Tempest brewing over 'UK's oldest pothole' in Shakespeare's hometown

25 March 2024 , 15:41

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Local resident Matt Beacham, 57, with his sausage dog Richmond next to the huge pothole (Image: SWNS)

A Tempest is brewing in Shakespeare's hometown with locals claiming to have the 'UK's oldest pothole'.

The 24-year-old crater is just yards away from Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, where the Bard was baptised and later buried. The pothole was first spotted in 2000 after an infected tree was felled and the roots dug out. Despite repeated appeals to have the hole repaired, it has remained unfilled and is now a whopping 9ft long.

Locals have branded the hole "ridiculous" and say it is becoming a landmark in it's own right. David Neale, who is clerk of works for Holy Trinity Church, said: "It is spectacular. No fish have been found in its depths but it's accommodated plenty of ducks. In winter it acts as a soakaway, and is permanently submerged with water, in summer it is a big dry pothole attracting rubbish because the road sweeper can't reach into it.

"Back in the mists of time I spoke to a councillor about it, and the council must know it's here. I've recently brought it up again, so hopefully something might be done - it's a trip hazard. Otherwise I'm going to get gnomes with fishing rods and turn it into an attraction."

The huge pothole on Trinity Close in Stratford-upon-Avon (SWNS)

Retired builder David added: "I was amazed to read that the council had paid out £78,000 for pothole damage when to repair potholes isn't costly - even to repair this one would be less than a day's work. The cost of tarmac is negligible if you're going to do a lot of them, ten ton of tarmac is only about £500."

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Motorists have also expressed frustration that the pothole has not been fixed. Andrew Howell, 50, said: "It's a bit of a town joke having the country's oldest pothole but there is a serious safety issue here. I've seen cars swerve to avoid it and come close to hitting other vehicles. In the winter it's more like a pond while in the summer it's a dust bowl. It's ridiculous that no one has filled it in yet considering it's been there for almost a quarter-of-a-century."

Rom Preston-Ellis