Council splash £25k on a little shop of horrors

BY CHRIS GILL

Bedford Borough Council has spent £25,000 on a bad taste joke shopfront window display in the town’s retail area.

The fake set-up features several black humour gadgets including one that suggests if you want to be a politician or get noticed you should use a Bedford propaganda bomb.

Among items on show in ‘Seriously Solutions’  in the Howard Centre are:

• 101 ways to finish off your enemies, with a unique killing style kit

• The K9 Bio converter “. . .transforms human waste to food dogs love “ – complete with toilet seat n A card from granny offering “congratulations to my grandson on     losing your virginity”

• A fingerprint removal tool, Slicey - which advocates cutting off your fingertips before each job n And a junior electrician’s kit which shows a youngster holding live wires attached to a plug.

The council say the idea came from the work of engineer and cartoonist Tim Hunkin, which was on display at Southwold several years ago.

However, the current regime, which inherited the project, is sure to come under fire over the cost which comes amidst budget cuts, particularly when the venue for another type of art, the Civic Theatre, is being closed down.

Bedford Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “The council and I are dedicated to the improvement and regeneration of Bedford Town Centre. Working alongside stores in the town we are seeking to create an even better shopping destination for visitors and shoppers alike.

“One way that the council sought to achieve this, as part of its Howard Centre improvements, was via the creation of this interactive shop front. “I can’t take the credit for this idea but I am asking people to let me know their views on this project.

“The range of items on display are intended to amuse and entertain shoppers. I’m asking people what works and what doesn’t work and how we can work together to improve the experience for shoppers in the town.”

Mr Hodgson added: “Clearly I would not have subscribed to this project then and particularly now in the current economic climate.

“But it’s the people’s money and they have a right to see what it has been spent on.”

Conservative Councillor Roger Rigby said: “I think it is a serious error of judgement by the mayor in allowing this to be opened up. The idea of the electrician’s kit is downright dangerous and the fingerprint is nasty. Most of it is silly or stupid but some in extremely bad taste.

“It is an outrageous waste of money by theprevious Mayor at a time when councils perhaps had more cash. If it is designed to stimulate footfall then it is a waste of time. I could not find it and had to be guided there. The whole thing is inappropriate and crass.”  

Mr Hunkin says on his website: “About three years ago I was approached by Bedford Council to make a simulator ride to liven up a corner of their Howard shopping mall. Seeing the space, I thought a shop selling absurd products would be more fun.

“I heard nothing and assumed they weren’t interested, but a year later they re-contacted me. I went for a meeting with Bedford’s head of economic development, and he gave me the commission. Shopping malls have always incorporated features to make them more attractive and Seriously Solutions, though not conventional, fits this brief.”

Bedfordshire on Sunday understands the exhibition opened briefly in February but was quickly covered up after an unspecified complaint. It will now stay open until public opinion decides on its future.

Chain store TK Maxx has asked the council to point out they do not stock any of the items in the window.