Ghost signs are nearly the equivalent of what cave drawings were to our early modern day explorers: signifiers of how previous lives lived, worked and maybe the kind of beer they drank or the cigarettes they smoked. While these ghost signs populate many towns in our country, they are in the process of leaving us. As the wrecking ball flies and mundane urban renewal efforts commence, we're losing more relics every day.
We need signs. They are all around us. But signwriting is a dying trade. There are only a few traditional signwriters left in the UK and few seem keen to take their place. The idea, held by some, that this is a skill which should be reserved for barges and funfairs is ridiculous, and ignores the fact that beautifully crafted signs can only be a positive thing for any business.