A REQUEST to install handrails to make it easier for people to climb the steps at the war memorial in Wellington Park has been rejected.

Members of Wellington Town Council’s environment committee were told on September 18 that there had been a recommendation made for some handrails to be put in to help people get up the four steps in order to lay a wreath on ceremonial occasions.

But Cllr John Thorne urged the council’s environment committee on September 18 that it should turn the proposal down.

“Those four steps leading up to the memorial have been there for 121 years and I haven’t heard about many problems in that time,” he said.

“My great-grandfather’s name is on the war memorial and I know he would be turning in his grave if he knew what was being planned here.

“I really do object to changing the look of the war memorial appearance – I’d urge councillors not to do this; it would ruin the memorial.”

Cllr Thorne, speaking to the committee as a member of the public, suggested that if people needed support getting up the steps that assistance should be given by a helping hand from someone else.

Councillors later said that they agreed with Cllr Thorne that putting in handrails would be a retrograde step.

Cllr Mark Lithgow said: “I think we should kick this idea into touch. It would be totally inappropriate.”

And Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky added: “I completely agree – if you have railings put in you’d be obscuring the area.”

Town clerk Dave Farrow said a request had been made following a ceremony at the war memorial for Armed Forces Day earlier this year.

Cllr Mike McGuffie added that perhaps some sort of temporary handrail could be used when ceremonies were taking place at the memorial.

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England.

One such memorial was erected in Wellington Park in 1921. The park was laid out in 1902 on land provided by Messrs Fox Bros, a local cloth manufacturing company, who also donated a further five acres to the south-west for a recreation ground as a thanks offering for peace after the First World War.

The war memorial was unveiled on June 17, 1921, by Mr F. Hugh Fox, and commemorates the 178 local men who died during the conflict.

After the Second World War a second dedicatory inscription was added in memory of the 51 local men who lost their lives during the war; two of the names are later additions to the plaque.

The Wellington War Memorial is listed at Grade II and so special permission would need to be obtained to make any changes to its appearance such as the installation of handrails.

Councillors voted against the idea of a handrail being installed on each side of the steps, although officers will look to see if something could be done for ceremonies at the memorial.