Calls to remove ‘ugly’ fencing

9:45am Tuesday 12th August 2008

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RESTAURATEURS and café workers have called for ugly' fencing around a town landmark to be taken down.

The King's Statue on Weymouth seafront has been cleaned, restored and repainted but is still surrounded by a fence.

The owner of Statue House Tapas Bar in St Mary Street, Weymouth, Susan Malik, wants the fences to go.

Mrs Malik, 50, said: "I don't know why they are keeping the fence there. When John Craven was here for photographs they took some of it down and I hoped they might take it all away.

"People used to stand there to have their photographs taken but I've never seen anyone graffiti or purposefully damage it.

"The work on the statue makes it look good but it's no use if it's spoilt by the railings as they make it look shabby.

"If anything I think the fence entices people to get over it."

The restored, grade I listed statue was unveiled in April but the temporary fencing is still standing more than three months later.

Owner of the Criterion restaurant on The Esplanade, Patrick Chubb, said he agrees with Mrs Malik.

He said: "I don't like the fence either as it spoils the look of the statue.

"I suppose the reason they have done it is so that vandals don't deface it.

"They should pedestrianise the area so that it's more open and it would be less likely vandals would be there."

Clare Smith, who works at the Tea Cabin on the Esplanade, said tourists have been asking why the fencing is still up.

She said: "They've done all this work on the statue but they have an ugly fence around it with advertising on it.

"We noticed it in the café and we get enquiries from our customers. They like the fact that it has been painted so it would be nice if they brought the fence down."

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council carried out the repairs as part of its Townscape Heritage Initiative, a programme to restore the town's seafront.

The borough council's spokesman for environment, Councillor Doug Hollings, said: "I ask the public and local businesses to bear with us on this matter.

"We could not be more proud of the refurbishment and yet sadly we must protect it from the vandalism it has all too frequently been subjected to over the years.

"The fencing will be replaced with temporary but more presentable railings before the end of August.

"High quality, permanent railings will be put in place as part of the wider Weymouth Seafront Regeneration project, due to begin this winter subject to funding allocation."