Hold onto your hats, Ilkeston! The town's most unlikely star attraction has undergone a dramatic makeover, sparking both amusement and outrage. What was once a humble 'hole in the wall' cash machine is now the talk of the town, but not necessarily for the reasons you might think.
This isn't just any old ATM; we're talking about the NatWest cash machine on Bath Street, which inexplicably became a social media darling. Its claim to fame? A peculiar design feature that earned it a spot on TripAdvisor, rocketing it to fame. In fact, it was so popular that it climbed to the top spot out of 23 Ilkeston attractions.
But here's where it gets interesting. This 'hole in the wall,' apparently designed in the 1990s as a security measure, was suddenly altered. A metal bar was installed, seemingly overnight, and the internet went wild.
Pictures on TripAdvisor show people gleefully climbing through the hole, a photo opportunity now denied to them. Social media erupted with comments, with some users lamenting that the bar had 'spoilt' the attraction. One wag even quipped, 'Kids will be shimmying through it even faster with a grip rod - but yes it’s a perfect example of how the world’s gone mad.'
But the story doesn't end there! Just as quickly as the bar appeared, it vanished, with Ilson Gnome on Facebook claiming credit for making a few calls to get it removed. Another comment on Derbyshire Live Facebook stated: "Ilkeston isn't happy".
And this is the part most people miss... The mystery remains: who put the bar there, and why? Was it a genuine security upgrade, or was it all a prank?
What do you think? Did the metal bar enhance or detract from the 'hole in the wall's' appeal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
