Positive use for empty buildings

MAY I respectfully suggest to the powers-that-be that some of the empty buildings in Great Yarmouth are used to create workshops/learning centres (old-fashioned youth clubs) for teenagers and young adults/parents in Great Yarmouth. All too often I see and hear these young members of society saying they are bored, yet sitting in a library surrounded by books and computers, or walking within feet of museums and places of interest.

If retired members of the public and volunteers could share some of their vast life experiences and knowledge, as well as spare some of their time to implement these centres, I am absolutely positive that the younger members would benefit. So many of these youngsters have oceans of talent, be it drawing cartoons, singing, dancing or even amateur dramatics. All this energy and talent could be harnessed and channelled into worthwhile skills for themselves and society. Many do not even have a good grasp of the English language and can only fill in the spaces with profanity, stemmed through anger and the inability to express themselves in a calm and assertive way.

As I have travelled extensively around the world, I have gleaned many facets of knowledge from other cultures, be it from America, Australia or the Middle East.

One particular town in America, once a month, for the whole community, had a free family rated film, together with a cartoon, commencing at 11am on a Saturday and 2pm on a Sunday. It was financed by local business owners and community spirited entrepreneurs. Historical walk talks, by a volunteer, was another Saturday and Sunday trip on offer.

I remember the Empire cinema having double horror films shown on a Saturday night from 11pm until 2am for a very cheap price. Also the Regent ABC minors on a Saturday morning, when I, along with many other children, had to queue up and thought ourselves fortunate if we managed to get in.

In these days of the credit crunch and economic downturn, perhaps there are members of the borough or even private individuals with the financial acumen to assist these youngsters. On offer could be fun places for parenting skills to be learned from experienced parents whose children are grown. There is no manual for raising children and many of these young parents have not acquired patience, respect, or even the basic skills of caring and nurturing for themselves, yet alone a small, living being of a baby.

I sincerely hope that my request is read by some well-meaning, community spirited members of the public, or even a member of the borough council.

ELIZABETH ALWAY

Kent Square

Great Yarmouth

REFERENCE the story in last week's Mercury, “Tragic death of young woman”, about the young lady who died of pneumonia, previously calling out a doctor and whom, it has been alleged, was reluctant to make a visit to this person, suggesting Paracetamol being given.

This should not be so. I myself am allergic to this drug. It can be fatal in some circumstances.

WILLIAM MOORE

Corton Road

Norwich

RE The Down Memory Lane article, From our Files of 10 years ago (Mercury, January 9).

My family and I had our spirits lifted, after the sad passing of my husband John Green last year. To think that his sense of humour and fun-loving antics have been kept on your files about the signs on the Haddiscoe dam. Everything is much about the same, as this “cattleman” lives on in many of our thoughts. As to the statement “Bullocks,” it will be with us for heifer and heifer. Thank you.

RITA GREEN

Director E E Green & Son Ltd

Belton

I was pleased to read (Celebrating 60 years of history, Mercury, January 1) that there is to be an exhibition at Shrublands Youth and Adult Centre on Sunday, January 18 of photographs, press cuttings, etc which have been acquired by the Shrublands Community Archive Project recording the history of the centre.

I hope many of our former members will take the opportunity to visit the centre. The reason for the exhibition is to show what we have been able to record so far and to invite former members to name those they recognise in the 400 photographs on display.

If former members are unable to visit, we would like them to send any memories or photographs of Shrublands Youth and Adult Centre to www.historyofshrublands.net or write to me at the address below.

JULIAN MACEY

119 Beccles Road,

Bradwell

NR31 8AB

CORRECT me if I am wrong, but my understanding of the Highway Code is that double yellow lines mean no parking at any time, so how is it all along Jellicoe Road in Great Yarmouth at school times, parents park all along that road and the police do not enforce the no parking rule? Anyway, have people forgot that legs are meant for walking!

D BAUNTER

Beatty Road

Great Yarmouth

I USED to get very angry when I saw cars parking on double yellow lines opposite my home in Anson Road, Southtown, but now I understand why.

There is just not enough room for all the cars that people have - and in most cases have to have, for example to drive to work. We live at the bottom end near B&Q and often have to park yards away from our house and sometimes on the double yellow lines. We accept that. We just hope we don't get a parking ticket.

However, there are areas in this part of Southtown which are open spaces and which could be converted into parking areas for locals. Spare patches of land which n-one seems to do anything with.

In Lichfield Road, there is an area of land with garages on and I don't think hardly any of the garages are used. The whole area is a mess with furniture flytipped and rubbish, bottles strewn about. The grass is also very high and at night I know it is a haven for youngsters to sit around drinking in the summer.

I used to take my dog down there for her walk but we both became too frightened.

If those garages were pulled down, and some look as though they are falling down, the whole area could be concreted and local residents could park there. I am sure most would be willing to pay a nominal sum for that privilege.

About a year or so ago, a planning application was made I understand for a bungalow in Lichfield Road to be demolished and several new houses built on the site. I don't know what happened to that because we never heard anymore and the bungalow is still there. However, why couldn't the council buy that land for local people to park on, and then charge them a rent for the privilege? You could probably get 10 or more cars on there.

The only other answer is to have residents parking permits for the whole of Southtown. I am quite in favour of that idea as long as there is someone who is going to walk up and down the streets checking there are no cars parked which shouldn't be there. Perhaps our local councillors could give some thought to this subject.

Name and Address withheld

WHAT is happening with the locking of the churchyard gates at East Road and the entrance to Sainsburys in Great Yarmouth?

This was such a big issue but although they are supposed to be locked at night, and everyone was told, they are not. No-one knows what's going on, there is no consistency.

I have now been caught out three times in the last month. I have popped to Sainsburys and have had the gates locked on me before they were supposed to be locked, and then I've had to walk all the way round Northgate Street to get home. And on these three occasions the times were 7pm, 8.30pm and 6.45pm.

If the police are going to lock the gates I wish they could stick to a regular time.

The locking of these gates doesn't have any affect anyway; people can still get in through the front of the church as the big double gates are never locked - it's not stopping anyone.

And because there is no-one walking through the churchyard on the paths youngsters can go in through the unlocked double gates at the front and stay there unseen. Let's have some consistency: lock and unlock them at a set time every night and morning, or don't lock them at all. What do other residents think? Have they been caught out like me? I'd pity any elderly person having to make the long walk home with shopping bags if the gates have been locked too early.

Mrs TRACY HANLEY

East Road,

Great Yarmouth

LOOKING at three of your “Through the Porthole,” pictures in the Mercury, January 9, revived some memories of those times for me. The Lawn Avenue railway bridge, for example, pictured in 1960.

Pat Durrant, Carol Chellis, Marlene Tovell, Stella Clements, Beryl Gray, Brenda Haylett, Jean Gray, myself and the odd tagger-on would have seen the latest Tarzan film, been to the Beaconsfield recreational ground, spent Saturday afternoon at the then Royal Aquarium showing the Three Stooges, a cowboy film and the inevitable serial. We would have swum in the freezing Great Yarmouth pool with its exaggerated temperatures outside the gates on the chalkboard, and checked out the oldest graves in the churchyards.

There were no houses on the left of Lawn Avenue, as you came to it from the suspension bridge.

My New Road Bridge memory was Sunday school over, a nice summer's day, and a walk under the bridge and into the first field on our left, trying to remember to miss the cowpats. The girls made daisy chains. In later years, the Gorleston Railway Station provided us with transport (my wife and I, and eldest son Gavin) to Great Yarmouth where we either shopped or visited relatives, my cousin Catherine or my grandmother May Norris.

S C BREWER,

South Road

Gorleston

AFTER writing letters to the authorities concerned I have now determined there answer to dog mess on every street in Great Yarmouth: Tough, so what, get on with it.

We should get a warden out and about with a camera, and get these selfish, ignorant dog owners into court. It is not a few, it is the majority, yes the majority.

As regards cycling on the footpaths, well, I have seen many cyclists clip people, including myself on many occasions. I saw one old lady knocked over, and the cyclist did not even stop. She was taken to hospital.

It appears the authorities think this is a minor thing. It is a major thing. I have seen cyclists on pavements going past environmental rangers with no result. I have seen cyclists go past special police, again with no result. The same applies to when cyclists are seen by the police.

D CLARK

North Denes Road

Great Yarmouth

THE receipts from the Norwich park and ride are down on estimate. So to make up the shortfall they intend to charge per person. Do “they” not realise that this is self defeating? Charging more for the same service in a time of financial restraint will only put people off using the facility. It will become cheaper to use their own cars than to pay any increase. After all they have to use their vehicle to get to the park and ride site.

Secondly they (a council again) look like prosecuting someone for having a tree that the chickens like. Words fail me!

MAURICE HOOD

Claydon Grove

Gorleston on Sea

I QUITE agree with your correspondent that Woolies was such a wonderful place, a constitution. I always went there when I was in the city (Norwich) and bought several things. One thing I really liked was the way they sold Christmas cards. They had the glass counters with the assistant in the aisle and the cards would be laid out singly from half an old penny of each upwards. I spent hours searching through them. They also sold cake and biscuits.

I did not like it when it was changed. I suppose they had to keep up with the style of other shops. I found it more difficult to find things and sadly never hardly went in there. With the low glass counters you could see all over the place.

Mrs VIOLET ELLINGFORD

Briar Avenue

Bradwell