'Thumbs down' - Express & Star readers unimpressed with £20k rock bench for Wolverhampton

The two-part bench is being hand crafted in China before it is shipped over to take pride of place outside Betfred in the newly pedestrianised Princess Street.

Bosses at Wolverhampton council say the seat is an art feature that will contribute towards their plans to turn the area into a gathering place for people to relax in the city centre.

But the posh lump of granite has been met with a different response from some of our readers.

"Oooh lovely," commented always wanderer on our website. "A nice comfy seat for the homeless or alcoholics of the city to squat on!"

Ricky Tee agreed. He wrote: "Ideal place to drink your can of special brew on a day like today too! What a great way to spend private money. #itsourwolverhampton"

Wulfrunwoman was also less than impressed. She wrote: "What a waste of money, outside two betting shops and the now closed Marsh's furniture shop, on the other side is a jewellers, a tatty pub and yet another betting shop. Wolverhampton is looking great, not!"

The council's decision to have the bench produced 5,000 miles away in the Orient also came under fire from readers.

JJ wrote: "If they were going to invest in such a thing why couldn't the commission a local artist and local companies to produce it rather than getting it built in China and shipped over?"

And it's safe to assume dogrot had his tongue placed firmly in his cheek when he wrote: "I wonder how many journeys will have to be made on the cycle route to offset the carbon footprint created by bringing a lump of rock from China? On the positive side, it will represent Wolverhampton's industrial past perfectly; all the jobs went to China.

"And the last time there was a lump of rock in the City of Wolverhampton (using the new name here has incurred no extra cost) it ended up being worth a million."

Shades of sarcasm were also present in Danimal's comment. He wrote: "This is brilliant news! It can't come soon enough. I seriously cannot wait to sit on a cold piece of granite outside a betting shop.

"I'm sure people will be flocking into town to see it with their own eyes after visiting the exciting sites of Bantock House and Bilston Craft Fair.

"The car parks will be full, the shops buzzing, a shiny new town centre, it will be bliss. Keep voting them in Wolverhampton."