Let there be light on path, it’s dark!
After a recent trip to the Sainsbury’s store in Great Yarmouth over an evening, I was extremely horrified to find there was virtually no light in the cemetery when my fiancé and I “cut through” from the East Road entrance to the cemetery, heading through to the Sainsbury’s entrance.
You can hardly see your feet at the end of your legs, let alone someone who might want to attack you! Needless to say I fell over (also due to the unevenness of the path) but managed to get home - luckily without injury!
All the council needs to do is install a motion sensor light where the path splits four ways; heading towards St Nicholas Church in one direction, Sainsbury’s the other, East Road the other, and further into the cemetery in the final direction.
As a young person who has previously been victimised by knife crime in the Great Yarmouth area, I am disappointed the council has not been proactive in preventing further crime.
Furthermore, I do also worry for other people who have to walk through there on a daily basis. However, if the council fail to take notice of this, I encourage people to take alarms with them and travel in groups. Needless to say I shouldn’t even have to give this advice as the council should have been proactive anyway.
Mr M PALMER
Go back in time to bring in tourists
At the Maritime Festival recently there was a brilliant 1933 tourism film of Great Yarmouth showing in the Vintage Mobile Cinema.
Yarmouth is missing a trick! Why not re-market it as a “time-gone-by resort” with tea dances in the Winter Garden and old Musical Hall-type shows, an old-fashioned cinema with big armchair seats showing old films, and a Lyons Tea Shop serving food from the 1950’s.
Mrs G POOLEY
Bus link needed on Pasteur Road
It beggars belief that with all the buses travelling between Yarmouth and Gorleston, Lowestoft and Beccles that not one is routed via Pasteur Road to enable local people without cars to get to the out-of-town retail units and the new Trafalgar College secondary school.
Less than half the families in the Yarmouth North and Central division of the town that I represent as county councillor have access to cars and the current situation badly discriminates against them.
At last month’s meeting of the borough’s Yarmouth Area Committee when this issue was discussed, the town’s local Labour and UKIP councillors and representatives of community groups unanimously supported the need for this bus link.
We need now to bring pressure on First Bus and Anglian Buses to get something done. I for one will be pressing for early action.
County Cllr MICK CASTLE
Town Wall Road,
Great Yarmouth
People must pay for protection
I agree with Councillor George Nobbs about setting a precedent using local taxpayers money to give to market traders who lost their premises on Regent Road due to the fire.
I run my own business, have my own house and also run a car, I have to insure all these at my own cost, which is not cheap, but if anything happens I know I am covered. If I choose not to insure and anything happens then it is my responsibility and I would not expect other people to pay for my losses. It seems the norm today to expect everybody else to pay because people cannot be bothered to protect themselves.
M YAXLEY
Bradwell
No 9 buses are always delayed
I want to know why the Number 9 buses coming to Trinity Avenue, do not turn up when they should? I thought once the services were changed the service would be better. This bus should come here every half a hour; this morning we went out to the bus stop and we waited an hour before the driver turned up.
They know the older people use it and yet if you say anything to the drivers they look at you as if you started a world war. Where this bus goes to from the hospital beats me when they don’t turn up. They print timetables and yet do not stick to the time here. Perhaps they think because most of us have bus passes, that we worked for after many years, they think we are not worth picking up.
All we ask for is the bus turns up when it should.
THERESA WHITMORE
Commit to local small businesses
I have just read the article in the Mercury regarding the plans for a hotel to be put in place above Wetherspoons in Great Yarmouth.
I am horrified the council would even consider these plans and as a local guest house owner, feel that if they do allow this, then their “commitment to local small businesses”, which they rant on about, is obviously a load of rubbish, having already allowed a Premier Inn to be built and still considering plans for a new Travelodge.
Us mere guest houses will soon be a thing of the past. Shame on GYBC.
KARENZA CRUZ
The Bromley,
Apsley Road,
Great Yarmouth
Mystery Amanda: thanks for help
I would like to say thank you to a lady called Amanda; unfortunately I don’t know anything else about her. She stopped and ran across the road near the bus stop by Matalan to help our son Riley, who fell off his bike and broke his arm on Friday, September 30.
She went to his aid when nobody else did; even a police car just drove past. We would really like to just say thank you to her and let her know he is doing well.
DANIEL WATLOW
Despicable thief stole bicycle
We recently had a bicycle stolen from our garden and I would like to make the thief aware that it belongs to my husband who has cancer and osteoporosis. He cannot walk any distance but on some good days was attempting to ride his bike.
If you are the thief or you know someone who has suddenly become the owner of a black gents bicycle, I would like to tell them how despicable they are and how much this has upset him, and perhaps they will feel some regret at their actions.
We won’t buy another, we cannot justify the not insignificant cost when we do not know how long or if he will be able to use it.
Name withheld
Roslyn Road,
Gorleston
Car park outside our homes soon
Regarding the proposed parking restrictions at Kennedy Avenue, Gorleston. Your correspondent last Friday did cover the overall problem of parking near the James Paget Hospital and I fully agree with their views.
There was a notice in the Mercury regarding this stating that the draft proposals were available to view at the Town Hall. I went to the see these proposals but staff there didn’t know anything about them, and until I produced a copy of the Mercury they seemed to think I was in the wrong place.
They did phone County Hall and after a long wait I was handed the phone and spoke to someone who was, to say the least, vague. I was then asked for all my details and told they would send me copies of the proposals. It goes without saying nothing happened.
There are no notices displayed on Kennedy Avenue and it does seem that Norfolk County Council is trying to keep a low profile.
Residents of Mariners Compass, Bridge Road and Links Road be aware there will be a car park outside your houses very soon.
GUY WONG
Lowestoft Road,
Gorleston
Privileged to attend recitals
I would like to thank John Stephens, director of music and organist of the Minster Church, for his dedicated work in organising the summer series of lunchtime recitals which culminated recently in a wonderful organ recital by Philip Luke, director of music at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church. I have been privileged to attend each recital since early June and have heard inspired performances by so many highly gifted instrumentalists, vocalists and students, who have all given so generously of their time and talent.
The winter series, with a recital on the first Wednesday of each month, began this week with a charming performance by the gifted music scholars of Flegg High School.
CAROLINE BUDDERY
Addison Road,
Gorleston
Growing group deserved award
I had the pleasure to be at the Great Yarmouth in Bloom prizegiving evening at the Town Hall on Friday. I was delighted to discover that the Growing Together Community Garden was awarded a silver award in the Community Gardens category. This group is run by Grace Edwards, as chairperson, with numerous volunteers including Gloria Webb, and these two ladies were there to receive their award.
Over the last few years they have worked so hard to improve the area around Great Yarmouth Library and turn it into a pretty garden that people love to see. It is work undertaken in sometimes difficult circumstances, including the theft of plants and damage, and deserves recognition.
Last year this area around the library received negative publicity and it is through volunteers like these that changes can be made to our community spirit and environment.
The group is always looking for more volunteers and details can be found in the library.
Cllr HAYDN THIRTLE
Don’t take away my beach funtime
Re Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s proposal to keep dogs on leashes on the beach from Caister to Salisbury Road.
My name is Jackson and I am a very energetic cocker spaniel who has just had my first birthday. Early every morning I get so excited when my human mum says the word “beach”. I know that this is my fun time, to chase my tennis ball, to play with my dog friends and sometimes to even have a swim in the sea.
I never leave my poo behind although I know there are some very naughty doggy owners who do! Quite often on my walkies I come across dirty nappies, broken glass, discarded food and carrier bags. I am certain that these are not being left behind by my doggy friends. My mum says if I didn’t get a good run twice a day I would be too energetic. Please do not take away my fun!
JACKSON TOUGH
Such a long way to restore milk!
Has the world gone bonkers? It was necessary for me to cancel our milk delivery for a couple of weeks… easy, a little note in the top of an empty bottle left at the front door with “No more milk until further notice, thank you.” Job done.
This prompted a printed invoice from Dairy Crest milk and more indicating how much was due to date and a customer service number which was pushed through the letterbox. Okay so far.
Now it’s time to reinstate the milk delivery so I phoned the number at the bottom of the bill and a person in broken English asked what I wanted. I asked where they were speaking from, and they replied “I am in the Philippines.”
It seems bonkers to me that I had to get in touch with someone halfway round the world to order a pint of milk from a depot that is half a mile down the road!
FIN DIXON
Kings Road,
Gorleston
Welcome dog beach ban move
I welcome the ruling of keeping a dog on the lead. If a dog is let to run around freely how can the owner watch when their pet has a poo and is there to pick it up.
I have a dog and he is never let off the lead so I am there to pick up the poo. Also, myself and two friends have been out walking on the field and all three of our dogs have been attacked by dogs off the lead.
We do not venture onto the playing field any more for fear of another attack. So bring it on.
C A BALLS
Bradwell
Dog walkers help flora and fauna
I am writing about the proposal for dogs to be kept on leads on the beach between Tan Lane, Caister and Salisbury Road, Great Yarmouth. I am a responsible dog owner, a Caister resident and I have lived in either Great Yarmouth or Caister all my life.
I have been a dog owner since 1963 and have always walked my dogs on the dunes and beaches of Yarmouth and Caister. I have completed the consultation and agree with a lot of the proposals put forward, but not with regard to this area of the beach.
I have been informed by Cllr Carl Smith this area was included in the proposals at the request of one elected member who is concerned about the birds and wildlife and owners who let their dogs off and cannot see where their dog is fouling.
Over the 53 years I have walked dogs on the dunes, the flora and wildlife has flourished and increased, there are more species of wildlife; skylarks have always nested on the dunes and still do. Dogs running about have not made a bit of difference.
I have been informed that Natural England who manage the site want people to walk the dunes as this spreads the seeds of the rare dune plants. If the area is made non-dog friendly, a lot of dog owners will go elsewhere. A lot of the time, particularly in the winter months the only people you see in this area are dog walkers.
I feel this measure will significantly affect tourism, local businesses and employment. Our beaches are listed on websites as dog friendly which is why holidaymakers and locals from Norwich and surrounding areas come here because they can exercise their dogs off lead and let them have a swim. I am friendly with some of the people who own caravans on the Seashore caravan camp, a lot are dog owners who buy caravans there because the beach is dog friendly.
All these people use local shops, cafes and takeaways.
Dogs need to be socialised off lead and given adequate exercise and for most dogs lead walks are not enough. There are a lot of dog owners who do not have transport to take their dogs to other places.
I and my dog-walking friends regularly clear up rubbish left by humans, glass and plastic bottles, cans and takeaway litter. It is particularly bad around the Caister car park and Lifeboat sheds. It was plastic waste that killed the whales recently washed up on our shores!
JULIE COOPER
Walkers lead to diversification
I’ve been walking my dogs on the Dunes (which are used almost exclusively by dogwalkers and their families) for 22 years, and actually think wildlife flora and fauna are flourishing – possibly because of the human/dog presence. A fact born out by reports from Natural England on the benefits of tracks being opened up on the dunes by walkers leading to diversification (and so likely responsible for the presence of the rare grass and sea holly now found there).
There is undoubtedly a problem with dogs mess – as there is everywhere in Great Yarmouth. But a ban on dogs off-lead will do nothing to improve that, and will likely cause the problem to worsen by driving away the responsible dog walkers who help catch the culprits, as well as clearing up some of the mess and litter left by others.
The proposals to increase the powers of dog wardens in combating dog fouling will help far more than this blanket ban, which is creating so much ill feeling.
Aside from the issue for dog walkers, the proposed ban on dogs off-lead on the dunes and Burgh Castle Fort would have a massive impact on holiday businesses. Lots of tourists stay/own caravans at the north end of town because of the freedom of walking on the dunes. Without exception, every dog walking visitor I have spoken to has expressed horror and disbelief and then declared they will not return to if the proposed ban is implemented. One local holiday park has already lost business, with a customer deciding not to proceed with the purchase of a caravan because they had learned of the proposal.
Not only would this proposal impact on the holiday parks and seafront cafes, but will also affect ancilliary business.
As far as protecting wildlife/livestock is concerned, surely a simple ban on dogs being offlead where livestock is grazing, and a seasonal restriction on access to certain areas where ground-nesting birds are found would achieve the same level of protection?
Let’s hope that commonsense prevails here for the sake of the whole community. However, the survey is very misleading in its terminology resulting in people thinking that the “Site of Special Scientific Interest” refers simply to the Little Tern colony nesting area, and that “Heritage Sites” refers to places such as stately homes, and not 90 acres of land at Burgh Castle!!
The majority of dog walkers are responsible people who care for their surroundings, and want to help combat the fouling problem. Let’s get more interaction between the council and the dog walkers who can contribute knowledge and a massive constant presence to help the wardens.
JULIE YOUNG
Well done for dogs on lead proposal
Re the news item in last week`s Mercury on the proposed public spaces protection order (PSPO) making it compulsory for all dogs to be on leads in the listed Great Yarmouth and surrounding areas locations and the resulting complaints by dog owners.
Well done GYBC for proposing this overdue requirement for all dogs to be on leads on these beaches and in these public spaces.
It is not only dog owners that enjoy walking in these locations during the winter as well as the summer months. Not all dogs attack lone walkers but some do, and if the dog does not attack people do not want it jumping up on them or aggressively barking at them.
Young children are particularly vulnerable; I have seen mothers who have had to scoop their child up into their arms to protect them from an approaching dog off the lead on beaches and public footpaths.
Consequently this overdue requirement making it compulsory for all dogs to be on leads should be extended to all beaches and public spaces and apply all year round.
Name and Address Withheld
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