Sign of the times takes mickey out of historic town

Apr 10 2008

LANARK is an old, ancient even, town with many historical connections and links. Visitors approaching the town have, for many years, been greeted with an historic town entry sign plus the standard brown tourism board letting you know what the Royal and Ancient Burgh has to offer.

So why have they suddenly decided to transport Lanark to one of the twee American towns, you know the kind, full of clapperboard houses and with silly ‘Welcome to Hicksville’ signs?

I attach a photo of the very similar sign, which has now sprouted at every entry to Lanark.

Personally, I find it silly, totally out of character, cheap and badly designed. And speaking to others in the town, I know I’m not alone.

Perhaps someone could tell us just how much this pointless exercise has cost? And when was planning permission applied for and granted for these new signs?

At a time when our roads are full of potholes and Lanark looks pretty shabby and rundown anyway — not to mention bereft of decent shops — why do we need silly signs that look like they were made by a local nursery school welcoming us to Lanark? What Lanark needs is quality linked to its historic past not something from Disneyland.

Disappointed, Lanark, name and address supplied.