Much comment is made upon new work carried out in our town. Indeed this Society seeks to review the quality of notable projects through its annual Awards presentations each November.

However much work and public spend is on routine repairs and installations around the town. Each and every one of those pieces of work has the potential to impact upon the general appearance of the town streetscape. Examples are paving repairs, pothole repairs and the erection of street signs and bollards.

The above photograph was taken in January 2019 of a recent installation or repair adjacent to St Clement’s Church. The workmanship is poorly finished with no attention to detail evident. These two bollards could have looked pristine and well finished. Instead they give the  impression of a rushed piece of work completed with little regard for its impact upon the street’s appearance in an historic area of Ipswich.

Every piece of work completed, however small, has the potential to make a positive impact and reflect sound investment of public funds.

Those responsible for sign-off and payment for these types of work would do well to ask themselves: “Would I pay for this if it was on my personal property?”

I doubt many would pay for this example.

Graham Smith

Lower photographs: two more examples from Ipswich streets.