Council orders removal of 'ludicrous' car park chess table just a month after installation following ridicule from residents

Council workers were spotted removing the controversial installation, which had drawn criticism over both its location and implementation.

Former independent council candidate Colin Hardwick confirmed the removal, criticising the lack of public engagement.

Council workers were spotted removing the controversial installation

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Winchester Street car park

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She also expressed concerns about the impact on parking, noting that the installation removed "much-needed parking spaces from our main car park."

Adding to the controversy, the chess table was found to have been incorrectly designed, with a black square at the bottom right-hand corner of the board instead of the regulation white square.

A Nottingham city council spokesman had previously defended the installation, stating the chess tables were "deliberately experimental by nature".

"The chess tables are intended to be general tables to sit at," the spokesman said, explaining they could be used for various activities beyond chess, including having tea or reading.

Local business owners suggested the chess table would have been better suited to nearby Woodthorpe Park

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The council maintained that the installations would be evaluated to determine their success and popularity.

"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," the spokesman had said.

The council had indicated that based on public feedback, such installations could either be removed if unused or additional tables could be added if they proved popular.