The idea came to me in summer 2019, when I finished studying at Swansea University. One day I went walking with friends around the beautiful Penllergare Valley woods. As they played Poohsticks, I sat on a bench and took in the view.
I noticed that someone had left flowers on the bench. I wondered who had put them there, who they were for, and why they’d chosen this location. By the time we reached the next bench along the route, I was deep in thought about all the people who had sat there before me.
Both benches had beautiful views, and my friends and I started comparing them. I joked that someone should start rating benches of the world. In the following days, I set up an Instagram account called RateThisBench and then posted a handful of reviews of benches near my family home in Bristol, mostly to amuse my friends.
At the end of the summer, I planned to close the account. But my dad, Chris, had become quite invested in it. It became our joint project; after dinner we’d go out for a walk and assess a bench.
I wasn’t interested in growing the account, but the page took off. I suddenly had hundreds of followers – I’m currently at about 27,500. I decided to devise a proper rating system.
I usually post a picture of me sitting on the bench, a brief description of the site, and a mark out of 10. Its mark depends on the location, whether there is an arm and backrest, and the quality of its base. I give extra marks to wooden benches, because I think they’re the nicest, and also for interesting plaques or dedications.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
