A BARNARD Castle resident is on a one-man mission to repaint the town’s historic street signs after saying he has grown sick of neglect shown by the authorities.
People in the town have been puzzled as to who was responsible for the work.
The sign painting phantom can now been revealed as Paul Crossling, 53, who has been quietly getting on with the task at hand, armed with his tool kit and pots of paint.
He says he will stop when they are all done or “when I get bored” .
The old cast iron signs are being meticulously stripped down and most are being painted in traditional black and white, although the Bridgegate sign is now red “for effect” because it is at the entrance of the town.
Some are getting three coats of paint, or “as many as they need” to look spick and span again.
Signs on Bridgegate, Cambridge Terrace, Park Terrace and Harmire Road have all been given a makeover.
Last Tuesday night it was Park Terrace’s turn.
Mr Crossling said the sign has never had a fresh lick of paint until now
He said: “I’m doing it because the town looks scruffy and the council isn’t doing anything. I’m just trying to tidy the place up in time for Whit weekend.
“I have been in this town since the 1960s, although I spent a bit of time in Middleton. I have just got sick of the neglect and lack of maintenance for these old steel signs.
“Although I didn’t like Teesdale District Council, at least they kept the place looking much tidier.”
He joked: “Maybe I should bill the county council when I’m done.”
Mr Crossling said he has been stopped by a number of people who have thanked him. Other residents have suggested signs elsewhere that could be repainted.
He bemoans the fact that modern street signs are made from “cheap materials” , adding that the look doesn’t do anything for a historic town like Barnard Castle.
Mr Crossling added that contrary to rumour he isn’t homeless, although he had been in the past.
Barnard Castle town mayor Cllr Sandra Moorhouse, who is heading the initiative Make Barney Brighter Together, said she had spotted some of the spruced up signs and thought whoever had completed the work had done a “really good job” . She added: “When I came across the county bridge this week I spotted the Bridgegate sign which certainly looks brighter.
“At first I thought it must have been the county council, but I noticed the lettering has been painted red, so it’s probably not.”
