Letters July 15

FURTHER to my letter in The Mercury July 1 edtition, they have done it again.

Not the trumpet player this time, oh no, it’s two men: one who murders some lovely songs, and another on a violin equally as bad and equally as depressing.

Please, the person at the town hall (you know who you are), come to the benches and let me tie you there from 9.30 in the morning to 3.30pm and I’m sure, after that, you wouldn’t let them come again.

The only good thing that happened was that it poured with rain and they had to pack up. Please, no more!

SUE GIBBS

Via Mercury website

Action needed to curb gull issue

READERS of the Mercury may have noted the increasing presence of gulls on Gorleston rooftops near Morrisons supermarket.

As a bird-lover, I would be reluctant to see wanton destruction of birds of any species, but unless we are prepared to countenance the progressive colonization of the town, and the hazards which would inevitably accompany a population increase, a rational policy to contain the problem urgently needs to be formulated.

This time last year, as I walked up Sussex Road near St Peter’s church, I was ‘dive-bombed’ by a noisily irate lesser black-backed gull, which evidently had its youngsters on a nearby roof.

An overhead wire prevented the bird from descending to head height, but the experience was nevertheless alarming. Outside the nesting season these birds are usually harmless, but if action is not taken to ensure that breeding birds are confined to the roofs of buildings on the South Denes (as they were until approximately three years ago), I fear it is only a matter of time before a nasty injury is reported in your pages.

I have recently noted adult birds frequenting the chimney pots on houses on Cliff Hill and elsewhere, as if prospecting for suitable nest sites. If our local government representatives leave the question of control to individual householders, measures will be taken only on a piecemeal basis.

The kindest way to reduce the numbers of gulls in the long term would be by pricking the eggs of a proportion of the nesting birds on the South Denes.

A ‘one chick’ policy for the foreseeable future might be appropriate. On the Gorleston side of the river, however, measures carried out by pest control officers to prevent the birds from breeding seem to be needed.

JEREMY GASKEL

Beach Road

Gorleston

Shows filled me with pure delight

WHAT a privilege to see three amazing shows perfomed at the Hippodrome Circus over the weekend by the students of The Estelle Clifton School of Dance.

There were more than 200 performers ranging from the age of three to over 40. The three shows were perfomed to the highest of excellence, the children were just so delightful.

To choreograph such shows takes dedication and sheer hard work and Estelle Clifton certainly puts on productions to the highest quality. Well done to all. What a pleasure to see so many children and grown ups showcase their hard work. The costumes, scenery and music all added to such wonderful memories to go home with.

You truly can live your dreams.

VANESSA BULLER

Poplar Avenue,

Gorleston

How can we get First to respond?

IN reply to Jagdish Kaur, I guess my feedback through the letter pages of Mercury on June 17 and the protesters covered on the front page of that same issue do not warrant being considered valued feedback.

In my letter I specifically asked for a response, as I did when I emailed First on May 27 to which I had a response which said they would reply in 10 days. I have no reply. I know of many who have also phoned without a reply.

Perhaps Jagdish Kaur could explain how feedback can ensure a response?

BOB MITCHELL

Newport Road

Hemsby

Disgusted by this man’s actions

I WAS in Yarmouth town centre on Thursday and rested on a bench in the square.

On the next bench two youths were eating a takeaway meal. One of them seemingly did not like the food in his polystyrene box and put it just under the bench seat.

Shortly after they left, many of the lovely birds came down and sampled the food in his box but didn’t seem to like it either. Then a young man came over and sat down on the bench, he looked perfectly normal and respectable in good shoes and jeans and a tidy jacked.

He put his feet around the box, pulled it towards him then picked it up and ate the contents. All of us on adjoining and nearby benches were appalled. He then got up and walked away. He did not look like a starving or impoverished person and made us all feel quite sick.

Surely in this day and age in Yarmouth there is no need for such disgusting behaviour? There was no doubt in our minds that the food would have bird droppings and other germs in it. Ugh.

MRS U E FOSTER

Beach Road

Scratby

U-turn please on fuel allowances

I HAVE just learned that our very generous Chancellor of the Exchequer has decided to cut old folks winter fuel allowances by �100 a year, just when the fuel such as gas and electricity is to be increased by 18pc. What a generous man. Is he trying to kill the old folk off when they are a supposed burden? May I suggest that all politicians forgo all their so-called expenses claims and re-route to the pensioners.

These are the people who fought for our dear country who fought and bled all those years ago and all they get is a kick in the teeth.

Think again Mr Chancellor and reverse this terrible blight you are putting on the old and frail if you are a compassionate man. Dont be like a certain lady who was “not for turning.”

JOHN GREEN

via email

End-of-life care is vitally important

MANY thanks to Brandon Lewis MP for Great Yarmouth for highlighting end of life care in Great Yarmouth and Waveney in the House of Commons and making the point that we are the only two areas in the country without an in-patient hospice.

Thanks also to our former MP Tony Wright for being involved in the East Coast Hospice.

I’m surprised that the Palliative Care Day Centre will have no beds and will be a centre for advice which Macmillan nurses and Marie Curie nurses and Big C give already.

Many people in the nursing profession that I have spoken to feel the priority should have been a hospice and, having been a carer for three people with terminal cancer, I fully agree with them.

Those nearing the end of life should die with dignity and privacy and without pain.

Palliative Care has dominated the fundraising for five years now, so I hope the people of Yarmouth and Waveney will support the East Coast Hospice shops and raise money for this charity which has no government funding from local health trusts.

Not every carer can cope with the stress of their loved ones dying at home and should have a hospice for them at least at the very end of life.

P ECCLESTONE

Well Street

Great Yarmouth

When will this ‘localism’ begin?

COUNCILLOR Steve Ames has set out his stall, regarding communicating with the tenants and residents of Great Yarmouth Borough, as per his letter in last week’s Great Yarmouth Mercury.

The new leader of the council, elected from a group of two dozen or so, with a borough electorate of 70,000 has now decreed that he will not enter into public debate, unless, as he states, it is to “correct certain factual inaccuracies, made by individuals.”

He also states that the public can contact members, attend council meetings and committees.

I have tried all of the above.

The system is flawed and unworkable.

Try going to a parish or borough council meeting. If you are lucky, you might get a share of a 10 minute open session. Once you have had your ‘say’ you will excluded from further debate.

Cllr Ames should embrace the possibilities of open publc debate in the letters section of the Great Yarmouth Mercury.

His party politics pledges ‘Localism’. That means listening to, and working with the locals.

When are we going to start?

PETER KIRKPATRICK

Ormesby St Margaret

Give council tax payers a reward

I am a regular reader of the Great Yarmouth Mercury and have read with interest the letters you received regarding shopping in Great Yarmouth.

Last week, you carried a letter suggesting a free parking day, which would be good for the town’s shops but would involve a loss of parking revenue from visitors and holidaymakers.

My suggestion is that all Great Yarmouth ratepayers receive a voucher which should be placed in their car window when they park, and would mean free parking on a certain day of the week, as specified by the local authority.

This method would give ratepayers something back in these difficult times and enable shoppers like myself to enjoy shopping in town rather than the large supermarkets.

Thank you for an interesting and informative newspaper.

LARRAINE EVANS

Station Road

Ormesby

Please return our treasured photos

WHILE enjoying a week’s holiday in Gorleston with my husband and 90-year-old mother, we visited the market in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday, July 6.

We stopped at one of the first stalls we came to selling handbags and purses where my mother purchased a purse. The stall was close to the entrance of Market Gates shopping centre. It was soon after that my mother noticed that her camera – a silver kodak digital was no longer in her possession. The camera itself is not worth much but the pictures on it are of great sentimental value.

Should any of your readers have found or come across the camera we would be very grateful if at least the memory card with the treasured pictures on it could be returned – of course postage would be refunded.

JANET OWEN

34, Court View,

Wick, Bristol BS30 5QP

We need real jobs for proper growth

JOHN Cooper and I are at the forefront of a group which is scrutinising Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s handling of the outer harbour negotiations which we believe are flawed.

We were mislead by promises and spin that never came to fruition and shows little likelihood of doing so. We have gone in a short period from roll-on roll-off ferry to container cranes that were never used in two years, although when there was an opportunity, Eastport refused to carry out a request.

Now we are involved in the windfarm industry. Barges come in and components are loaded onto self-propelled barges to take to the windfarm to erect the generators. The port is just a staging post now.

Since the beginning of March, I believe we have only had five cargo boats in the outer harbour and some of those have been connected to the windfarm industry. This isn’t a real port to provide work for local people, it’s just a junction to offload and reload windfarm components.

Although our MP says jobs are being gained, he forgets to indicate how many. We need more than taxi customers and hotel guests to get a return on the public money invested in the outer harbour.

This town needs real jobs to lead to regeneration. The outer harbour was the great white hope, but what went wrong? Our MP refuses to assist our group in our intention to have a public inquiry. Why? Whatever the flaws are, they are locked up in Norfolk Record Office for 30 years. Why?

DENNIS DURRANT

Brett Avenue

Gorleston

Our situation is in need of logic

THE latest series of events with the outer harbour takes us back to the drawing board to a further study of models resulting in a decision to exacerbate the situation by more obstruction.

Please may we apply a bit of logic. Let us go back to pre-concrete pier days, back to the wooden lattice Dutch pier.

Imagine two horizonal sand banks running north to south forming a corridor – one side the south beach, the other side Scroby.

Between the two there races a terrific current, or sand race, which curls itself along the coast depositing sand along the shoreline.

Then comes the first interference – the concrete pier deviating the flow of sand.

This is followed later by a structure of more prominence – the outer harbour, causing a definite change in the performance of the current and deposit of sand.

The north pier of the outer harbour diverts the current in its flow north to south to an easterly flow where it runs up against Scroby sands causing disturbance directly opposite the new harbour entrance.

This deflected current then recoils throwing silt westerly straight into the 200m mouth of the harbour producing a cross flow or swell, which is the cause of all manner of things which are happening within this corridor and beyond.

JOHN DYE

Gonville Road

Gorleston

Many jewels but what about pier?

ONCE again, it was a great weekend with the Eastern-most jewel in the county of Norfolk showing what business and individuals are capable of bringing to the people.

Sunday started with the regular display of classic Lambretta and Vespa scooters assembled for all to enjoy at their regular Gorleston harbour breakfast venue.

Around the corner at the yacht pond, model boat enthusiasts display their ingenuity and craft with all manner of boats.

A walk along the promenade for a coffee at the restored Beach Caf�, with the walk back taking in the annual flower show on the cliff top

Off to the theatre to take in an excellent show performed by local children. When it ended, there was time to catch the last set being played under the newly restored bandstand, overlooked by the imaginative expansion of the Cliff Hotel terraced gardens being built to over look the harbour area. Then off to for an excellent pint of ale in the Pier Hotel while watching surfers and kites in action.

A great day with much to attract residents and visitors from outside the parish, but then there is the pier. I applaud council leader Stephen Ames’ letter in the Mercury advocating glasnost

Come on then Steve. How do we inquire about the reasons for the harbour road through area 51 being closed?

STEVE TAYLOR

Clarence Road

Gorleston

Free meals not a return to 1970s

A FEW weeks ago, there were letters from parents of Peterhouse Primary School children unhappy about the categorisation of children who receive free school meals.

As an unmarried mother in the 1970s, I understand what it is like to feel judged and treated accordingly, but in this case it is not what was happening.

These categories are not decided by the school or Ofsted but come down from the Department of Education who require gathering of statistics.

All schools, in their tracking of pupil performance must consider every group, compare their progress and attainment and develop strategies to better meet children’s needs and they also give government direction as to where to support with extra funding.

Now the latest SATs’ results of the school are in. They are the best they have ever had, and exceed last year’s national averages.

I would encourage parents to support the headmaster, Martin Scott, in his plans to make Peterhouse an outstanding school.

He and his staff are well on the way to achieving this aim. It will change the lives of the children who attend Peterhouse for the better and is that not what we all want?

Congratulations to Peterhouse School on the outstanding results of their latest SAT’s.

Rev LINDA RICKETTS

Vicar of St Mary Magdalene Church

Magdalen Square

Gorleston

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ON July 12 the Great Yarmouth branch of BLESMA (British Limbless ex-Service Men Association) held their AGM Dinner at the Burlington Hotel in Great Yarmouth. We have three of these get together’s every year at the same hotel, who without fail give us a wonderful three course meal.

I am always at these meetings in awe of those that fought in the second world war, Korea, Falklands and other theatres of war, as I, unlike most of the service men and women attending these meeting never lost my limbs in the service of my country.

Today, at the age of 72, I feel humbled to be in the presence of three men that lost their limbs in the present conflict in Afghanistan, especially one of them, Danny, who has horrific burns to his body, has lost his right leg, and will at some time soon lose his other. Words cannot describe his resilience and bravery at what he has been through, and it made me, an ex national servicemen, feel honoured to sit at the same table. Danny and men like him deserve the highest accolades we can give them, and ensure that no matter what, their future needs are secure. It is 3am and I still feel privileged to have sat and broken bread with these heroes, and feel compelled to tell you all about it.

This brings me to another point where some ex national servicemen are asking for a medal or some recognition for their service, I say, unless you fought in Korea, or any armed conflict as a National Serviceman, yes, receive your badge of honour, you deserve it, but if like me, you were in a safe posting, forget it, you don’t come up to the waist of the Danny’s of this country.

DAVID BROWN

Yallop Avenue

Gorleston

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JUST received a call from a dear friend, it was her birthday July 7. I posted her greeting three days before on the 4th. She called to say “thank you” but didn’t know I was in Wales! (neither did I, last time was approximately 40 years ago). She received it on the 11th! She’d also received another card - posted in Yarmouth - from Peterborough? No wonder the price of postage has gone up with all the travelling it has to do, perhaps they need one of those ‘sat nav’ things!

L JILLINGS

via email

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MARTHAM Old Folks club would like to thank all the helpers and supporters who made this year’s carnival stall such a sucess.

The total monies raised for club funds was �430.

Thank you

MADDY PERRY

Vice Chairman

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I WOULD like to thank the NHS District Nurses and specialist Cardiac Nurse who have attended me at my home during the past year.

They have been very kind, given wonderful service and it has been a pleasure to see them.

Many thanks for this dedicated service.

MRS J KING

Scratby

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I HAVE just spent time in the JPH after having emergency surgery. I was in quite a state of shock as I had only just returned from holiday. The staff at the hospital are amazing. The consultant, doctors, nurses and all auxiliary staff are reassuring, friendly and work so hard to help everyone in their care. I think we are extremely fortunate to have such an excellent hospital in our area. I wish to thank each and every one of them.

MRS CRUICKSHANK

Gorleston

RECENTLY whilst on holiday in Great Yarmouth I was taken to the James Paget Hospital with breathing troubles. I would like to thank the doctors and all the staff for their excellent service that was given to me on ward two for my five day stay. Also may I say that the food was first class.

JOHN HODNETT

London