A COUNCIL has granted a local pothole listed status in order to preserve it for future generations to enjoy, it has emerged.
The road hollow in Southampton has been awarded Grade I listed status due to its longstanding historical significance, thereby ensuring that it will never, ever be filled in with hot asphalt by highway maintenance vandals.
Council spokesperson Nathan Muir said: “This pothole dates back to 2002 when an overloaded Ford Transit took a corner too fast. If that’s not a story of exceptional interest which needs to be protected, I don’t know what is.
“Visitors travel from all over to look at the pothole in astonishment and take photos, which is good for the local economy. We’re also inundated with emails and phone calls about it on a daily basis, so clearly people don’t want it to go anywhere.
“Thanks to its new listed status, the pothole will be able to last for decades, if not centuries. In fact we’ll probably have to knock down some of the surrounding houses and churches to make room for it as it grows.
“We could even charge people £8 a pop to marvel at it, then flog them some pothole-themed postcards and jigsaws in a little gift shop. Who wouldn’t want a snowglobe with a chunk of tarmac in it?”
Tourist Martin Bishop said: “I’ve travelled all the way from the states to see it. It puts the Grand Canyon to shame.”
