TOWN bosses have moved a war tribute away from the town hall after dozens of passers-by slammed the “very small” fixture.
Wokingham Town Council (WTC) had placed a ‘seed garden’ in Market Place as an addition to the permanent war memorial fixture inside the town hall.
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But dozens of people criticised the effort online, labelling it “disgraceful” and “a joke” - leading to the trays being moved inside.
Conservative town councillor Phil Cunnington also called on town bosses to replace the “pound shop memorial” with “something more dignified.”
He told the News: “Once again we approach the season of remembrance for our war dead, and well-made criticisms of the very small memorial placed outside the town hall have surfaced.
“I feel that this memorial in no way does justice to the tremendous sacrifice by so many of our men and women in defence of freedom during the two great wars of the twentieth century and other conflicts across the globe.
“As a town councillor, I deeply respect how the memories of those who served are represented by a planted cross but I am shocked that this town of Wokingham, the former home of the Royal Engineers, is not providing something better to remember our brave townsfolk whose lives were given up for our freedom.”
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The indoors war memorial - added in 1919 - commemorates fallen soldiers from both world wars and is free and accessible for people to visit most weekdays.
Last year a special memorial shaped as a ‘100’ was placed outside the town hall to mark the centenary of the end of World War One.
The seed garden has been used by the town council in previous years, too, and was designed so passers-by can place wooden crosses on the tribute in memory of loved ones.
Cllr Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, Liberal Democrats town council leader added: “This is the same memorial we have had in previous years, but it looks a bit pathetic, to be honest.
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“The main problem with the indoor memorial is it is not visible - it doesn’t really remind people.”
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