Carmarthen 'Hollywood' sign furore turning into 'horror film'

Nothing embodies a town's self-confidence like a landmark to greet arrivals.

From the Angel of the North to the Hollywood sign, monuments not only make a bold statement but have become visitor attractions in their own right.

Welsh towns have their own symbols, from Builth Wells with its bull, to Llandovery's "Warrior" statue and Abertillery's "Guardian" monument.

Little wonder then that Carmarthen had designs of its own - though hopes of a "Hollywood-style" sign have fallen short.

In a further reference to Tinseltown, one councillor said arguments over a heavily-stylised metal name sign for the west Wales town were "turning into a horror movie".

What's the problem with the plot you may wonder?

In a nutshell, opponents say the sign - next to the A40 - is in the wrong place and is "unreadable" in its current position parallel to the 50mph road, where drivers may whizz past too quickly to decipher the artistic rendering of the town's name.

Councillor Alun Lenny said in the original artist's impression, drivers would have been able to read the sign on their approach.

The sign should be on the A48 westbound approach to Carmarthen, some councillors say

Things, he said, had "not turned out as anticipated." He and fellow councillor Gareth John are calling on Carmarthenshire council to move the sign, which Mr Lenny said could be "hazardous" if it distracted people.

He originally wanted the sign on a flyover but said the South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA), which manages trunk roads for the Welsh government, had ruled this out and chosen its current position.

'Become a sideshow'

"If it was the right location it would look great," Mr Lenny said.

"It's on the A40 now coming from Pembrokeshire.

"I would think it would be more appropriate on the A48 where people coming from England and south Wales would see it."

It was a shame the sign had "become a sideshow" because "the idea was that it promoted Carmarthen", he said.

Now he and Mr John said they wanted an inquiry into the sign.

It was erected as part of the £344,000 Morfa Scheme, a wetlands conservation area in Carmarthen.

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It is unclear how much the sign itself cost, but it was funded by the Welsh government's Rural Community Development fund.

Carmarthenshire Council said the public were consulted about the sign and two local consultation events were held.

It said the new sign was "part of a wider scheme to enhance the western gateway to Carmarthen which encompasses a wetlands area and welcome signage as part of the Carmarthen regeneration masterplan".

The Welsh government said: "The sign was proposed by Carmarthenshire County Council who are fully responsible for all safety aspects and maintenance of this sign."

So how will this plot play out? It's unclear if there will be a happy ending, as these cautionary tales warn....

Signs of the times

The Llanwrtyd Wells grizzly

The bear stood at the entrance of the now closed Cambrian Woollen Mill for more than 15 years

A 10ft tall bear may be the last thing anyone would expect to see in mid-Wales.

But after one motorist crashed her car swerving to avoid what she thought was a real grizzly looming from the roadside, the Welsh government stepped in.

The wooden carving had welcomed visitors to the former Cambrian Woollen Mill along the A483 just outside Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, for 15 years but has now been removed despite a campaign by local people that included a teddy bears' picnic.

The dragon of Bethesda

North Wales Police issued a safety warning about a wooden dragon carved by Simon O'Rourke

Motorists may not expect to see grizzlies in Powys. But dragons? Well, this is Wales.

However that did not stop North Wales Police issuing a safety warning to drivers after a seven-metre (25ft) carving, called Y Ddraig Derw - the oak dragon - reared up alongside a busy road in Gwynedd.

The warning was for motorists not to slow down to look at the giant wooden dragon on the A5, near Tregarth, after an accident and numerous near-misses.

Sculptor Simon O'Rourke also urged motorists to pay attention to the road, though he added: "You drive through somewhere like Birmingham and you've got huge screens and billboards that are actually trying to distract you and catch your attention."

Lost in translation

The Welsh on this sign says: "I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated"

Bilingual road signs in Wales have been blamed by "confused" visitors for causing accidents - even giving rise to a social media hashtag.

However Welsh-speaking motorists arriving at a junction in Swansea were left baffled at exactly what was expected of them.

When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed.

Pedestrians in Cardiff were confused by a road sign that urged them to look right in English - and left in Welsh

However the e-mail response to Swansea council said in Welsh: "I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated".

Unfortunately that is exactly what went under the English version of sign, which barred lorries from a residential road in the Morriston area.

Meanwhile pedestrians in Cardiff were also left confused at a road sign that urged them to look right in English - but look left in Welsh.

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