Unpopular 'Plasticine' tribute seats to be replaced
Seats designed to look like Plasticine are to be removed from a North Tyneside shopping street after complaints they were ugly, cold and often wet.
The brightly coloured seats were installed on Bedford Street in North Shields two years ago.
They were intended as a tribute to the inventor of Plasticine, William Harbutt, who was born in the town.
But shoppers said they were a waste of money and complained their shape stopped rainwater draining off.
North Tyneside Council has accepted the seats are unpopular and will be installing metal replacements.
The town centre manager, John Fleet, said: "I have to say that the reaction from certain members of the public hasn't been favourable.
"They've told us that they don't drain very well.
"We've listened to what people have said and we've decided to replace them with a more conventional seat."
The tribute to William Harbutt's creation was part of a series North Tyneside Council planned to coincide with International Animation Day in 2009.
The council said the seats would not be scrapped but would be distributed around the borough in locations yet to be decided.