New “parklet” seating areas have been installed in Exeter city centre as part of a £50,000 scheme. And it is fair to say the reaction to them has been mixed.
The installation, which combines seating with plants, is now in place in Fore Street outside the independent vegan and vegetarian pizza restaurant The Flat. Another parklet will be situated next to Exeter Library, in Musgrave Row,
The pair cost £50,000, funded through the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund and were commissioned by InExeter, the business improvement district for Exeter City Centre. The parklets, which sit on what were parking spaces, are a growing urban trend aimed at addressing challenges in areas where narrow or congested pavements limit outdoor seating or where there is a need to expand seating and public space.
There has been some ridicule over the plans from locals on social media. But given the amount of complaints people make about the state of the city centre, in a leader column in our sister print title the Express and Echo, the editor writes that at least someone has tried something to brighten up the area, but only time will tell if they are effective or not.
Read the full column below:
Not too surprisingly, the idea of trying to turn a couple of small parking areas in the city centre into more attractive places to stop and sit have attracted some ridicule. In Exeter, the city’s business improvement district organisation, commissioned two ‘parklets’ at a cost of £50,000.
The aim is to provide more seating and expand public spaces in the city centre. One is on Fore Street, outside pizza restaurant The Flat, and the other is next to Exeter Library in Musgrave Row.
Now that they are in place, some residents have branded them a “waste of money” and “ugly”, while another even questioned if they were made by Willy Wonka.
Ideas like this which break the norm are always likely to divide opinion, or, as an InExeter spokesperson put it in classic management speak: “It’s understandable that there may be varied perspectives within the community.”
Some people will love the bright seating areas with plants adding a bit of decoration, while others will see the potential issues and likelihood that they could attract antisocial behaviour.
However, in terms of them being a waste of money, at least it was not local money that was spent on them, as they were paid for by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
A spokesperson for InExeter pointed to the benefits of what they had tried to achieve by saying: “We selected a Devon-based company (for the design and build) which has used galvanised steel and composite decking. These materials were selected for their durability, ease of maintenance, sustainability and life expectancy.
“We commissioned an artist from the South West who designed the artwork for the planters and employed a local nursery to do the planting, which has been designed to provide seasonal colour and will be maintained by InExeter. We are committed to listening to feedback to address any issues that arise.”
Only time will tell how effective they will be in achieving their aim, but also it’s up to the passers-by whether they will be well used or not. A common moan we hear in the city is the state of the centre; at least with the parklets someone is trying something to improve things in a busy area.
