Getting difficult to pay a bill!

Well, it’s that time of the year when our brown bin needs renewing. Cheque book handy, pen poised to write a cheque, but what’s this? Cash or cheques no longer accepted!

Payment online or bankers card only but what if you’ve no access to either, only a Visa card?

After spending nearly an hour phoning the council and my bank I have sort of sorted the situation, hopefully, and am now awaiting the bankers card.

Council, will you please listen to the majority of people and not mess about with a system that works for most people that are of an age where these systems are a load of gobbledygook, or rubbish. Why change the system when it has worked for some time?

Remember in years to come you will be old and not understand when someone changes the system that you pay in to.

M REYNOLDS

Beach Road,

Scratby

Keep Pontins as a holiday site

Pontins should be kept as holiday land. If this gets changed, allowing Northern Trust to build then you open the floodgates for everyone else.

The council should forget about the money and listen to what the Hemsby people want. Hemsby will not be able to cope with extra houses; there is a site on Martham Road now having houses built on and this has not even been taken into account.

The traders of Beach Road don’t want it and I don’t blame them. When Pontins was open it brought a lot of money into Hemsby.

Northern Trust has been allowed to let the site turn into a derelict mess and look an eyesore and cynically one might ask has this been done for one reason.

DANIEL HURD

Hemsby

Memories of physical club

Many years ago around 1954 I belonged to the Great Yarmouth Physical Culture Club, we did shows at the Floral Hall in Gorleston.

We trained at a building in Deneside built up against the town wall. I think it may have been an old church building or maybe a school. It has long gone now. Does anyone know the name of the building and are any photographs available of it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted on email at tonybrownrwt@gmail.com.

TONY BROWN

Email

Scaremongering could cost ‘In’

I read Ian Turner’s letter in last week’s Mercury and totally agree with every word. Scaremongering by the In campaign is destined to sway the undecided to vote Leave and I suspect the Leave campaign will have a good majority in June.

V CLARK

Addison Road,

Gorleston

People just park anywhere here

Over the past years I have seen parking in Great Yarmouth getting worse, not the lack of it but the illegal parking on double yellow lines.

I drive a large vehicle in and around Yarmouth and I had the need to go up a small road alongside the Aldi store leading to George Street at the rear of Palace bingo and casino. I was amazed to find 12 cars all parked on double yellow lines - none of which had disabled badges.

I had to perform a multiple number of manoeuvres to make what would have been a simple turn if they were not there. I contacted Yarmouth parking department to report the illegally parked cars only to be told the traffic wardens don’t have the right permission to issue parking tickets on this section of road.

When I asked what other roads parking tickets can’t be issued on I was told there were too many to list. Then I see cars parked all over the borough parked on yellow lines at all times of the day. I wonder where are the wardens, I guess the only place they are working is the seafront.

Come 5pm when all the wardens go home it’s a free-for-all. I often see cars blocking access roads which have no yellow lines but when on lines I would have assumed a warden could take action where access is blocked. When the police had the job of issuing parking tickets you never had so much illegal parking.

Name and Address withheld

Links delighted at bridge news

In response to the article in Mercury, March 11, “Plan to make river key to town’s regeneration”. I would like to express my delight in reading the article about plans to improve the area between the railway station and the town centre, and finish the restoration of Vauxhall Bridge.

Members of Vauxhall Links, a group which has been campaigning and fundraising for the restoration of Vauxhall Bridge, are delighted with the news and cannot wait to see this historic structure fully restored and the surrounding area improved.

After all, this is the gateway to Great Yarmouth, and the first area visitors see when they come by train, boat or car, and the first impression they form for our town.

Vauxhall Links continues to fundraise towards the restoration of Phase 2 of the bridge and we are delighted to announce that members of the Tourist Board (BID) have agreed to contribute £5,000, after a successful application from Vauxhall Links.

Vauxhall Links will be delighted to work with all the relevant partners for this visionary scheme to becomea reality very soon.

MIRIAM KIKIS

Chairperson,

Vauxhall Links

Reg Platten is an inspiration!

I so enjoyed reading the inspiring article about Reg Platten (March 11) and he fully deserves the accolade of being one of the country’s most loyal borrowers and his longevity amply demonstrates the power of books and the use of them.

I first got to know Reg when we were both in the Library Book Group and his opinions were always sought and enjoyed. Although I think he found the book choicea bit “girly” sometimes, he liked to get his teeth into something.

I remember he always brought a box of chocolates for us at Christmas which went down very well.

To still be an inveterate reader at 90 does show a unique influence, to get lost in a book is a wonderful form of escapism and I am so glad Reg has not lost the appetite. He is right too that libraries do not offer only books but a great community spirit with like-minded people.

Yarmouth library is a bastion for inter-generational activities and all ages and nationalities gather together in one friendly and accessible building. It is as he says “a haven of hope” where there is always someone to have a chat with, enjoy a coffee and feel a sense of belonging.

The library service appears always to be under threat when more draconian measures are implemented and councils have to make more and more cuts to their services.

If Britain loses this valuable service for whatever reason, we will not be able to call ourselves a civilised country.

So Happy 90th birthday Reg and what is more, many more years of borrowing and keep up this wonderful example for us all.

JUDITH A DANIELS

Winifred Road,

Cobholm

The EU truth is being twisted

In response to the letter from Ian Turner, Hopton on Sea. His letter was the most accurate, explicit and honest letter I have seen re the EU. I would like his letter sent to every household in Great Britain.

So many pro-Europe supporters twist the truth to their own advantage. I can’t help wondering if David Cameron has been promised the position of president of the EU should we stay in.

Yes, like many people, I am now so sceptical of politicians I think they would sacrifice Great Britain for their own ends. Many thanks again Mr Turner.

Name and Address withheld

Housing bill will create poverty

After researching thoroughly, I’ve written an open letter to Brandon Lewis MP, showing that The Housing Bill, if it becomes an Act, will increase homelessness and poverty for many hardworking ordinary people, people like many of your readers who perhaps can’t afford to buy their own homes.

I have a Master’s degree in Early Modern History and a sound understanding of how the democratic process works, and why certain ministers in this government should be declared “in abuse of the trust of the people”. After all, we the people pay their wages - let alone their expenses - and we demand a fair and transparent answer! I back my points up with quotes from government websites and surveys taken of opinion in local authorities.

JULIE CARTER

Email

Festival keeps heritage alive

What a pleasant surprise to hear from Gorleston St Andrews Festival committee and still be on their mailing list. I understood that last year the 45th festival was to be the end. Last week several people of all ages went along to the good venue of Magdalen Way Methodist Church to watch or take part in various classes.

In view of modern technology in homes and schools, where laptops, tablets and the internet take priority, some folk are still aware of valuable musical and written compositions. To hear, read, think and perhaps take some practical part, could have some value in keeping the heritage alive in Norfolk. Thanks to all concerned including the committee, adjudicators, performers and spectators.

ROY WALDING

Mill Lane,

Bradwell

Thanks for the hand in of wallet

I would like to say a massive thank you to the very kind and considerate dear who handed my wallet to the customer service at Tesco in Caister on Friday lunchtime. I could not begin to explain how much your modesty meant to me.

To say I had a panic attack is putting it mildly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

D BUDDEN

Caister

More homes will hurt our village

I oppose building on Pontins site and think it should be kept as holiday trade. Northern Trust have never put a price on it so how can it be sold? They also removed the bathrooms and kitchens so it couldn’t be easily sold.

By law there are surposed to maintain the site and obviously have not. They won’t build affordable houses on the site, it wlll destroy our village of Hemsby. There is enough building land in the village without using Pontins.

My family has been in this village for well over 100 years and I know we have to have housing but please no more estates.

The doctor, dentist etc could not cope with this.

If Pontins becomes residential that will set a precidence leaving the other holiday parks to build!

I am really passionate about keeping this as holiday use.

LOUISE LONG

email

Build retirement homes on site

Most weeks I consider writing to the Mercury letters pages, mostly to reply to other people’s opinions rather than vent my own. But in last week’s Mercury I couldn’t believe what I was reading about people in Hemsby wanting Pontins back as a holiday site. That is never going to happen. Holidays in the UK will never return to the halcyon times of the 1960s and 1970s, and to an extent the 1980s as well. Why? Weather and the vast amount of money it costs. Yes, holidaying in the UK is expensive.

If the Pontin’s site was to be given over to holidays again, then it would probably not be to the benefit of Hemsby or the Beach Road traders because people today demand more - and that means more facilities on-site so happy campers don’t have to leave the site. Much like the hugely successful Potters Resort at Hopton.

Holiday use could also include private holiday bungalows that remain empty for most fo the year; who does that benefit. I say build flats and bungalows and sell or rent them to the over 55s or even over 60s as retirement homes. Put a medical practice on site - just in case - and a pub.

These are the sort of people who will walk along the beach, into the village, drive to Caister for a big shop and spend money in the village. Holidaymakers don’t.

I would buy one.

Mr M KIRBY

Nottingham

Constant moan about town

I follow the Great Yarmouth Mercury Facebook page and cannot believe the sort of comments posted on there when there is positive news about the town. Why do these people continue to live in Great yarmouth if they detest it so much.

If you don’t like where you live then move. If you don’t like like where you live, then try and do something positive about it to make change. No wonder Primark hasn’t opened in Great Yarmouth, it probably reads the negative comments and thinks why should we open there?

Cheer up people, others are worse off, think Syria.

J COLLINGS-HARRIS email