Beating the fun police! Anonymous local erects hilarious spoof signs mocking citys lack of fun
A local man has taken it upon himself to erect hilarious spoof signs which mock his citys lack of fun.
A local man has taken it upon himself to erect hilarious spoof signs which mock his citys lack of fun.
The anonymous spoofer, who simply goes by the name Chichester Anti-Recreation Partnership (Carp), wants to make people laugh but has also set out to draw attention to the overregulation and lack of fun after he noticed warning or prohibited signs were everywhere.
Examples of the signs include one which reads Warning. Children are known to operate in this area and another that alerts people to a coffee control area which prohibits consumption of the caffeinated drink within certain hours.
Carp says his goal is to highlight local absurdities and add more fun to Chichester.
A Facebook group run by the anonymous local has amassed over 1000 followers and updates the people of Chichester on the latest satirical creations to grace the English West Sussex English cathedral city.
One of the sign reads Coffee Control Area - seemingly poking fun at the number of restrictions Carp has observed in the city
No Unauthorised Signs. Carp noticed warning or prohibited signs were everywhere and so set out to challenge them
Do not feed the Koalas. Or other Invasive species. The anonymous local said he thought the city is particularly un-fun for young people
Child Congestion Charge Zone. Spoof signs related to traffic restrictions are commonplace among Carps work
Since starting the project in August, around 35 spoof signs made by Carp have popped up in the city.
Another hilarious sign put up by Carp last week makes fun of parking charges - erected at a level-crossing, the sign reads: Automated parking charge zone: For any stops longer than 3 mins. £1 per min. Please enjoy your stay.
Carp adds as the accompanying social media caption: Dont you just hate getting stuck at the gates?
Chichester District Council says it is investing £814,000 in refurbishments to several play areas in Chichester.
Families and young people are a really important part of our community, a spokesman told the BBC.
The council added it had created a dedicated evening and night-time working group, which was collecting views on what young people would like to see in the city in the future.
Another hilarious sign put up by Carp last week makes fun of parking charges - erected at a level-crossing, the sign reads: Automated parking charge zone: For any stops longer than 3 mins. £1 per min. Please enjoy your stay.
No fun. The signs are out to beat the fun police but the council has apparently been quick to take them down
Dogging? Please use the provided bins. Carp said: Humour has this unique ability to disarm people - it lowers their defences and allows them to consider issues from a fresh perspective.
Unauthorised leaf shredding is prohibited. Trees failing to comply may face removal. Another sign erected in the city.
The signs often poke fun at rules. In this case, they read trainspotting discouraged, caution: trains and no paragliding
But Carp said: Humour has this unique ability to disarm people - it lowers their defences and allows them to consider issues from a fresh perspective.
It reframes problems in a way thats more approachable and less confrontational, which makes it easier to get your message across and spark discussions.
I feel like Im contributing to making the city a better place for everyone.
Whether its a smile, a conversation, or just getting people to think about the issues in a new way, I think the impact justifies the effort.
I absolutely adore Chichester, he continued, speaking to the BBC.
This sign by the cathedral reads: Welcome to Chichester. A serious city. For serious people. Fac Excitationem Historiam
Formal Attire Only. Except Sundays. The sign pictures a Victorian-looking couple, poking fun again at the seriousness of the city
Warning. Children are known to operate in this area. Signs have also popped up by childrens play parks
Coming soon. A new era for the bowling green. Britains FIRST over 65s Open-air Wrestling Arena.
Insurance Fire Coming Soon! Thank you for your patience. Carp has put up around 35 signs since he started in August
But it does have some notable gaps - particularly when it comes to fun and things for younger people to do.
Over time, its become increasingly focused on catering to older residents.
While its great that theres so much for those whove retired, it feels like thats come at the expense of forgetting about the younger generations.
Almost half of Chichester residents are over 50, according to the Office for National Statistics.
