Another tagged eyesore - or not?

Craig J Cogley 1987-2001 Your Spirit will roll on in our hearts and memory

When I first spotted the tags on this memorial bench I felt saddened that yet again another case of grafitti was littering our town, and creating another eyesore. But, when I read the memorial inscription, and realised that it was in memory of Craig Cogley I changed my mind, and thought he may have appreciated the marks on his bench.

The bench dedicated to 24 year old Craig looks out over the skatepark in the Sportsground, and it was here that the keen skater spent much of his time skateboarding, and mentoring less experienced skaters than himself.

My thoughts on this are that maybe this is an exception where tagging is ok especially if it is left by friends of Craig. In fact if this is the case, it really is a fitting and meaningful memorial to the young skater.

Tonbridge Castle Graffiti

I'm so fed up with coming face to face with these scribbles around Tonbridge and they seem to be appearing everywhere. This one was on the large wooden entrance door to the castle.

Tonbridge Graffiti Tags

Lyons Crescent

Lyons Crescent

No sooner have the unsightly scribbles been cleaned off ... they appear again. I don't get tagging. It's ugly, uncreative and unacceptable. These meaningless tags plague our neighborhoods, and undermine pride in the local community. It's negative, illegal and a blight on our society. If caught the perpetrator can be charged with criminal damage, given a criminal record, fined and can be ordered to do community service as a result. What I don't understand is that with all those possible consequences why is it so tempting to mess around defacing walls and public spaces.

If you spot graffiti in the town please report this to TMBC http://www.tmbc.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/street-care-and-cleaning/graffiti-reporting-and-removal

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #171 -  graffiti