• Business
  • Life
  • Celebrity
  • Sport
  • Blog
  • Auto
  • Tech
Stories from SWNS
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    5 Interesting facts about online casinos

    5 Interesting facts about online casinos

    Curses of Cousins by Cliff Bacchus

    Curses of Cousins by Cliff Bacchus

    Operation Bluebird by Harry Old

    Operation Bluebird by Harry Old

    Family miraculously survive huge gas explosion

    Family miraculously survive huge gas explosion

    Deputy Chief Medical Officer’s elderly mum receives her first dose of Covid vaccination

    Deputy Chief Medical Officer’s elderly mum receives her first dose of Covid vaccination

    FOOL’S GOLD: Poetry and Postcards

    FOOL’S GOLD: Poetry and Postcards

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Business
  • Life
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    Spending More Time Online? How to Make the Most of Your Time

    Spending More Time Online? How to Make the Most of Your Time

    Why Now More Than Ever Healthcare Needs To Go Digital

    Why Now More Than Ever Healthcare Needs To Go Digital

    The Impacts of Technology in the Casino Sector

    The Impacts of Technology in the Casino Sector

    How IoT Is Shaping The Various Aspects Of The Healthcare Industry?

    How IoT Is Shaping The Various Aspects Of The Healthcare Industry?

    How Can Robots Take Their Place in Casinos?

    How Can Robots Take Their Place in Casinos?

    Three Elearning Trends That Point To The Importance Of Mobile Learning Solutions

    Three Elearning Trends That Point To The Importance Of Mobile Learning Solutions

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
  • Review

    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gameplay on the Nintendo Switch

    Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Review

    macOS Sierra review: Mac users get a modest update this year

    Hands on: Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 review

    The Last Guardian Playstation 4 Game review

    Intel Core i7-7700K ‘Kaby Lake’ review

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    5 Interesting facts about online casinos

    5 Interesting facts about online casinos

    Curses of Cousins by Cliff Bacchus

    Curses of Cousins by Cliff Bacchus

    Operation Bluebird by Harry Old

    Operation Bluebird by Harry Old

    Family miraculously survive huge gas explosion

    Family miraculously survive huge gas explosion

    Deputy Chief Medical Officer’s elderly mum receives her first dose of Covid vaccination

    Deputy Chief Medical Officer’s elderly mum receives her first dose of Covid vaccination

    FOOL’S GOLD: Poetry and Postcards

    FOOL’S GOLD: Poetry and Postcards

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Business
  • Life
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    Spending More Time Online? How to Make the Most of Your Time

    Spending More Time Online? How to Make the Most of Your Time

    Why Now More Than Ever Healthcare Needs To Go Digital

    Why Now More Than Ever Healthcare Needs To Go Digital

    The Impacts of Technology in the Casino Sector

    The Impacts of Technology in the Casino Sector

    How IoT Is Shaping The Various Aspects Of The Healthcare Industry?

    How IoT Is Shaping The Various Aspects Of The Healthcare Industry?

    How Can Robots Take Their Place in Casinos?

    How Can Robots Take Their Place in Casinos?

    Three Elearning Trends That Point To The Importance Of Mobile Learning Solutions

    Three Elearning Trends That Point To The Importance Of Mobile Learning Solutions

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
  • Review

    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gameplay on the Nintendo Switch

    Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Review

    macOS Sierra review: Mac users get a modest update this year

    Hands on: Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 review

    The Last Guardian Playstation 4 Game review

    Intel Core i7-7700K ‘Kaby Lake’ review

No Result
View All Result
Stories from SWNS
No Result
View All Result
Home Pictures

Blockbust and Vomit: Graffiti artist’s spoof take on Britain’s crumbling High Streets

by
March 18, 2013
in Pictures
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A graffiti artist has created a tongue-in-cheek commentary on Britain’s struggling high streets – by erecting spoof shop signs with names such as “Blockbust” and “Vomit”.

Luke Hollingworth, 36, created lookalike logos of failed high street brands and erected them above empty premises in his local high street.

The collection includes a portrayal of the infamous HMV dog being HANGED and a fake sign for the Blockbuster video rental store which reads “Blockbust”.

Another is a sign for electrical retailer Comet, which instead reads “Vomit”.

The three logos were put over empty shops in Malmesbury, Wilts., more than two weeks ago and have remained there despite polarising local opinion.

Luke, who created the signs from scratch using spray paint, said he was trying to make a point about the decline of high street stores.

He said: “The three brands, Comet, Blockbuster and HMV, are all brands that really the internet sort of stuffed them a little bit and they didn’t change with the times.

“It is a metaphor for the town at the moment, there is a lot of development on the outskirts planned and being debated with supermarkets, houses etc.

“I was making a point about the vibrant town centre that we once had and still have to a very great extent, great independent retailers that we still have on the high street.”

But Luke, who works under the pseudonym “Syd”, has caused controversy across the town.

Wiltshire councillor Simon Killane said he would be seeking enforcement action and did not understand the message.

He said: “I do not understand the message that putting ‘Vomit’ on a disused shop is supposed to send about our beautiful town.

“There is a great opportunity here to put out positive messages about the town rather than the confused, ill-considered signs that have been put up.

“It is respect for your neighbours. If you lived in a house next to me and somebody put a sign saying ‘Vomit’ up outside my house, you would try to sell your house, you would not be pleased.”

Mr Killane added: “The message these signs are sending is that Malmesbury is sort of dead or dying, which it totally false.

“Those empty shops, we should be promoting them by saying Malmesbury is a beautiful, busy and thriving town.”

The councillor’s comments sparked a fierce debate on Facebook, with hundreds defending the signs.

Becki Deacon wrote: “So let me get it straight, the artwork by Sydney is unacceptable, but shops being boarded up rather than turned into residential properties is perfectly acceptable and do not give across the message that business in the town is failing?”

Paul Waldron, another poster, commented: “I think it’s the boarded up shops that make it look unsightly not a local artist who is well known in the town contributing yet a bit more humour and fun.”

The views were shared by most business owners, residents and shoppers, and many said the signs were a humorous take on the state of the economy.

They claimed it highlighted the issue in Malmesbury where high rates and rents are discouraging shops from being let.

Malmesbury has never had a Blockbuster, Comet or HMV and continues to have independent butchers, bakers, shops and cafes but has half a dozen empty shops.

In response to the criticism Luke said he had received messages of support from many local businesses and people.

“I have to say Mr Killane is now my biggest friend,” he added.

“He sparked this street work into something bigger than I ever thought it would be today and it is two and a half weeks later.

“I’ve got plans to do more street art but as for this installation it will only be the three.

“People have emailed me with names and ideas for the other shops but I won’t be doing anything else on the high street.

“I have no plans at the moment to take these down, it’s only a screw tapped into a hoarding. If people want them they can have them, what will be, will be.”

Previous Post

Bart Simpson on trial in front of a judge… called MR BURNS

Next Post

Millions of workers could be missing out on pay rises… because they’re too SHY to ask

Next Post

Millions of workers could be missing out on pay rises... because they're too SHY to ask

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected test

  • 81 Followers
  • 43k Followers
  • 108k Subscribers
  • 22.9k Followers
  • 99 Subscribers
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Women love cheesy chat up lines, a study has revealed

Top 20 cheesy chat-up lines ladies really love

March 5, 2014
The top ten most well-known bingo phrases

The top ten most well-known bingo phrases

January 21, 2014
The horses thunder towards a jump at the Grand National

Amazing racehorse names which never made it

April 23, 2014
HGH Injections Brands: Which Ones Are Best?

HGH Injections Brands: Which Ones Are Best?

January 14, 2019
Chris Fear, 33, outside the Coral betting shop which is refusing to pay out on his 485/1 winning bet

Boycott Coral! Bookmaker faces protest after refusing to pay out on a football fan’s 485/1 bet

184
Women love cheesy chat up lines, a study has revealed

Top 20 cheesy chat-up lines ladies really love

147
Women feel invisible to the opposite sex at the age of 51, researchers found

Women begin feeling invisible to men ‘when they turn 51’

138
UKIP candidate claims Jews murdered each other in the Holocaust in masterplan to create State of Israel

UKIP candidate claims Jews murdered each other in the Holocaust in masterplan to create State of Israel

105
Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

February 25, 2021
How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

February 23, 2021
3 Simple Luxuries That Can Transform Your Daily Routine

3 Simple Luxuries That Can Transform Your Daily Routine

February 22, 2021
Chelsea Headed To Champions League Return In Good Form As Upcoming Opponents Atletico Get Timely Boost

Chelsea Headed To Champions League Return In Good Form As Upcoming Opponents Atletico Get Timely Boost

February 19, 2021

Recent News

Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

February 25, 2021
How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

February 23, 2021
3 Simple Luxuries That Can Transform Your Daily Routine

3 Simple Luxuries That Can Transform Your Daily Routine

February 22, 2021
Chelsea Headed To Champions League Return In Good Form As Upcoming Opponents Atletico Get Timely Boost

Chelsea Headed To Champions League Return In Good Form As Upcoming Opponents Atletico Get Timely Boost

February 19, 2021
SWNS

SWNS all rights reserved. Copyright 2020

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Auto
  • Blog
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Gaming
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Pictures
  • Property
  • Review
  • Sport
  • SWNS
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

Top 5 RTG Games to Try in Online Casinos

February 25, 2021
How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

How to choose a lawyer in Latvia?

February 23, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

Real Fix is a trading style of South West News Service Limited.
Copyright © 2020 South West News Service Limited.

No Result
View All Result
  • Business
  • Life
  • Celebrity
  • Sport
  • Blog
  • Auto
  • Tech

Real Fix is a trading style of South West News Service Limited.
Copyright © 2020 South West News Service Limited.