Motorists baffled by chess table installed in parking lot

By Adam Dutton

Motorists have been left baffled after a stone chessboard was installed in a parking lot at taxpayers’ expense.

It was erected, along with concrete seating, next to the pay and display machine in the Winchester Street parking lot in Sherwood, Nottingham.

The bizarre addition is part of a £17 million upgrade to car parks in Nottingham and Derby.

Nottingham City Council claim the board is part of a move to make existing car parks E-Mobility Hubs which will also include EV charging stations and bike racks.

Drivers and local residents have branded it a “waste of money” and say it has taken up a valuable parking space.

Dad-of-three Philip Towell, 53, who lives in Sherwood, took a trip to see the new feature with his daughter Coco, 16.

He said: “I took it to show my daughter, we were passing and made a detour.

“With all the diesel cars and the stack of leaves, it looks rubbish.

“It’s even wobbly and I don’t think it’s safe.

“It’s just waiting for someone to topple it over, it’s been up for six months or thereabouts, but there wasn’t a grand opening for it.

“The first thing my daughter said is ‘Where are all the pieces?’

“I heard it was a spare that was being taken apart, it was some rushed council plan to reuse something that was laying unused.

“It was probably at the council in a cupboard.

“Now there’s a group of side benches and maybe another table for any other grandmasters.

“They ought to get Nottingham's finest chess players to have a game there.

“There’s just a load of cars there, it’s not a thoroughfare, it’s just a corner. You wouldn’t see it.

“My daughter walks by it every day and didn’t know it was there.

“It might not have cost much, so it might well be cost-effective.”

Amanda Riley, who lives in nearby Woodthorpe, said she uses the car park frequently and doesn’t see the logic behind the installation.

Amanda, 54, said: “It’s in such an unusual location, who comes to a car park to play chess?

“You’re next to the cars, it can be loud, and you’re trying to concentrate on a game of chess. It’s just not going to work.

“You’ll have to wrap up in the winter and it’s hidden away at the best of times.

“I feel it’s a slight waste of money if I’m honest, it could have been better used elsewhere.”

The permanent board was installed in the last six months and now has two stone seats planted opposite each other - but no actual chess pieces.

Another local, who wished to remain unnamed, slammed the new feature, saying England is too cold for outdoor chess boards.

She said: “It’s cold, especially at this time of year. Who wants to be sat playing that in this weather?

“Also, where are all the pieces? You have to bring your own. But surely if you’re bringing your own, you’d just bring your own board and play in a cafe instead?”

Sharing their frustration on Reddit, one user commented: "Nottingham City Council, which is bankrupt btw, just installed this monstrosity on Winchester Street car park, in Sherwood.

"Can someone please explain to me the logic of taking up several spaces in a very busy free car park relied upon by the many small businesses in the area with a f**king bike shed and a chess table only one person can sit at?"

Another user said, "It’s part of a £500k funding boost for the English Chess Federation. Someone’s hare brained idea. There’s literally no thought or planning behind this.

“Nobody will touch this board in the next 1,000 years."

Nottingham City Council have defended the chess board and seating area, saying it could be used to “have a cup of tea”.

A spokesperson said: "The chess tables are intended to be general tables to sit at.

“You could certainly play a game of chess or draughts if you wanted to (given the pattern on top of the table), but you could just as easily simply sit and have a cup of tea with a friend or pause to feed your baby, rest your legs or read a book.

"These projects are deliberately experimental by nature, so will be evaluated and reviewed down the line to see how successful and popular they’ve been so may well change following feedback from the public.

“The tables, for example, could be removed if people aren’t using them, but we could just as easily add more if they’re popular."