You are here, just in case you didn’t already know £18,000 street signs point to obvious areas
DO YOU ever find yourself looking for something that is right in front of you?
Signs installed across the town by Maidstone Borough Council last week could be the answer to your problems.
Eight signs, called “fingerposts”, were scattered across the town at a cost of £18,648 – although not all of the information provided on them is as helpful as probably intended.
Shoppers in Maidstone have told the Kent Messenger they approve of the new street signs, but some of the information points out the obvious.
One of the signs, in front of the Archbishop’s Palace, on Mill Street, directs walkers to the old palace which is clearly visible in the background, while another sign on the Broadway points to the crown court next door.
Jo Greengrass, of Clifford Way, Maidstone, said: “I suppose it’s good to have them but some of the stuff they point out is quite obvious. There’s no need for one in front of the crown court, it’s a big building.
“On the other hand, I am a person who can’t find things in front me so I can see its use.”
Michael Tracey, 27, of Tonbridge Road, added: “The new signs look good and, because I have just moved here, they’re helping me find my way around.
“But I see where people are coming from when they say some of them state the obvious.”
Lynda Williams, 64, of Taillour Close in Sittingbourne, said: “When you look at it on an aesthetic level it does make the town look nicer, and that’s important.”
Husband Malcolm Williams, 70, was less impressed and said: “It’s a waste of money. They look nice but I wouldn’t pay 18-and-a-half thousand pounds for them. It’s actually a bit of a disgrace.”
A spokesman for the borough council told the Kent Messenger: “The new signs will enhance visitors’ experience in Maidstone by highlighting visitor attractions and making it easy to navigate the town centre.
“The town attracts over 3.3 million visitors each year, bringing in £251 million to the local economy and supporting over 5,000 jobs.”