11 Mar 2023
With Easter just a few weeks away, it won’t be long before the streets of the city centre are packed with tourists flocking from across the country and beyond to enjoy all St Albans has to offer – but what sort of first impression might they receive?
Aside from the traffic chaos caused by the weekend closure of High Street and George Street, there are other factors which might not cast our great Cathedral city in the light it deserves.
Chipped paintwork, discarded chewing gum, pigeon droppings, broken bricks, potholed pavements, graffiti-daubed street furniture – is this really the best we can do? And who is responsible for ensuring we actually do better?
It was during the mayorship of Annie Brewster (2013-2014) that our street furniture last received a lick of paint, so after almost a decade later surely another coat is long overdue?
Annie, now chairman of Herts county council, recalled: “The Mayor’s Makeover was, amazingly, nearly a decade ago. With no budget for painting street furniture, I was thrilled to create a project encouraging ‘unpaid work’ offenders to paint with me throughout the city centre.
“We were blessed to be instructed by the late John Burgess from my village. John, an ex-RAF engineer, had already made Wheathampstead beautiful and he took great delight teaching us how to do every part of the process properly, no shortcuts!
Our workforce began lacking confidence and being very shy. By the end of the project they appeared in a video shown on the moving night when John won a Mayor’s Pride Award at the Alban Arena saying how much they had learned from him. Most certainly one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.”
Freda Chaloner, chairman of St Albans Civic Society, agreed that the heart of St Albans is well overdue for some TLC: “The state of the city centre is disappointing and looks neglected. Overflowing bins are commonplace and the proliferation of wheelie bins in the alleyways is unpleasant. Ad hoc repairs of pavements using Tarmac look ugly.
“The [historic] alleyways could be a key attraction for tourists and residents but instead are dirty, unkempt and often full of rubbish.”
Vivien Cannon, manager of St Albans BID (Business Improvement District) explained what they are doing to maintain the city centre street scene: “St Albans is an extraordinary and busy city with history and beauty on every corner, bound to experience its fair share of wear and tear and there is always more that can be done to maintain and preserve its appearance.
“Whilst the repair and maintenance of buildings and street furniture fall under the council’s remit, the BID invests in additional initiatives including floral planters, art, and signage to make our city centre vibrant and welcoming for those who live, work, and visit here.
“We actively support levy payers with street scene issues and feedback their comments and concerns to the council. By continuing to work together we can all help to support and sustain a clean, safe, and vibrant city centre.”
Chris Traill, strategic director of community and place delivery for St Albans district council, said: “We are not responsible for buildings unless they fall into a dangerous state and intervention is required for health and safety reasons.
“We maintain some street furniture and litter bins, but not the roads, pavements and bollards.
“Together with St Albans BID, Hertfordshire County Council and other partners, we are committed to ensure these elements of the City Centre are clean and inviting.”
