Yahoo News 'Disaster' as £102k stained glass window at Gloucester bus station 'welcomes' visitors as they depart
There are concerns the installation of a £102,000 stained glass window at Gloucester’s bus station is a "disaster" as it “welcomes” passengers as they leave the city.
Those designing and installing the stained glass windows have faced years of setbacks and delays but it is now installed at the transport hub in Station Road. Despite the new £7.5million bus station opening in 2018, it has taken until this year to install the artwork.
The specialist glass manufacturer tasked with the job faced supply chains and staffing issues, council leaders said last year. It has now been installed above the doors which lead to each of the bus bays at the transport hub.
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But there are concerns that it says "welcome" to people waiting for a bus to leave the city. “It says welcome the wrong way,” one resident said.
“The people who will see it are those queuing to get on a bus to leave Gloucester and not those who arrive at the station.”
Councillor Pam Tracey (C) who represents the Westgate ward on the City Council said it was a “disaster”. “Who’s going to look up at the window when they arrive?
"Why can’t people get things right? We paid for that. And somebody's responsible for it.
“It’s a disaster in a way. There are a lot of people who get the Cheltenham bus to Longlevens and all that.
“But it doesn’t portray it for the majority of people. If people visiting don’t read it, what’s the point?”
The council says the final cost of the design, manufacture and installation of the decorative glass windows was £101,796. The stained glass window depicts Gloucester landmarks such as the cathedral and The Docks and Kingsholm.
It also features aircraft such as the Gloster Meteor and Gladiator and historic events such as the siege of Gloucester in the English Civil War.
City Council leader Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) said he was pleased the project was just one per cent over budget. “I’m pleased the windows have now been put in place," he said.
"Especially as it took the previous administration ages and ages to get on and commission it and get them installed. They do tell the story of Gloucester which is what they are supposed to do.
"It’s clear you can’t see them as you get off a bus but you can once you’ve gone through the door and look back. That’s the only way you can actually see them.”
He said the designers had the problem of the lack of light shining in on the windows and the original plans had to be changed.
“It had to be altered so that the staining wasn’t too deep,” he added. “Otherwise they wouldn’t have stood out. But I’m all in favour of public art and I’m sure it will be a bit of a talking point.”
