Man takes ‘beach holiday’ to roundabout after it got a £93,000 facelift

A man has staged a ‘beach holiday’ on the roundabout near his Essex home to protest the recent £90,000 ‘facelift’ it underwent.

Tony Bland, 52, posed on the revamped Albert Roundabout in Colchester, Essex, in a deckchair and next to a parasol to protest its absurd price tag.

The cost of the roundabout, which is covered with sand, was revealed through an FOI request by Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell as £93,334.

Beth Chatto Gardens helped carry out the project, which was funded by Essex County Council, Colchester Council, and rail operator Greater Anglia in a bid to ‘improve first impressions’ of visitors arriving in town on the train station.

The sand was added to prevent weeds from growing, but Mr Bland has slammed the council for the high price of a roundabout he says looks like a ‘cat’s litter tray’.

The property manager said: ‘I set myself up in a sun lounger and some orange juice in plastic cups I had from camping. It was a perfectly serviceable roundabout and the money paid here to cover it in sand is exceptionally high.’

Mr Bland said the rest of the area near the roundabout is ‘quite drab’, and the renovation was akin to just putting lipstick on something.

He also claims other residents have become irritated over the money spent on the project.

He added: ‘Where was the public consultation process for it? Drunk club-goers walk across the roundabout directly at night and I would imagine they will feel it’s a great idea to kick the sand up.

‘There is a sense of frustration and apathy with council activities like this which are being pushed onto people in the town and council taxpayers. Councillors also removed some very mature grasses established in the rusty planters near the roundabout.

‘They pulled all those out and filled the boxes with sand and put new plants in. They really do look like litter trays.’

Mr Bland has also been campaigning to fix the nearby 900-year-old Middle Mill Weir Bridge which collapsed last December. He says the mill is deserving of some funds put towards it.

‘The council say they have no money and yet they’ve got the funds allocated to a project like this? It is hugely frustrating,’ he said.

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: ‘The Albert Roundabout redevelopment is a key element of the long-term Fixing the Link initiative.

‘This project has been ongoing for nearly nine years, with extensive public updates and involvement at every stage. These funds were specifically allocated for the Fixing the Link initiative and cannot legally or practically be redirected to other projects or services, such as park toilet maintenance or weir repairs.

‘While the planting is currently in its early stages, its full impact will only become evident after a couple of summer growing seasons. It is too early to draw final conclusions about the roundabout’s overall aesthetic or ecological contributions.

‘As we progress with initiatives like Fixing the Link, we are committed to transparency, value for public funds, and ensuring Colchester remains a vibrant and attractive city for residents and visitors alike.’

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