Town and tourist signs

Signs on the outskirts announcing a town's identity are not a new idea but in recent years they have become more attractive, often with pictorial adornment, a far more welcoming appearance than plain lettering.

The first of the new style signs were erected in 1990 at strategic points on the grass verges of the four roads leading into the town centre, South Road, North Road, West Road and Spalding Road. They contained the Bourne coat of arms and a reference to Doudeville, our twin town in Normandy, France, the agreement for which had only been signed the previous year. The signs were made from printed metal sheets framed in oak but soon began to deteriorate.

By 2006, the weather had taken its toll and all were showing signs of wear while dust and mud from passing traffic dulled their appearance despite frequent cleaning. The Town Centre Management Partnership (TCMP), formed in February 2001 and now responsible for revitalising Bourne wherever possible, decided that new signs were needed and after consultation with the town council commissioned four new ones made of cast iron with a slightly different design although keeping to the basic idea, and mounted on posts painted black with gilt adornment.

Councillor Mrs Jane Kingman Pauley, the deputy mayor, welcomed them. “Our signs at the moment look scruffy and some are peeling”, she said. “I think the new ones were badly needed.”

The new signs, which were put in place during September 2006, cost £1,500 each and were funded by the TCMP. Ivan Fuller, the co-ordinator, said: The old signs were becoming a little bit jaded and obscured by vegetation in places and the new ones will create a better impression for visitors which is important for the town."

He said that the object of replacing them was to maintain the traditional signage of the town by bringing them up to date and making the entrances to Bourne look smarter and this result was admirably achieved. 

Welcome sign on the Spalding Road into town from the south

In February 2005, new tourist signs went up on the approaches to Bourne telling visitors that it is an historic market town with a church, a water mill, the place to get a cup of tea and spend a penny. All of this was true but as with most roadside signs that use the standard government logos they do not tell the full story.

The Abbey Church was established in the 12th century and has lasted for almost a thousand years but is now struggling to survive and needs £100,000 a year for the next four years if it is to remain open and this cannot be achieved by prayer alone.

Baldock’s Mill was built in 1800 on a site that has been occupied by a water mill since the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086 but is now maintained as a heritage centre purely by the goodwill of a handful of people and when they go its future is in doubt. In the meantime, the scarcity of volunteer help means that it can only open for two hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

The cup that cheers the motorist on his way may be an elusive commodity in Bourne for although there are more than thirty food outlets, most serve kebabs, pizzas and other exotic takeaways and you will be lucky to be served with a pot of Earl Grey and cream cakes at teatime and certainly not on a Sunday afternoon when most are closed.

Our public lavatories should not be advertised. It is not many months ago since there were none in Bourne, all closed, allegedly because of vandalism, although those in South Street have since been re-opened and given a lick of paint after a public outcry but it requires an urgent need and a strong constitution to patronise them and if visitors hope to find relief at the bus station then they will be unlucky because those toilets have been demolished.

Then we come to the word historic and yes, this does convey some truth because Bourne is founded on the site of ancient springs from which the Saxons, Danes and Romans drank and around which they settled. It is now known as St Peter’s Pool but it is in a sorry state because it is not maintained as befits its status while some of our public buildings are in a similarly parlous condition, all through the neglect of those who are supposed to look after them.

Road signs such as this, therefore, should not be taken too seriously. They are an important enticement to passing motorists to stop and rest awhile and they will be welcome but when they do, we hope they will not be disappointed with what they find here.

Welcome sign on the Spalding Road into town from the south

New town welcome signs were erected in the summer of 2015 on all entrance roads into Bourne although the amenities offered on the previous one have been reduced to just three, the Red Hall which is rarely open to the public, swimming at the outdoor pool which is only open in the summer months, and places to eat in a town where the number of takeaways has increased.

Two of our main attractions, the Abbey Church and Baldock’s Mill, have both been excluded for some inexplicable reason together with public toilets, no doubt because they have all been closed except for a small cubicle at the new Community Access Point.

REVISED AUGUST 2015

See also     Twinning with Doudeville     Public lavatories