WERE Herefordshire’s parks and public spaces better kept in days gone by?

That is the question members of our We Grew Up in Hereford Facebook group have been debating after David Barrett shared this picture of Hereford’s King George V playing fields looking lush and green in the late 1990s.

The picture sparked plenty of debate, with many members sharing their memories of the green.

“I remember the Bishop Meadow having loads of bushes, and us kids used to build dens in them in the late 40s and early 50s. Good old days,” wrote Eileen Gray.

Margaret Tyler remembered it being a lovely place to take the children for a picnic on a sunny day.

But for some, the area no longer lives up to their memories of it in days gone by.

“It used to be such a beautiful park, along with the Castle Green. They don’t look after it any more, which is very sad,” said Marcus Johanson, while Julie Ware said seeing the popular riverside spot now makes her want to cry.

Jenny Greasley shared their opinion. “I walked there and found it drab and uncared for,” she said.

And others offered a real insight into the amount of time it took to keep the park looking beautiful in those days.

Les Bullock, who started working for the council in 1992, shared his memories.

“My job was to maintain this area at this time as well as mow the

tennis and putting greens and the children’s play area twice a week. Large areas were tractor mown by someone else, but I used to empty bins at least once a day and litter- pick the whole of the meadows, as well as prepping two cricket wickets,” Les said.

Robert Yarwood recalled the time it took to repaint all the railings just over the river.

“Ron Prosser and I had to paint all the railings around the Castle Green and duck pond,” he wrote.

“Was there for months! Two coats!”