Private grief, public places

The number of memorial benches in St Ives has surely now reached saturation. These are benches which the public can use but which carry a plaque with the name of a loved one and usually a dedication On the car park side of the Island alone there are over twenty with more along the path around the Island..
The St Ivean fully understands the purpose of these benches and that they mean a lot to those who paid to have them erected. And of course those already there should stay. But enough is enough. It is questionable anyhow whether public spaces are appropriate places for private memorials. Sometimes flowers are left on these benches which may make any potential user feel like an intruder.

On a lighter note, there is a memorial bench to rock musician Ian Dury in the London park he liked to walk in. Embedded in the bench are some of Dury's recordings and users of it can plug in headphones and listen to a selection of his music. Nice, but not an idea here recommended for the Island.