Not bad – but not bold

And too much emphasis

on bus stops

It’s a bit like opening a Christmas parcel and finding a couple of tangerines and a few walnuts when you expected an X-box.

You are disappointed.

And that’s what we were when Boston Borough Council unwrapped its £2 million package to refurbish the town’s Market Place.

The first big question that we have is: “How on earth are these proposals going to cost two million pounds?”

A new pedestrian crossing, a break in the wall by the Ingram Memorial, a few pieces of street furniture and a couple of outdoor eating areas don’t cost a fortune.

A reproduction of the Five Lamps is a good but obvious idea, - but again, not that expensive.

We note with horror the suggestion that the Five Lamps should share its space with a platform for the Into Town bus service – which would be mirrored by a similar platform across the road.

It’s come to a pretty pass when the streetscape is dominated by a couple of bus stops – with the addition of an historic feature almost as an afterthought.

If there must be bus platforms, lets at least try to make give them character – something like the pier-style shelter pictured on the right.

At least the idea of banning parking from the west side of the Market Place completely is a good one – particularly as it would do away with the present ridiculous situation where a road bisects the current parking area – making it hazardous for pedestrians and car users alike.

But whatever happened to the reports that appeared with views of idyllic market places in Holland that we were told would be so appropriate here in Boston?
Although no mention is made at all of surfacing of the streets and roads in the information issued so far, we understand that there will be extensive use of York paving – which may make the area look overly grey and dull.
The photograph below is of an engraving of Boston Market Place in the 1840s - if you click on it you will see a larger version..

It’s hard to visualise it in colour, but the preferred shades of Georgian times were those picture below.

The look of the Market Place today is depressing. Most of the buildings need a new coat of paint – and we wonder if any thought has been given to asking their occupants if they could co-operate in this simple solution that would enhance the look of the Market Place a hundredfold.
Perhaps Boston Borough Council could lead the way by repainting the Assembly Rooms?
Another thing for the longer term is the look of the shop fronts themselves.
These days designers opening shops in market towns tend to adopt what they think of as and old fashioned “traditional” look – like the one pictured below, which is cheap to produce and maintain.

The trouble is that everyone latches on to the same idea, so we wind up with rows of identical looking shops – other examples not far from this one include Timpson’s, Thorntons, and the Carphone Warehouse. And signage needs improving if the Market Place is to regain its Geoprgian feel.
The plans for the Market Place are better that we feared they might be – but they are not much to write home about given the time and cost involved over the past few years looking for a solution which are told will make or break the town’s future.
We fear that it is already to late to anticipate that the design issued by the council will alter very much as it is a matter of months before work is due to start.
But who knows – it may end up looking better than the impression being given so far.

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