Letters, January 29 2016

On a recent Saturday morning, while taking my dog for a walk along the Beccles Road in Bradwell for some stupid reason I decided to take a short cut across the open area between the main road and the pathway, near to the entrance of Persimmon site at Primrose Meadow.

I became stuck in the mud and every time I stood up to try and move I fell into the mud. A number of cars and vans passed and must have seen my predicament.

But then a lorry driver went by, saw my problems, went round the roundabout, came back and parked up, and helped pull me out. He became mudded up.

I thanked him very much but if he reads this I would like to thank him again.

MICK HOUGHTON

Green Lane,

Bradwell

Long live our St George’s Theatre

We are very lucky in the Yarmouth area to have St George’s Theatre.

Last week a large audience braved a very cold evening to see a performance of Snow Queen by a touring ballet company called Ballet Theatre UK. The young dancers worked very hard and the whole production including some fine costumes was brilliant. What a great opportunity to see live ballet in Yarmouth.

Long may the theatre succeed.

CAROL NEWMAN

Dover Court,

Caister on Sea

Saving heritage needs money

Thanks for the interesting review of the heritage and culture conference. I hope it will not just have been another talking shop.

I am enthusiastic about local history having written about our gaol for my thesis and more recently on transportation to Australia, local churches, local railways and latterly royalty and the town.

This is hampered by the fact our historic local papers and many other materials are not online and as result of cuts are not indexed any more at the library.

A lottery bid could help resolve such problems. The weakness of trying to attract more people to view our heritage and return is that the total package needs investment. As the conference noted the entrances to the town are hardly welcoming or indeed the road approaches.

The town centre still struggles with empty stores and under occupation. Could not the library move into the old M&S or upper floors of one of the bigger stores - funded by a sale of the present site?

The seafront and the Quay host many empty buildings with the Winter Gardens as an eyesore. Is it helpful to encourage visitors to Nelson’s Monument in a run down area of town?

The under supported heritage walks need revitalisation but seem to set for re-run of past walks again. Gorleston misses out most years. A brilliant idea but under-performing and lacking appeal to many and tours run down areas of town which are often litter strewn.

Why no guided vintage bus coach, like the old service G or even a house drawn bus? King Street was lovely and some efforts are being made to revitalise the buildings but is it inviting? Broad Row and Market Row used to be vibrant but I find some of the other rows threatening.

I made a detailed submission to the Heritage consultation but am not optimistic of seeing much happen. I trained as a heritage guide but found such negativity to develop ideas that I have nearly given up. I cannot see with an MP and a council wedded to cutting our council spending how much will be progressed.

CHRIS WRIGHT

Victoria Street,

Caister

Councillors are losing heritage

I totally agree with the call to restore Nelson’s Monument as a visitor attraction; not I said tourist, not visitor. There is a distinction.

Holidaymakers visit us to have fun, relax, enjoy the beacheds and the attractions we have to offer as a change from the daily grind of life and earning a wage.

Visitors come to see what we have to offer, and I am afraid no-one would even know Britannia was sitting atop the Monument unless they deliberately looked up. And no-one does that unless asked or told to.

Sadly the Monument is lost to us and visitors. It should not be like this but successive Tory and Labour councils have pushed industry into an area which should have been retained for tourism.

We could have put the new skatepark there; if Retroskate has to move from the Marina Centre then it could go there; and what about the poor Great Yarmouth Indoor Bowls Club members? They could have an indoor rink on the site.

Instead this historic and majestic Monument is lost to everyone. It might as well be pulled down and thrown into the sea as far as any of our councillors are concerned. None, as far as I am aware, has ever pointed to its blighted position and petitioned to something to be done.

They are simply not interested.

And what about the glorious Winter Gardens; wouldn’t that make a fab space for Retroskate? Or even as an indoor bowling arena for locals as well as visitors/holidaymakers?

Our council does not think laterally, does not ask the opinions of locals and just because they have been voted in by, in some cases, less than a third of the population they think they are the experts. Wrong.

And as for councillors who live in the villages; well, I am astonished. They cannot know what it is to live in the town itself and its deprivations because they are well away from it in their niche villages.

Call me a cynic. I call on people not to vote in the next election. It’s a waste of your time, no councillor ever listens to the people they represent.It will be interesting to see if I get a response to this letter. I will be even more surprised if it is published!

J DEEMER,

email

Sad to see farm land disappear

I attended the meeting the other evening about the latest development on the Beacon Park estate. To my horror this is in addition to the 800-odd houses already being built with more to come.

As I worked on this farm from the 1960s to the early 1990s repairing its buildings for Bunns and even helping widen Woodfarm Lane, I know this area well. During a famous storm I watched a large wooden shed turning end over end to crash into one of the pumping stations, demolishing it.

I also repaired damage to the farm houses, the roofs of which were shredded, asbestos sheets and roofing slates were flying through the air by the score; it was a very dangerous place to be.

I also repaired buildings on the farm which is now going for the 800 plus houses to be built there. Years later the owner of the land and others helped me at a low point in my life which was kind of him, so it is sad to see most of this disappearing along with all the memories.

M S DIMMACK

Butt lane

Burgh Castle

Repairs carried out efficiently

Well done highways. For the last two weeks the pavements in Jasmine Gardens, Bradwell have been completely updated with minimal disruption to residents. At partly the same time, with little inconvenience, the drains have been rodded through and repaired by Anglian Water staff too.

Such upkeep in this densely-populated area will be appreciated in the months and year to come. Thank you.

ROY WALDING

Mill Lane,

Bradwell

Same support for rollerskaters?

I read with interest council leader Graham Plant’s remarks and enthusiasm for the trampoline park that is being opened in the town, and of how it fitted in with the council’s leisure strategy of providing activities for all ages.

I can only hope the same support will be given to Great Yarmouth Indoor Bowls Club Bowls and Retroskate, when their future within the Marina Sports and Leisure Centre is being discussed by him, and his colleagues on the council, in the near future.

JANE BURRAGE

Jellicoe Road,

Great Yarmouth

Cormorants are heading to roost

Regarding the letter from Peter Bassett, January 22. The birds he sees above his house are Cormorants. They are heading for their roosting place in the woodland area west of the A12 near Lound. We see them nearly every day, where they fly above any other birds in a formation that mimics a military squadron.They can also be seen in the early morning heading back to sea to feed.

DENTON BURKINSHAW

Email

In reply to Mr Peter Bassett’s question the birds seen flying in a V shape are Cormorants. Having been out to sea all day they return to roost in trees by Fritton Lake and other nearby lakes. I hope this has helped.

ESTHER ALDRED

Groomes Close

Hopton on sea

Will Britain just close down?

If my family ran a bakers and I made the bread every day, would I then buy and bring in cheaper bread to sell. No, why? Because I would take pride in my family’s business and support them, and my loyal customers I hope would support me.

Please would someone explain why David Cameron doesn’t take pride in British companies and support them. I can’t believe we are ordering foreign steel in, and having trains built in Spain.

All the people being laid off will then need benefits, he will find the money for that. Where will it all end, will we just close Britain down?

WENDY ALDRED

Email

Search for mail lost from car

Has anyone found my lost mail? It was lost from my car on Thursday afternoon January 21. After putting the mail into my car I made two stops, one at Beach Road, Scratby and the other one at The Pastures in Hemsby.

On arrival at my destination the mail had mysteriously vanished from my car, I can only assume it fell out of my car at one of the stops which I made.

If anyone has found the three lost letters, I would be most grateful if you would kindly post them to the Filby address on the letters,

I will pay any postage due, alternatively please hand them into the Mercury Office in King Street where I can collect them, thank you in anticipation.

Name and address withheld

Thanks to all the Open event help

Many thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who gave of their time at the Open Christmas Event at Great Yarmouth’s Marina Centre on Christmas Day in the service of others. You were marvellous, well done, it was such a great day!

Our local companies showed their true colours too - copious donations including money, tins, cakes, vegetables, toiletries...many of which were given anonymously. A big genuine thank you on behalf of the 300 guests who were entertained, fed and treated like royalty on Christmas Day.

Sadly it was Joan Naylor’s last Christmas on the committee, many thanks to her for her tireless commitment to the cause, she will be sorely missed by us all.

We would like to hear from anyone who is willing and able to help co-ordinate transport on the day with David. If you feel that you could help in any way please ring him on 01493 733153.

ISABEL FOGG

On behalf of the Open Christmas Great Yarmouth Team

Houses bring more pressure

In computerland there is a saying which goes: If you plant weeds do not expect to pick flowers.

Taking this into the real world, let’s be sure to plant the right seeds to benefit us: and I’m talking about the seeds in respect of the Beacon Park homes plan.

Planners must remember houses bring people, and people need shops, surgeries and clinics. Not all of them will have cars so they will need transport – the whole thing is called infrastructure.

JACK DYE

Gonville Road,

Gorleston

Bowls wait is causing stress

Will the council please make up their mind about what they are going to do about the Great Yarmouth Indoor Bowling Club?

You cannot imagine what stress this is causing to people who are elderly and should not be suffering the heartache of knowing their only way of taking exercise is to be taken away from them.

My mum knows a lady who plays twice a week, and who is getting anxiety attacks because playing bowls at the Marina Centre is the only company she gets on a regular basis. She is frightened to go out in the evenings and nights and leave her house in case she is burgled and her pets are taken.

I told my mum it is rare to be burgled but it doesn’t stop the fear.

Her friend has been going to bowls for years and she dresses up and does her hair, puts on a little make-up and she’s off to enjoy herself.

She has told my mum if the club goes she won’t leave the house at all, as she has her groceries delivered and doesn’t have any other friends, apart from her neighbours.

However, most of the neighbours are younger and can’t be bothered looking in to see if an old lady needs any help.

If the council is to take away the bowls facilities at the centre then it must find somewhere else indoors for the older people to play.

Name and Address withheld

Thanks to the Dock Tavern

How does anyone say thank you to so many generous people who were involved in raising money for our Great Yarmouth Stroke group?

The Dock Tavern in Gorleston raised money for us through bike rides, music events and giving their time and energy.

To everyone involved in any way thank you so much.

SUE CASEY

Group Organiser