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I write this month’s Remarks in the middle of November, just one week after the Cornhill was supposedly finished; it wasn’t but hopefully will be by the time you read this. At the time of writing the ‘arches’ were being delivered and erected, the real Christmas tree was due and the ‘Switch On’ was planned for 22 November.
I have been on the Cornhill everyday since the barriers were removed and on each occasion bombarded with criticism and complaint, paraphrasing “it is underwhelming and has cost too much.” It lacks colour despite the variety in the shades of grey concrete and stone, particularly concerning are the lack of visible nosings* on the steps.
[* nosing: the edge of a step or stair tread that projects beyond the riser]
Had it been a building rather than a public realm space the un-noticeable single step would not have been permitted. Already a number of people have fallen, having failed to see the drop. The Borough immediately brought in some pedestrian barriers and covered them with banners advertising the forthcoming panto at the Regent.
I was disappointed to see that someone had set fire to a pile of rubbish against one of the new concrete seats, hopefully no permanent damage but some ugly smoke and scorch marks. Was this a statement of opinion or just sheer devilment? And once the shoppers have gone, the skateboarders take ownership.
Pret A Manger is about to occupy the former Grimwade’s building but collectively we need to find a use for the former Post Office, the Town Hall and the Golden Lion Hotel. My suggestion is to convert the Golden Lion into small independent shops similar to the Thoroughfare in the opposite corner of the Cornhill.
Steve Walker, Director of architects Allies & Morrison, presented their suggestions for transforming Ipswich to a group of ‘stakeholders’ assembled in Quay Place back in October 2018. Stop me if you’ve heard any of these ideas previously but they suggest closing College Street to through traffic and moving the cross town route onto a ‘two-way’ Star Lane. This would improve the setting of Wolsey’s Gate and make crossing the gyratory on foot much easier thus increasing pedestrian movement between the town centre and the Waterfront.
They suggest that St Peter’s Wharf should become the gateway to the Waterfront, the disused buildings (Paul’s Silo and Burton’s factory) should be demolished and replaced with a cultural and entertainment hub, exactly the reason the Borough Council have negotiated their purchase.
Steve Walker also suggested that we should make much more of a potentially valuable asset, the river between Stoke Bridge and Princes Street. A 20 to 40 metre-wide strip of the former railway sidings could become a riverside Public Park. The illustrations suggested a full river, no doubt with the water retained behind the new flood barrier, a great idea except that the drains wouldn’t work – the waders feeding in the mud would go hungry and any excessive fluvial flow in the Gipping would flood the freshly refurbished St Peter’s Wharf.
Allies and Morrison also suggested pedestrianising Lloyds Avenue, moving the taxis even further away from their potential customers. Now what was Newton’s Third Law of Motion? ‘For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’.
John Norman