The above is an artist’s impression of what Bull Plain would look like if it was pedestrianised.
Unfortunately this drawing was made in 1965 and was found in a publication called Mercury Remembers, published by the Hertfordshire Mercury invoking ‘Memories of yesteryear in Hertford, Ware and surrounding areas’.
Below is a drawing of Bull Plain made in 2016 as part of the Hertford Town Centre Urban District Strategy.
There are some similarities mostly the trees in the middle of the road.
I had a good look today and could not find any greenery. This is possibly a good idea as trees growing out in the middle of the road would make it quite difficult for brewery drays to reach Popworld, the Hertford Club and the Old Barge.
However it would solve another problem; that of access to Folly Island by vehicles that should not be there. With or without trees it would be a much more visible and authoritative location to place ‘cul de sac’ signs and other warnings for large vehicles to avoid the Island.
This is how Bull plain would have looked on any Saturday in the 1930’s.
Photo from the same publication.
Speaking of which.
I took a stroll around town for an hour or two around eleven o’clock hoping to find the political parties actively campaigning from market stalls or handing out leaflets. There was not one.
This was a good time to be out and about – a sunny morning, residents with an equally sunny disposition and the workmen gone leaving brand new paving in their wake. A good time you might think to let the voters of Hertford what your policies are, what your views on local issues are and how you see the future of Hertford shaping up.
But there was none of this. Elections in Hertford seem as boring as ever. I was out and about though because I thought that was what candidates standing for local councils ought to be doing. Perhaps I am wrong.
I suppose I will have to wait until next week to make the acquaintance of my political opposite numbers. As it was I managed to nod and wave at a few people and hopefully they might even vote for me on May 2.