Designer's 'new look' Ilfracombe is revealed
AFTER a recent visit home to see his parents in Ilfracombe, graphic designer Lee Newham was so shocked at the state of empty shops in the High Street he accepted a
Journal
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BLOOMING WONDERFUL: Transformed with a green living roof. Original 'green wall' photo: Rory Hyde
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RUN DOWN: The old Garden Shop on Portland Street.
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OUT OF WORK: Plans for an amusement arcade with bingo and takeaway were rejected by the town council, at the old JobCentre building in Ilfracombe.
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GAINFULLY EMPLOYED: Could the old JobCentre become a stylish shop. A hand-painted sign, at first floor level, points out the history of nearby buildings.
challenge to tidy them up.
The idea was to give the shop-fronts a "virtual redesign", to show owners, potential new businesses and the public just how good they could look — on paper at least — with a little help.
Lee and his wife, Ariana, had done a similar exercise in their spare time, as a pet project at Sydenham, in the London Borough of Lewisham, which is where Lee now lives.
The results were displayed online and when we saw the project called "What If Sydenham", we asked him if he would be prepared to try the same thing for Ilfracombe.
The
Journal
sent him photographs of empty shops in Ilfracombe High Street and his transformations have resulted in "What If Ilfracombe".
Our before and Lee's after shots tell the whole story.
Lee's family once owned the Carlton Hotel and he said: "I hadn't been back for a year and was shocked at the state of the High Street.
"Ilfracombe looked shabby to say the least, but it does have many fine examples of original shop fronts. Ilfracombe could be beautiful," he said.
"Every time I go home to my parents it amazes me, as it looks worse and worse every time I come back. Empty shops should not be left boarded up and left to crumble, it drags the whole town down. Investment should be encouraged."
He said: "The thing that amazed me about the shots the
Journal
sent me was that the buildings are in such poor condition. It took ages to retouch them and repair the brickwork. Lots of them had to be redrawn.
"It really needs someone to oversee a complete High Street regeneration strategy. Someone needs to sort out what Ilfracombe wants to be."
He added: "The 'What If Sydenham' project amassed lots of interest where I live, as it has a similar problem.
"If people could see the potential in the shops it might spark some interest in reviving the fortunes of the town centre. It just takes a bit of imagination."
Ariana saw how the dilapidated old Garden Shop could come to life — quite literally — with a green roof.
Lee, who is design director at Davies Hall Design Consultants in London, said: "We believe that estate agents signs should be banned and the shops should be done up to look more attractive."
His designs often cleverly incorporate the contact details of estate agents for interested parties.
"In Sydenham, the council has started charging rates on empty properties to encourage them to rent them out, rather than holding out for larger rents," he said.
"There is also a rate holiday for empty shops that are used for community purposes or art displays."
Robert McFarlane, chairman of Ilfracombe's High Street Traders, said: "I particularly like the example at Gems and Steel, where the windows are used to advertise the shop, but in a smart way.
"We are working with staff and students at Ilfracombe Arts College on ways we can use the windows of empty shops for displays, so this might be something we can take to them. Of course, anyone leasing a shop would expect the landlord to paint the building and it's not a five-minute job, as many would need scaffolding, but an online virtual tour of the High Street could show business people from all over the country, the potential we have here."
29 Comments
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by Jenny CM, Combe Martin
Tuesday, November 10 2009, 5:20PM
“I love these, what difference! Please do more. Why not get this designer in to do these for real? I think he should do this for existing businesses like drabby Drappers, the tacky and horrible Marlborough Club and the Landmark. I'd love to see a makeover of that and the brick chimneys. I love the history written above the old job centre. Why can't we get a grant to do something 'visionry' as our Mayor calls it.”
by lee newham, london & Ilfracombe
Wednesday, November 04 2009, 11:22AM
“Ken (or is it Len, this post is almost exactly the same as on another thread), Ilfracombe high street doesn't need 'modernising' (as in existing shop fronts replaced), it doesn't need replacement shop fronts, cheap plastic windows etc. It needs a coat of paint and the maintenance of the beautiful shop fronts it currently has. They are a great asset to the town. They just need to be looked after. Maintaining and existing shop front is cheaper than replacing it with a cheap new generic version, raised lettering and painted signage is cheaper than replacing with those horrible illuminated plastic signs.”
by Ken, Ilfracombe
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 2:23PM
“It would be a lot easier to modernise Ilfracombes shopfronts etc if the idiots had not listed most of the High St thus making any improvements and modernisation prohibitively expensive, and with the new working at heights legislation and the lack of parking facilities for trademens vehicles plus the parking Taliban, It,s a nightmare”
by What's going on?, In the vicinity
Sunday, November 01 2009, 7:58PM
“Is it my imagination or was that a bit of a 'thankyou, but we thought of it before you, no b***er off" comment by Cllr Webb towards lees ideas (and a cheeky response by Lee). I hope the council give a lot of thought towards having an exhibition of these ideas somewhere. It seems have provoked a lot of discussion and interest. Lots of people in Ilfracombe are talking about it. I know it's struggle to get money from NDC, and it's great that we have got £7000 to spruce the place up a bit (about time too!!!) but shouldn't we be making the most of this money and making it go as far as possible. If as Cllr Webb says 'Lees ideas are visionary' then why don't we actually use some of them? I'm sure Lee would be in favour.”
by lee Newham, London & Ilfracombe
Friday, October 30 2009, 11:50AM
“That is great news Cllr Webb.
It's a really great start. I hope that the £7000 goes to more than just adding images to the windows as many of the shops are in a poor state of repair and need a coat of paint at least, especially boarded up eyesores like the Garden Shop.
I read with interest the 'brand ilfracombe' documents online which sounds great. The worst thing that can happen with branding is to try to make any brand marque to do too much. I hope it's kept simple. Ideally there should be ONE thing you stand for, ONE point of distinction.
I thank you for your hard work in working for a brighter future for my old home town.”
by Philip Webb, Ilfracombe
Friday, October 30 2009, 10:32AM
“Hi Lee
Your suggestions on improving the High Street are very visionary and much appreciated. The Ilfracombe Regeneration Board on which I sit has been working on something similar for several months now and very soon there will be massive colour photos of local beauty spots appearing in the vacant shop windows. A budget of £7000 has been allocated to this project so it isn't cheap to do particularly when local authorities are all under immense pressure to cut costs.
Many thanks for your interest in our town!
Cllr Philip Webb
Mayor”
by lee newham, london & ilfracombe
Thursday, October 29 2009, 11:20PM
“One last thing, I'd really like more images of the high street, especially any old ones form days gone by. I will publish them on the blog to help show Ilfracombe in it's glory days.
Memories of Ilfracombes past seem to be strong. Lots of it hasn't really changed that much and with a bit of thought, sensitivity and care it could be beautiful again.”
by lee newham, london & ilfracombe
Thursday, October 29 2009, 11:16PM
“Hi Sue,
please send me the emails. Councillors work for us. There is a charter. They are public representatives paid for by the public purse. I believe there is a charter for their conduct (and I also believe you can demand to see their expenses, although I'm not 100% sure on this). They don't have to respond to me as they do not represent me, but they do have to respond to you Sue.
Please check out the email on the blog sue and contact me directly.”
by Other Sue, Ilfracombe
Thursday, October 29 2009, 5:24PM
“Hello Lee
I can tell you that last night I emailed each and everyone of our Councillors to ask why no-one had replied to you. They should be snatching your hand off.
So far I have had 2 replies. One from Cllr Swan who thanked me for my email and said he would note the comments.
And a bizarre, rude email from Cllr Frank Pearson who then emailed me again to suggest I offered to take over local markets or something! Bizarre, bizarre.
I am very happy to email these to you and will check your email on your website?
I honestly think that now news of the long awaited ferry from Swansea has been confirmed today, this is the time and there could be exciting things for Ilfracombe.
Have you tried getting hold of the High Street Traders Ass? I have asked for an exhibition of your work in my emails to all councillors, but oh dear!
Wy oh why can't people see the bigger picture?”
by lee, London & Ilfracombe
Thursday, October 29 2009, 10:07AM
“Hi Sue '2', yes I think it's a good idea. I'm all for a public exhibitions of these.
Perhaps one of the empty shops could be used.
On the www.whatifsydenham.wordpress.com blog one of the shops I did a makeover of has been used for a public exhibition by the council to show proposed improvements to the town. They tidied the shop front up first.
No Councilors have replied to any of my emails yet. Do they ever respond to emails? Why are councillors different to the ones I have contacted in London? They are pro-active in the community here.”