COMMUNITY groups across Droitwich are being urged to apply for one of the beautifully carved signs which used to stand on all the entry points to the town.
The ‘gateway signs’ have been decommissioned by Droitwich Town Council and, at the last meeting of the town council’s community and amenities committee, members voted not to replace them.
The signs were each made in 1994 from an individual oak tree and were hand carved, depicting a Droitwich salt worker.
There were five signs in total and so far two have been allocated.
One of them has taken pride of place in the Museum at Drotiwich Heritage Centre and the other has gone to Churchfields which has recently opened a saltworks and began producing Droitwich Salt after almost a century.
Will Kerton, partner at Churchfields, told The Standard: “As a local boy I used to see these signs on the entries to the town and we are overjoyed to have one of them.
“They were up for a number of years and it is only when you get to see them closely that you realise each one has come from a single oak and how wonderfully made and beautifully carved they are.”
He added the one at Churchfields would need some restoration work which he hoped would be carried out over the winter months so it could take pride of place as part of a larger display.
“And as it shows a Droitwich man scooping out salt and we have just opened the saltworks it could not be more fitting for us,”
The move to decommission them came after research into restoring the signs showed would cost more than £35,000 to renovate or £25,000 to replace with similarly designed metal signs.
But there would also be other costs incurred if the signs were to be returned, such as ground works, transportation and installation which could total another £6,000.
Another issue considered was that the planning permission had lapsed so fresh applications would have to be submitted and approved and Worcestershire County Council would also have to be consulted.
At the community and amenities committee meeting some councillors were surprised the signs were not as old as they appeared.
Coun Tom Noyes said: “The signs depict history but are not historic.”
And it was mooted that, with the current economic climate, members could not justify spending £25,000 to £35,000 on returning the signs to the entry points of the town.
A spokesperson for Droitwich Town Council said: “We are hoping to find new homes for the signs so they can be enjoyed for many years to come.”
Any groups interested in having one of the signs should contact Droitwich Town Council either via email to [email protected] or by calling 01905 774258.
