Drivers parking cars everywhere
Well, as busy as it gets at this time of year, the movement of vehicles around the holiday resort of Hemsby is, to say the least, manic. Hundreds of holidaymakers flock to this small busy resort to enjoy all of its great facilities, shops, food outlets, amusement arcades and bars etc, all of which I suppose, the owners are very thankful for year in year out.
But, and thats a big but, where the heck do these drivers, some are local people so it’s not all visitors, get their driving skills from? They park where they like, ignoring other traffic, parking on double yellow lines, in bus lanes, on pavements and grass verges, side by side blocking access and where are the local constabulary, traffic wardens or police support officers when needed?
It’s a joke, come the end of September when the holiday season will be nearly over and traffic gets back to normal out they will pop out, walking and driving around the village making themselves very visible indeed. Let’s not upset the holidaymakers by issuing a few parking tickets, let’s just wait a few weeks and slap a ticket or two on the local residents cars instead. I know because I have seen this happen outside the doctors surgery.
We all pay our taxes and the local Constabulary gets its fair wack from all of the local residents and businesses, so let’s see some of you officers doing one of the things that we pay for, that’s patrolling our streets. Mr Very Angry.
DAVID SINGLETON
Praise hospital not criticise
Recently having spent over different times a total of six weeks in the JPH, I have nothing but praise for the staff from the cleaners upwards. The treatment I have had from the chemo and its fallout has been first class.
Staff in the SSM Ward helped me with an emotional crisis so sympathetically that it got me over the crisis. The staff of the Sandra Chapman centre are excellent, no task is too much for them and they will sit and listen if you are upset.
The main point of this email is that you had three letters from previous patients, but why do you insist on putting a complaint letter with a picture when you had lovely letters praising the hospital?
Why did you not think of how many meals they prepare and deliver to the wards. Let us have you praising the hospital now and again. One day you all will be glad it is there.
DOUGLAS RICHARDS
Thanks to all on ward 7 of JPH
I have just had an operation at the James Paget Hospital and I felt I must thank all the staff on ward 7 from domestics, HCAs, nurses, everyone that made my stay a truly happy, friendly, and comfortable one.
Nothing was too much trouble for these wonderful, caring people. I know I’ve read negative things so felt with all the great care I received on ward 7, and in theatre and recovery, I wanted to say a massive thank you, you do a wonderful job.
PS Fantastic food.
P WOODS
Bradwell
Transfer music to the seafront
Hoping to promote our town, but having been embarrassed by a visitor’s comments on the Market Place performers, may I suggest unless they are a proven asset to town centre business would it be considerate to people with taste who like to relax and watch the world go by, if the relevant musicians transferred their noise and antics more appropriately to the seafront?
DAVID KING
Falcon Court,
Great Yarmouth
Is Gapton bus a proper service?
There’s me thinking
- that for it to be a proper bus service, (Mercury front page, 21 August), it would have to be a little more than a return journey twice a week.
- that it was the Bachelors, (‘other stars’, page 3), and not Amanda Barrie who had a number one hit in 1964 with the song ‘Diane’.
- that boys as well as girls passed their GCSEs last week, (pages 12 and 13), and might just be expected to get a picture or two as they picked up their results.
Still, it is the holiday season I suppose. Thanks for clearing things up anyway.
MIKE SPRAGG
Collingwood Road,
Great Yarmouth
Norse should pay rent to park
Why has Norse, the county council commercial arm, been gifted free of charge part of the Beaconsfield Road car park? If you are a commercial enterprise you should pay rent and lease costs to the landowner.
Why were Norse allowed to undertake the survey of usage considering they were going to get the benefit? They found it not heavily used, how convenient!
At what times of day were these taken and on what days?
Councillors raised concern that the green space taken was used by youngsters. Norse stated there was no play equipment on the site. Play equipment is not needed for it to be a play area.
After the debacle of the outer harbour you would have thought that they would have learned. Obviously not.
M HOOD
Claydon Grove,
Gorleston
Are hotel claims fair on taxpayers
Yes, our MP Mr. Brandon Lewis has three houses, one in Great Yarmouth where residents near him are very adamant that Brandon is hardly ever there, this could be because he is a minister.
Another is in the vicinity of Chelmsford which is only one hour away from Westminster. And one in Shenfield just 30 minutes away from Westminster, which Mr Lewis says has tenants and is for sale.
Fair dues, everyone is allowed as many houses as they like and can live where they like but is it fair on the taxpayers are being charged £30,000 hotel accommodation in two years because he has tenants in the Shenfield house.
If Brandon does not want to be on a par with the great expenses scandal, why did he not use the rent money from the Shenfield house to pay his hotel accommodation?
Better still, having first-hand knowledge of the Chelmsford area his house there is only one hour from Westminster so there is no excuse for him not to live there and claim travelling costs which would have been far more acceptable by the taxpayers.
JOHN L COOPER
Burnt Lane,
Gorleston
Faith has almost vanished in UK
Last Sunday I saw a man in shorts and sandals walk into a local church. It made me think that wearing your Sunday best as a mark of respect to the Almighty no longer applies. Would these churchgoers dress like this to see the Queen?
Also few churches now have a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study. Why open that boring old Bible seems to be the mindset, when you can have a pub quiz instead? Or on a Sunday “messy church”, bacon butties, or planting bulbs? Why hear the Word of God when you can dance in a “Christian” rock concert?
It seems “the faith which was once for all handed over to the holy ones” (Jude 3) has almost vanished from our shores. What do Christians abroad who face beheading for their faith think of this food-and-fun joke Christianity we have here in the UK?
E BARKHUIZEN
Albemarle Road,
Gorleston
Tip demand £68 to take old shed
My husband went to Caister Tip on Sunday, August 23 to take a old shed that my son had removed from his house. When he got there he was told he had too much wood and it would cost him £68 to leave it there so he brought it home again.
My question is what do we pay council tax for and why have we got to pay the tip employees that amount of money to get rid of rubbish from a garden? They were very lucky I didn’t go with them because I would have let them know what I thought of their £68.
The council doesn’t like flytipping but when you try to do the right thing you get kicked in the teeth. I managed to get rid of the shed elsewhere but I think it’s disgusting you get asked for money for doing the right thing.
Mrs D CHAMBERS
Wetherspoons will bring trade
A recently published letter in The Mercury hoped there would be enough opposition to a proposed Wetherspoons on Gorleston High Street, because only two businesses would be likely to survive, if the application is successful. What a load of rubbish!
Wetherspoons would attract people to the High Street and many existing businesses would benefit. I will not list the businesses here, but have counted at least a dozen that should look forward to the arrival of a well known, respected and established hostelry.
Wake up Gorleston, if a public company with almost 1,000 outlets sees an opportunity in our locality, then we must welcome it. Hopefully the authorities will see sense and do everything possible to persuade them to open. This could be the making of the High Street, especially if one day it is made into a pedestrian precinct, or at least, a one-way system for traffic.
MARTIN DODD
High Road,
Gorleston
Housing may be way forward
Following letters in the Mercury last week, and comments from borough Cllr George Jermany and Hemsby Parish Council chairman Keith Kyriacou, we see the future of the old Pontin’s Holiday site is in the news again. Keep it as a holiday site says Cllr Jermany, bow to the inevitable says chairman Kyriacou.
Cllr Jermany supports those whose thoughts are still in the Billy Butlin era: the pile it high, sell it cheap holidays of the 1960’s when whole towns closed down for the wakes weeks, when train loads came from the Midlands and the North for their traditional “Week beside the Seaside”.
Keith Kyriacou has the advantage of living in Hemsby and working in the holiday industry in the village. He sees the Pontin’s site, with its 60’s style buildings, no modern home comforts, no en suite, and meals served up like school dinners, as a thing of the past.
As the numbers of holidays taken on the east coast diminish it is unlikely anyone will be found willing or able to fund the huge cost of completely demolishing and rebuilding the site as a holiday destination. I know that Centre Parcs have been approached. They successfully run the modern holiday parks. The Pontin’s site, unfortunately, is too small for them.
Our parish council chairman, who for years has been deeply and successfully involved in many activities in the village, takes the pragmatic approach. If the site is to be developed as housing then let us get the best deal possible for Hemsby.
The village burial ground will soon need extension. Could this be part of the projected commercial/community use of the site? A village road near the Pontins site is very narrow, it has no pavements or street lighting.
The crossroads by the village Post Office needs improvement and the Newport Road and Kingsway junction would benefit from proper high level street lighting.
I am sure our doctor’s/dentist’s surgery and village primary school, if asked, would quickly identify improvements which a developer anxious to expand into Hemsby would be only too pleased to fund. Could improvements to these areas be a condition to any planning permission to develop the site?
If the site is to go for housing let us have part real quality housing and part housing which our young people could afford to rent or buy. Let us go with the parish council’s chairman and gain some meaningful and necessary benefits for the village as a whole. We will not get a second chance.
GORDON CRAIG
Pit Road,
Hemsby
Visiting parkers take our places
Following a reply to a write up in last week’s Mercury from Wayne Chilvers: Don’t think residents permit parking is the answer, we thought it would solve our problems, instead we have market traders and town centre business vans parked all day, and town centre workers and people from the Priory Centre.
They all have residents visitor permits. Originally we were told these were for people visiting residents in the zone. It is no different to how it used to be except we are paying for the privilege.
RESIDENTS OF PRIORY GARDENS
Keep Pontins a holiday park
I have wonderful memories of Pontins and lovely photos of good times spent. These date back to mid 1950 when it was Maddiesons Hemsby Holiday Camp when mum and dad used to take me twice a year. Then holidays at Pontins twice yearly when my four boys were growing up. I feel it must stay a holiday park to boost Hemsby as a seaside resort.
SUSAN BANNISTER
Mail delivered to wrong house
I had some mail delivered to my address for a Mr Tony Ogden who I do not know. It was delivered to Crab Lane, Bradwell and it was posted in Tyneside. I am trying to contact him as it may be important. Can I ask for any information that may lead me to him please, so I can pass it on.
BRENDA MYHILL
Editor’s Note: Please contact the editor who will pass on details.
1980s Parkside FC reunion plan
Did anyone play football for one of Great Yarmouth’s most successful teams, Parkside during the 1980s? If so, we are trying to arrange a reunion and possibly a charity football match in the near future. If anyone is interested, look up David Huggins on Facebook or email d.huggins66@icloud.com
DAVID HUGGINS
Writing about fire brigades
Recently I had a letter printed about writing a book on Norfolk Fire Service. Since the letter was printed I have a change of mind and decided to write a book on the British Fire Brigades to mark my 25 years as a fire service enthusiast.
I’m looking for some old and present photos of fire engines and fire stations, old and present fleet lists. Also any photos and information on big incidents that have happened over the years.
Please contact me either via email chriswisken1988@gmail.com or write to address provided.
CHRISTOPHER WISKEN
Weavers Croft
Harleston
Library one of best in county
I am still rather concerned about the on-going negative letters about the library and register office in Great Yarmouth. This is not about the actual continuing rights and wrongs of the siting of the register office but the impact on the actual library.
I sense the impression people are under the conventional wisdom that there is trouble and should be avoided. I would like to reiterate that in my experience Yarmouth Library is one of the best in the county because of the simple fact it caters to all sections of the community and is a hub in the area.
There is a vibrancy and especially during these summer months when it has run activities for children and more importantly, they feel safe and protected here. Its buzz is tangible and in these draconian days of library closures, we should celebrate this fact and not bring it down by criticism and negative comments.
We are so fortunate in this area to have three libraries, Gorleston, Caister and Great Yarmouth which are run efficiently and provide an invaluable service to our communities.
No they are not the silent buildings of the past but there are quiet areas for study and more importantly in these fragmented times when loneliness is the scourge of our frantic society, they provide company and a sense of belonging conducive with a welcoming atmosphere. I know some people hark back to the silent days but times have changed radically and in my opinion the plusses far outweigh any negatives.
Our councils are up against continuing cuts and the necessity to find more money and we are in danger of losing libraries and this to my mind would be a nail in the coffin of any civilised society. By the way I don’t work for the Library Service but have seen at first hand how many hoops they have to jump through to maintain a quality service for all their users.
So please put to one side the state of the pavements outside, relish the very attractive garden and in the words of the late lamented Cilla Black step inside. and you may be very pleasantly surprised by all the activities you find there as well as the latest books and DVDs.
JUDITH A DANIELS
Winifred Road,
Cobholm
Nasty incident outside library
I witnessed a nasty confrontation outside the library/registration office on Friday, August 14 at about 11am. I was walking through the library thoroughfare when I heard shouting and a woman rushed up to an elderly man shouting “Don’t let him get me.” She held a beer can.
A tall man went over shouting abuse at the woman who hid behind the elderly man. Another man joins the affray also holding a can of beer.
The situation doesn’t get any better when the woman’s friend joins in and this poor bystander is in the middle. The commotion ensued for a short while until the elderly bystander managed to get out of the middle of this mess. He was shaken but not hurt. The police arrived and sorted the fracas out but this didn’t make it less shocking.
With all the publicity in the Mercury, the warning signs have been there for some time. It is not safe to be near or outside the library/registry office until this situation is sorted. Young, old and the infirmed use this service and have to run this gauntlet of fear.
I have been in the library when youths have had to be escorted out, shouting abuse at every one. This situation is getting worse.
Nobody in their right mind believes the registry office should be in the library so why is it taking so long to get this job done. MP Brandon Lewis must have seen reports in the paper, surely he can’t let this continue, it is an embarrassment to the town, so stand up and be counted. The cost of moving the registry service is small compared with the accident that is waiting to happen, but then it will all be finger pointing as to who is to blame but no-one will admit responsibility.
MARTIN BULLEN
Brahams Court,
Great Yarmouth
Seafront yobs are a danger on road
Reference the report this week of eight police cars sent to deal with one offender in King Street: I wonder if just one could be spared to bring an end to the nightly uproar on South Beach Parade. For months, generally between 10-11pm, the law is broken by yobs driving at excessive speed in cars with noisy, modified exhausts and high revving engines.
It does not require expert knowledge or hi-tech equipment to assess the danger to other road users and the nuisance to residents. Please can some action be taken to stop this anti-social behaviour before it leads to a serious accident.
And could a policeman please arrest a few of the law-breakers who ignore the clear signs and cycle through Market Place and on footpaths. They constitute a danger to pedestrians.
NICK POWNALL
Epic collection raises over £177
This is a thank you, to all the people who donated money into my tins during the street collection I did last week in GreatYarmouth.
I would also like to thank staff at the corner shop in Winifred Way, Caister for having a collection tin at the counter, and to all who contributed. I would like to say a big thank you to my neighbours Mo and Grenville for their support. The money collected has now been counted with the local secretary for Macmillan Cancer Support and has been handed over. All the money will be used locally and the total amount was £177.92.
I completed the 73-mile Epic ride in the Tour de Broads in just over five hours and although a little windy the weather was kind. Macmillan is one of the charities the Tour supports and around £50,000 went to various charities.
PAUL HASTINGS
Caister
Who makes up this rubbish?
I read the NTW ad for staff and I have never heard such a lot of mumbo jumbo. What is a “life connector”, “service connector outreach”, “transformation manager”, “training connector”? Who makes up all this rubbish and what are they going to do to make a neighbourhood work?
It’s another waste of money that could go to better things. Good neighbourhoods don’t need council wishy-washy interference. Some of the job descriptions are just a joke if you can understand them...they need to be “highly motivated, compassionate, problem solvers, innovators, and people who are great communicators with a passion for working within the communities”. Wow. They didn’t mention Health and Safety as I’m sure that should be in there somewhere.
How will they measure the success of this marvellous conception? MIKE RAWLINSON
Ops around clock would cut waits
The new operating theatres at the James Paget look fantastic; does this mean a new era with the managing director allowed to manage instead of worrying about targets, finance etc? And we may see the system suggested by one of our overseas surgeons a few years ago whereby operations were carried out continuously throughout the day with surgeons not having to wind down and re-scrub after each operation, however small, resulting in no waiting lists.
The surgeons were apparently in favour but the one who suggested it left shortly afterwards and is no doubt operating the system overseas.
Name and Address withheld
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