A village sign in Newington was damaged by strong winds, potentially costing thousands to replace after being knocked down on New Year’s Eve
Newington: So, there was this village sign that got knocked down by some crazy 75mph winds. It might cost a pretty penny to replace it—like thousands of pounds!
This sign had been standing proud along the A2 London Road for over 15 years. But, on New Year’s Eve, those strong winds finally took it down.
The Met Office even issued a yellow wind warning that day, which caused all sorts of trouble for buses and trains. Debris was flying around, and coastal areas were dealing with rough waves.
It seems the sign fell overnight, right between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It was first put up on June 20, 2009, and designed by Gwendoline Ardley.
Fun fact: Sylvia Huxtable helped fund it in memory of her late husband, Paul, who was a parish council member for a decade.
Now, the sign has a big crack running through its design. It’s been part of many village events, including Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Cllr Richard Palmer, who represents the area, said it’s unfortunate but thankfully no one got hurt. He mentioned that the sign probably acted like a sail in the wind, which is why it took such a beating.
After the incident, a team from LH Garden Services cleared the area, and the damaged sign is now in Cllr Palmer’s garden.
He’s not sure if it can be fixed, but he estimates the replacement could cost between £4,000 and £7,000. If it can be repaired, it might be cheaper, but he doubts it.
He hopes they can keep the same design, but it might be easier to create a sign that lets the wind pass through next time. As for when it’ll be fixed or replaced? That’s still up in the air.
