© South Wales Evening Post - 9 September 2005
An angry storm is brewing over a council decision to strip colourful planters from Swansea's busiest shopping street. The planters have been a fixture of Oxford Street for years.
They have been filled to the brim with everything from summer flowering annuals to posh box plants.But vandals have hit them so much, the council has now decided to get rid of them once and for all. It means a big victory for the yobs and a big blow to city centre trading.
It will also mean the street becoming a sea of concrete.
The council says the move has been forced on it. It says it can no longer afford to keep repairing and replacing the damaged displays.
However, the decision has been criticised by city centre traders as giving in to the yobs.
They said the decision to ditch the displays was another blow to businesses which are already struggling to cope with fierce competition from out-of-town stores.
Swansea Council said vandals had repeatedly attacked the large free-standing planters in Oxford Street.
Despite security measures such as wiring the roots of the plants in place, the shrubs had still been destroyed.
The council said it believed most of the damage was done late at night, though it added that CCTV footage had failed to show any of the culprits.
Council leader Chris Holley said he was very disappointed the planters had been targeted.
"It is with regret that we must now remove the planters. But they cannot continue to be replaced, only to be vandalised again," he said.
Eighteen posh box shrubs were planted in the ornate planters in May.
The manicured shrubs were part of a drive to take the city centre more up-market. The plants are more usually seen in cities such as Bath and York.
They received an enthusiastic thumbs-up from businesses and shoppers when they were first introduced.But within weeks, five of the plants, which cost £45 each, were destroyed.
"Not only have council staff repeatedly had to repair the damage, they have also had to replace expensive plants, which have either been stolen or ripped out," said Councillor Holley.
Peter Birch, of the Oxford Street Traders Association, said the loss of the planters would be a big blow to city centre businesses."Those shrubs and planters really made a difference," he said.
"They helped to bring Oxford Street alive. Without them, the place will look drab. It is yet another set-back for businesses."
Mr Birch also said he was angry about the way the decision to scrap the shrubs had been taken.
He said: "Why was there no consultation about this decision?
"Perhaps we could have done something to try and save the planters, but the council kept us in the dark.
"Other cities have these kinds of displays but it seems we have decided to let the yobs win. What is wrong with Swansea?"
City centre shopper Lucy Hobson, of Morriston, said the move was disappointing, adding: "It just seems to be one thing after another.
"The planters really added something to the street. What a pity the vandals have won.''
