Tuesday, November 15, 2011

War Memorial Deserves Better....

I don't want this to sound in any way uncharitable or disrespectful to our war dead or people who are serving their country and risking their lives right now. I have nothing but the deepest admiration and respect for them and I really mean that. But I can't help thinking that the plans, as pictured in the Kent and Sussex Courier last weekend, for the refurbished war memorial in Tonbridge costing around £250,000 could be improved upon. The artist's impression looks for all the world like they're just going to cut the grass, clean up the pavement areas and trim the hedges. Unless that cost includes years worth of ongoing repairs and maintenance how is that a quarter of a million quid well spent? Our war dead deserve better than this token effort....

5 comments:

sebfox said...

I walked through there a few weeks ago. The place was carpeted with Macdonalds bags, empty coffee cartons, and Special Brew cans.
I was heading towards the river, from the carpark, and to my left were about half a dozen Romanians dossing about on the bench there. They were passing round a large plastic bottle of cheap cider ( I only know it was cider because when I returned to my car half an hour later, the empty bottle was poking alluringly out of the hedge). You talk about disrespect?

Anonymous said...

How can you tell that they are Romanians, you must have a very special skill?

Tonbridge blogger said...

Maybe the point here is would anyone respect the area any more if a quarter of a million quid is spent improving it? Possibly for a little while but not for long I suspect....

sebfox said...

I don't know where they're getting their estimates from. Maybe they should shop around. £27,000 to plant some trees?? What planet are they living on?

sebfox said...

In answer to your question...how did I know they were Romanians? Well...one of them had brought his granny along. I knew it was his granny, as she had a "For Sale" sign hanging around her neck.