18 Aug 2025
Debate has been raging about the new public benches installed in Market Place opposite Sweaty Betty.
Made of recycled materials, the benches were funded by St Albans BID and replaced the old wooden and metal ones which had reached the end of their natural lifespans.
But no sooner were the benches in place then community campaigners were posting disparaging remarks on social media, accusing them of being out of keeping with the city centre aesthetic.
Speaking to the St Albans Times, David Kaloczi of Facebook group St Albans Vision said: “The modern, very plastic-looking, ugly new benches set on concrete plinths wedged up against our beautiful listed town hall in the centre of our Conservation Area look cheap and are unaesthetic.
“To think that various people in authority, including those in our council who are supposed to be looking after our Conservation Area, believed these benches would in anyway be suitable for this location is very worrying.
“We have decent looking benches all around our city and its parks, many of which would suit the position outside our Town Hall. Please can this error be rectified ASAP and can we ensure that if additions are being made they are aesthetically positive and that residents are properly consulted.”
Former Mayor and ex-district councillor Frances Leonard added: “Given the sensitivity of the area where they’re sited, was due diligence carried out on their design, materials of construction etc or has conservation become a free for all?”
Manager of St Albans BID, Vivien Cannon, defended the design: “You will know that nothing comes cheaply even if to some, they don’t like their look.
“When exploring types and looks of benches we had to address these considerations – the preference was that they provide similarity to the style and colour of the majority of benches already installed up the length of St Peter’s Street, that long-term maintenance costs and needs had to be at a minimum, and that recycled plastic is a good approach to managing environmental concerns, thus reducing use of our wood stock and repurposing plastics.
“These benches do share a basic style of what already exists but are not an exact match. They do not require the level of maintenance needed by the existing wooden benches. BID liaised with and shared images of the type of bench being considered along with the location with local group representatives and council officers. Nobody raised questions. ”I do not anticipate that BID will be undoing the positive investment made in providing the benches.”
