Divisive Louth parklets vandalised twice in a month

Controversial parklets in Louth have been damaged for a second time within weeks, with seating being taken away for further investigations.

The vandalism happened overnight on Wednesday/Thursday and saw the seats ripped from the unit and left down Little Butcher Lane, just off Mercer Row.

East Lindsey District Council collected the seating on Thursday morning and took it away for Lincolnshire County Council to conduct safety investigations. A spokesperson for LCC said the remainder of the parklets were being checked for safety reasons.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at the county council said: “The seats on the unit have been vandalised.

“Whoever carried out the vandalism took the seats off the unit and left them in an unsafe and obstructive way in the adjacent alleyway.

“The seats were then taken to a depot for our team to investigate the damage caused.

“Vandalising the units is simply unacceptable.

“This is the second case of vandalism that has happened to these units on Mercer Row and we will be conducting a further investigation into what has happened.

“It’s a real shame that the people of Louth who have been using this unit for its intended purpose will now not be able to continue to do so until we have been able to investigate the level of damage caused.”

| Photo: Andrew Leonard

The parklets are part of the Louth Active Travel Scheme, which aims to improve walking and cycling in the town by taking away some parking, moving other bays and doubling down on café culture in the Cornmarket.

Earlier this month, one of the parklets’ beams had to be reaffixed after “wilful vandalism”. The damage was blamed on “considerable weight” being “brought down on top of this bar repeatedly”.

There has been criticism levelled at the scheme spilling in to Mercer Row, with businesses saying there has been a drop in trade since it started; and residents – particularly the elderly and disabled – bemoaned a lack of spaces for them to park for short pick-ups and drop-offs.

| Photo: Andrew Leonard

Louth Town and East Lindsey District Councillor Andrew Leonard noticed the damage.

He quipped: “Overnight someone has highlighted what should be done on Mercer Row.”

“It seems rather apt that they should be removed in the rubbish truck. Perhaps if the aforementioned councillors dared to face the public in the town, this seating would have gone by now.”

Opponents continue to call on council leaders to meet with them to discuss their concerns.

A meeting of Louth Town Council is set to take place at 6.40pm on Monday, October 17, at at St James Church 6.30pm.

“Let’s hope the partial removal of the active travel initiative becomes permanent,” said Councillor Leonard.

The scheme was set to last 18 months.

Feedback on the scheme can be sent to LCC by emailing [email protected]