A young web developer has taken a strikingly creative approach to protest the UK's deteriorating road network, staging a bowling match in the middle of a Wiltshire street.
The Great British Bowl-Off: A Strike Against Potholes
Ben Thornbury, aged 20 from Malmesbury, filled a deep pothole with six bowling pins on Tuesday, 14th January. Dubbing his demonstration 'The Great British Bowl-Off (Road Edition)', he aimed to draw public and official attention to the persistent issue, especially with National Pothole Day occurring this week.
Video footage shows members of the public attempting to score a strike in the middle of Michael's Pyms Road in Malmesbury. According to the rules of Ben's improvised game, if a ball rolls into the crater and knocks down the pins, the player has successfully "beaten" the road.
A History of Unusual Protests
This is not Ben Thornbury's first inventive demonstration against potholes. The activist has previously converted similar road craters into a mini-golf course, used them for 'fishing', and famously filled one with baked beans. His consistent campaign underscores the long-standing frustration felt by many residents.
Ben explained his latest idea: "I came up with it because I thought about what could really work well in a pothole, and I thought who doesn't love a game of bowling just before National Pothole Day."
Council Promises and Public Frustration
He highlighted the specific local problem, stating, "The potholes here on Michael's Pyms Road have been there for months." He claimed that a patch repair was scheduled four months ago but never materialised. Ben added that the craters are quite deep and have lengthened, worsening due to recent rain and bad weather which has caused more to appear, including "some big ones on Tetbury Hill outside Dyson headquarters."
Despite Wiltshire Council receiving a green status on the government's new Pothole Map, Ben questioned its accuracy based on social media response. He noted that resurfacing, not patch repairs, appears to be the most effective solution in parts of Malmesbury, though even these can succumb to weather damage.
In response to the ongoing crisis, Ben has initiated a petition urging the government to create a national strategy and a dedicated fund for pothole repairs. The petition argues that residents are fed up with costly vehicle damage and that crumbling roads present a serious safety concern.
The public can back Ben's petition via the official Parliament website.
