norwich Trust reporting that one of their members had recently visited Winchester and was struck by the fact that there were no A advertising boards. We were asked how this was managed in Winchester, as Norwich was struggling to control the A board blight. I have to admit that I had not walked down the High Street for some time so, before replying, I thought I had better take a look.
I was taken aback for we too seem to have a rash of A boards, but the A boards in one case are compounded by rubbish bins. There is also a new form of advertising, in the shape of street compounds, which rope off areas for outdoor seating to the many snack/coffee establishments. So the High Street now is becoming cluttered up with tented kiosks, large bins, A boards and canvas surrounded compounds.
I seem to recall that many years ago, the City Authorities banned the A board and in return started to provide well-designed, wall-fixed direction boards, advertising shops within the side streets - a much better solution. (I would have thought that these A boards, apart from being ugly, are also dangerous particularly for people with a sight impairment).
Having checked out the High Street, I walked into the Cathedral grounds. Here we have one of the great buildings of this country, Europe and indeed the world. It is visited by thousands of people every year, so the setting I would have thought was of paramount importance - it is part of the experience. The front door, that is to say the west end, approach is marred first of all by a rash of cars parked against the buildings on the north side of the green which have pot-holed and muddied the gravel surface. The parking area is emphasised by a series of scruffy notices. Another noticeable introduction is the large number of notices that surround the west end. Do they really have to be so blatant? Surely somebody to do with the Cathedral could organise the circulation information etc., in a way that reflects the dignity of this great building in a more subtle way. The grassed area on the west side, or rather the lack of grass, adds to the experience misery. As for the inner close, what a mess cannot something be done about this? This great Cathedral and its immediate environment needs a champion, somebody who is visually aware, and is given, and willing to accept, responsibility for the presentation of the Cathedral and its environment.
Dont you think the same applies to central Winchester? Where is the pride in our City?
