Perth City Hall Again!

The derelict Perth City Hall

You know it's over two years since I wrote enthusiastically about Perth celebrating the 21st century by demolishing its City Hall. I'm disappointed to note this week from The Courier that this matter has still not been resolved. The ugly and unwanted building is still a major civic eyesore and a drain and the resources of all ratepayers in the Perth and Kinross Council area.

It is only a matter of time before this building disappears. If it has not been demolished by 18 September 2014 and if the vote on that day sees Scotland becoming an independent country,  the building will doubtless be set upon by a rampant mob of anti-royalists hellbent on ridding the nation of Edwardian excrescences.

I must say that I don't like Perth. Only last year as I was waiting for the train to Inverness, a young man exposed himself to me in the station's public toilets with the words "Here you are Grandad". I don't know if he worked for the Council or not but this seems likely -  it was a completely humiliating experience for me, especially as the incident was witnessed by at least six people who were also catching the same train.  They taunted me all the way to Inverness, laughing and giggling as I read the Moray Local Development Plan. So my views on the city and its essential redevelopment are inevitably coloured by the behaviour of this young pervert. I'm sorry to share this disturbing experience but it demonstrates the difficulty of being completely objective.

Anyway, I digress.  The Courier's article contains some of the worst examples of middle-class nosey-parkerism that I have ever seen or read. They have even enrolled a Native American from Idaho in an attempt to save the building - that sounds like desperation to me!  Soon Roy Rogers and Trigger or the Lone Ranger and Tonto will be called on to support the retention of this ridiculous structure. Perhaps it will be Mickey Mouse and Pluto - it really is so absurd. What is so special about someone from the wilds of America supporting the retention of a building that is preventing the proper development of a town centre site in Scotland. I honestly think the world has gone mad! This just wouldn't happen in Aberdeen! Or even Inverurie!!!

For the sake of sanity and good planning practice, I implore everyone with a sensible viewpoint to press the Tesco Button and blow this old hulk to Smithereens! Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be able to report back to you that common sense has prevailed and that Chief Planning Officer David Littlejohn has personally driven a bulldozer through this relic of the past!