Shopping centre unveils rainbow-coloured 'buddy' benches to combat loneliness - ... trends now
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A shopping centre which unveiled rainbow-coloured 'buddy benches' to combat loneliness has been hit by complaints from shoppers who threaten to paint them black and claim they look 'cheap.'
Two 'buddy' benches were unveiled at Longton Exchange Shopping Centre in Stoke-on-Trent last May. They are designed to encourage shoppers to take a seat to indicate they need a chat or are open to having a conversation with someone else.
On Thursday April 4, the shopping centre recently shared a picture of the benches on social media. They wrote: 'Our rainbow Buddy Benches are a lovely place to stop and rest. Take a seat and brighten someone's day with a sprinkle of kindness!'
The post quickly went viral racking up more than 1,000 likes, shares and comments - with people flooding the post with praise and criticism.
One wrote: 'As if Longton needed degrading and looking even more cheap than it already is.'
Two 'buddy' benches were unveiled at Longton Exchange Shopping Centre in Stoke-on-Trent last May. They are designed to encourage shoppers to take a seat to indicate they need a chat or are open to having a conversation with someone else
A post the shopping centre shared of the benches on social media last week went viral with many shoppers voice their support and criticism of the benches
Freelance artist Hannah Walton (pictured), 25, who painted the benches. She said: said: 'I can see why they might have thought it was representing LGBT because the rainbow represents that but also the rainbow has always existed'
One commented: 'Might go up with some black spray paint and fix the damage.' While another person claimed the town should be renamed 'Woke-On-Trent.'
However others hit back at the comments and praised the bench.
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One wrote: 'One commented: 'Imagine being that sensitive over your own
