Calls have been made for ABC Council to take decisive action to remove stains from Gilford War Memorial, as the marble plaque has been in a poor state of cleanliness for a number of years.
Speaking at the July 28 monthly meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council, UUP Alderman Glenn Barr stated: “If anybody has been through Gilford over the last number of years, if you look at Gilford War Memorial, you will see a rusty colour coming through the marble.
“Now, about a month and a half ago I came across a photograph of me and my son from 2016. There was no discolourment then. And if you go online you will also see no discolourment there from 2016.
“Whether it’s been cleaned wrongly, whether it’s environmental issues, whether it’s the water or darkness – not getting enough sunlight – there’s a problem there and it needs addressed.
“I do believe that the structure is perfectly intact, but we do need to see a report come through to council either this time next month, or at the committee [meeting] in September.
“I’ve asked different officers over a number of years about this, to be told different reasons, but we need to get right to the bottom of it.”
Cllr Ian Wilson (DUP, Banbridge DEA) echoed Ald Barr’s views on the matter: “It’s just to concur with Alderman Barr. I think Gilford War Memorial is one of the top things that we constantly get complaints about.
“I know it has been looked at before, but surely nowadays there could be something done to take that awful staining off the stone, and to bring it into better condition.
“And just in regard to another war memorial, the one in Banbridge, I think it was promised that it would be cleaned after the public realm work was completed, and it still hasn’t been done.”
