THE chair of Trowbridge Civic Society has condemned the town’s ‘turd-coloured’ benches as “ghastly”.

Councillor Glyn Bridges has praised Trowbridge Town Council’s attempts to make the town centre more attractive to visitors.

Speaking at a recent full council meeting, he said: “I am glad to see all the benches being re-instated but why are they a ghastly colour?”

Cllr Bridges said afterwards: “They were black but now the benches are a mucky orange/brown turd colour. They look ghastly. I would rather they had stuck to plain black.”

Cllr Bridges described the change as “change for change’s sake” and said the council has spent money which has been wasted. “I would rather it was spent on something more useful”, he said.

But he praised the council for obtaining a £140,471 grant from Great Western Community Forests to plant hundreds of new trees.

He added: “We also owe a debt of thanks to Matthew Webb for providing flowers for the new beds outside of the old Post Office and BLB Solicitors in Roundstone Street.

Cllr Bridges said: “I do look forward to seeing the town looking colourful and attractive, and could we leave the main entrances into the town looking clean and tidy?"