Shoppers react to 'daft' decision to leave 'dirty' town hall spire

The dirty grey stonework on the spire was left by contractors who cleaned the rest of the exterior to the building.

But many shoppers in the town centre have said they should have cleaned the entirety of the site.

Richard and Judy Keverne, visiting Wiltshire’s county town from Camborne in West Cornwall, said: 

“I think they should have cleaned it,” said Mr Keverne, who is a roofer by trade. I would definitely have cleaned it. Has somebody lost their nerve?

“Unless the scaffolding didn’t go all the way up, it’s usually down to money. If they had the scaffolding up that high, they should have done it.”

Richard and Judy Keverne, from Camborne in Cornwall, say the spire should have been cleaned. (Image: John Baker)

Barbara Barganska, from Trowbridge, said: “If the job is to clean the whole thing then they should have cleaned the whole thing.

“It does look a bit odd because everything else is clean and the top of it isn’t. It looks daft.”

Bernard Lucas, from Trowbridge, said the dirty spire doesn't match the clean exterior of the rest of the town hall. (Image: John Baker)

Bernard Lucas, from Trowbridge, added: “Will people notice it being stuck right up there?

“Overall, if it was me, I would have had it cleaned because I am a person who likes everything to match.

“You don’t want part of a building that’s not going to match with the rest of it. It is strange.”

Robert Schilperoorp, from Trowbridge, said: “It’s good to see the building looking so nice but it looks as though they have forgotten something.

“They should have definitely cleaned it. It looks as though they’ve only done half the job.

“All that money they have spent, why didn’t they clean that?”

Robert Schilperroorp, from Trowbridge, said it looks as though they’ve only done half the job. (Image: John Baker)

Trowbridge mayor, Cllr Stephen Cooper, said he was not concerned that the spire has not been cleaned.

“I don’t have a problem with what they have done. I think that the spire being left dark grey actually looks quite nice.

“I do not have a problem with this at all. I am damn sure the extra money it would cost to get that cleaned is better spent on other things.

“It is purely an aesthetic decision. To me, it’s a fuss over nothing. I think we have got bigger things to worry about.”

People say the spire of Trowbridge Town Hall should have been cleaned when the scaffolding was installed. Trevor Porter 77218-2 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Cllr Glyn Bridges, chair of Trowbridge Civic Society, which monitors the state of the town’s historic buildings, said: “When the scaffold was removed from the Town Hall tower the spire had not been cleaned but left in its very dirty black state.

“It reminds me of a high court judge wearing his black cap when he is about to pass the death sentence.”

The dirty grey spire stands out now the rest of Trowbridge Town Hall has been cleaned. Trevor Porter 77218-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Wiltshire Council said it has not instructed or paid contractors to clean the Town hall exterior, only to make repairs.

Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Assets, said: “Stone restoration and repairs have been carried out externally to address any structural issues and prolong the life of the façade.

"The scope of these works was only to address any issues and as such did not include any additional surface cleaning such as the clock tower roof spire.

“Our ambition has always been for Trowbridge Town Hall to become a major creative and community hub for the whole community to enjoy for generations to come.

“To achieve this, we have to balance what we can do with the funding available, ensuring we can deliver on our commitment to provide a great cultural and entertainment facility in the heart of Trowbridge town centre.”