Bench Renovations

Barrowford Parish Council inherited the responsibility for most public bench maintenance on the highways within Barrowford during the austerity period and had been repairing benches in an ad hoc manner as required.

Many of the steel benches with "Barrowford" set into their backs were made over a 10-year period during the 1990s and 2000s by Mr Ken Knowles, a retired engineer, at cost. The benches had started to look their age and some in exposed positions were in a sorry state.

Sadly, Ken died in 2025 in his nineties. The benches were his legacy to the village as one of the unsung heroes who put the village ahead of personal gain. The Clerk, who new Ken personally, had installed many of the benches. Knowing of their deterioration he proposed to the Council that some of them could be saved and, when restored, be used to commemorate past Chairmen of the Council with a plaque recording their service.

The Council has currently restored six benches in British Racing Green with gold lettering, starting with the first Chairman of the Parish Council followed by, in order of service: Cllr. Anthony (Tony) Dixon, Cllr. Brian Davies, Cllr. Michael (Mick) Maybury, Cllr. Michael (Mick) Simpson, Cllr. John Pope, Cllr. James Begley. The seventh for Cllr. Robert Oliver should be completed and installed by next spring, leaving the current Chairman Cllr. Andrew Stringer.

Several other wooden benches have been restored, with two more being worked on. The Parish Council has started renovating the ones within the park, giving residents who want to commemorate a lost relative the cheaper option of renovating an old bench rather than the expense of buying a new commercial grade one.

Higherford Residents Action Group have asked for a new bench at Dicky Nook, near the repurposed phone box, but unfortunately the request for a licence from the County Council has dragged on for some time.