Preston's Fishergate Bollard named as unlikely award nominee

You either love it or hate it.
The Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votesThe Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votes
The Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votes

But the infamous lump of concrete at the junction of Fishergate and Corporation Street in Preston seems to have won some fans over.

The bollard - which is not a roundabout but a pedestrian crossing marker - has been repeatedly knocked off its perch by motorists who have struggled to come to terms with the city's new shared space layout.

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But in 2016 it appeared on Twitter in a tongue-in-cheek account, sharing its own unique take on the world with thousands of followers.

Its nomination last month in Preston Business Improvement District's Smiles Better Awards raised some eyebrows, and has been greeted with a mixed reaction.

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Fishwick councillor Martyn Rawlinson said "Perhaps you need a new rule barring inanimate objects from nomination? Bit of a kick in the teeeth to local entrepreneurs", while PCW Wrestling complained "@FishergateBllrd in The running for Smiles Better Award but we can't even get nominated. Why is this?".

Others saw the funny side.

The Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votesThe Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votes
The Bollard launched a Twitter campaign for votes

Preston BID reassured the traffic marker with "Keep flying the flag for infamous inanimate objects @FishergateBllrd - you may have this!" and fellow inanimate object The Penwortham Pylon said "I think you have had a lot more contact with the travelling public than most! Good on yer."

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Graham Pearce on Twitter said "Well done to @FishergateBllrd for getting nominated. After the shock results of Trump and Brexit, common sense prevails", while the bollard itself promised to "Make Preston great again".

You might be forgiven for thinking the world's gone mad, but if it's Preston Smiles you're after, watch this shared space.

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