Your Letters - August 8

Better design

YET again I feel dismay on viewing the latest architect's 'vision' for altering Bexhill's seafront.

Why do today's architects insist on producing plans that turn existing pleasant vistas into soulless, charmless and barren areas of concrete and steel that feel actively hostile towards people? Does 'modernise' now have to mean de-humanise?

A lot of visitors to Bexhill come here precisely because it still retains it's individuality, character, and traditional atmosphere. Members of my family are a good example.

They live and work in Croydon, Harlow, and Crawley, places that are now characterless monuments to concrete and glass. They love Bexhill and long for the day that they can retire and settle here.

When will Rother Council realise that Bexhill is attractive to a large section of the population because it is not 'vibrant' and 'modern.'

It is peaceful and restful and these are the qualities that our visitors appreciate as they take a brief respite from today's atmosphere of stress and pressure, rush and hurry.

If you must interfere with the seafront then let us ask for designs which complement Bexhill's character and don't destroy it by making it look like an extension of Ravenside car park.

M. POULTER (Mrs)

Turkey Road

Three questions

YOU are absolutely right to distinguish between priorities and what amounts to a 'wish list' ("The 3.5m Question" and Comment, July 25). And we are usually talking Big Money - certainly big money for a small council. A council, moreover, which seems particularly susceptible to match funding, an insidious device, a lure, a come-on to get you to splash out.

As I see it there are three questions which need to be addressed:-

1. Do council officers have the necessary background and experience to negotiate contracts with private companies?

2. In view of the amounts involved in some of these schemes/services are the figures realistic; eg, is it 3.5m or 2.5m, or what?

3. Should we call in a second opinion to examine the paperwork?

We need the answers to these or similar questions not least because the council is always going on about being short of money and whingeing about a poor government settlement.

The suspicion is growing that we are not getting value for money, that scrutiny is inadequate, and that the council could actually be doing a great deal more to reduce costs.

STEPHEN JACKSON

Second Avenue

Lost character

Copy of a letter sent to A. Leonard, Director of Services, Rother District Council:Re: Development at the Colonnade (Appn. RR/2008/1871)

THE District Council's proposal to form six shops on land at the rear of the Colonnade may sound like a good way of invigorating the seafront, but it would also cheapen the appearance and character of this central feature of Bexhill. At present it is an attractive and dignified reminder of a past era in the town's development and it should be respected as such.

Quite apart from this, the construction would be a colossal waste of the council's money. The formation of 642 sq metres of additional floorspace beneath the lawn in front of the Pavilion would, I calculate, involve the excavation of at least 28,000 cubic metres of soil that would have to be carried away over a length of roadway that does not yet exist. Lorries would then emerge onto the town's road system at its central point, whilst the traffic involved with the building work itself would be heavy and costly because of the need to waterproof the structure and to make it capable of carrying considerable weight.

Many more lorry journeys would then be necessary to bring in 1000's of cubic metres of soil to cover it and to restore the surface to grass. It would all be very disruptive ... and for what?

The formation of six very large shops - all, we are led to believe, serving mainly coffee and food to our townspeople and visitors from 8am until midnight on most days and until 2.30am on Fridays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays, according to the application. The high rents charged in the town, coupled with the recession, seem to have already killed off many of our shops. The very last thing needed at the moment is six more, especially with the very limited use they would get in winter.

I fear that if they are built the six shops would rapidly turn into a single night-club or a late night drinking den with all the rowdyism that usually goes with such activities.

If that is what our council wants then so be it, but I for one am firmly against it and at the huge waste of our money to pay for it.

JACK SEABROOK

Richmond Avenue

Pavilion's role

THE current debate over the proposed development of the Colonnade area for the doubtful purpose of creating an "evening economy" has so far omitted to mention the role of the De La Warr Pavilion.

As emphasised by contributors to the recent public consultation concerning council funding levels, the Pavilion has the perfect location and the building space which gives the potential to foster such "economy", without resort to further massive investment from council reserves.

The abject failure of Pavilion management to exploit this potential to date indicates either that demand for late night facilities does not exist or, possibly, that Pavilion management is not trying hard enough! Unfortunately, the opportunity to correct the latter reason was lost in the terms of the settlement.

Instead of developing the Colonnade, in pure speculation of a demand which may not exist (where is the evidence?), I suggest that pressure should be applied to Pavilion management to open late into the evenings and to improve their range of programmes and catering services for a trial period. Some of the finance thus saved could be offered as an incentive for such improvements.

Perhaps advice should be sought from Wetherspoon? - I jest of course!

J. HODSON

Cooden Sea Road

Evening economy?

I HAVE been giving this seafront regeneration plan a fair bit of thought over the last week and do wonder whether we shouldn't be looking to regenerate our town centre before messing around with the seafront, which, on a beautiful day is always crowded anyway. "On a beautiful day" has to be the important phrase: as your correspondent last week so rightly pointed out, no one in their right mind is going to be looking for this so-called "evening economy" on anything but a fine, warm evening.

Why not go back to the plan which was going to give the rowing club the state-of-the-art, under-the-colonnade indoor tank to practice on in the winter months, an amenity which would be the envy of all other seaside towns.

The club say they can't afford it from their own funds, so perhaps a helping hand from Rother would put the Colonnade on the map. With visiting clubs using the amenity, it would be the year-round use of the Colonnade that Rother seeks, and give a reason for would-be eaterie owners to open up at the Colonnade.

Yes, poor old Bexhill is looking very sad, I noticed three shops in Western Road today, all next to each other, and all for differing reasons closed or closing down, and those ghastly flats at the bottom of Sackville Road still un-lived in.

Yet we've just seen the wonderful modernisation of the library, so amongst the doom and gloom, there is hope. None of the other suggestions in the report are going to bring people in to Bexhill.

Let's capitalise on what we've got, maybe offer the space on Devonshire Square to a different charity or organisation every week to use to their advantage and bring a bit of fun and life to the town centre. This would cost the tax-payers nothing.

Lastly, if ever you want another survey done to gauge the views of visitors to the town - call on me, I'll do it for half the price!

CHRIS COX

Arthur Road

Done deal?

I HAVE just sent off an objection to the proposed new school in Gunters Lane and it set me thinking is there any point in objecting as I'm sure it is a done deal.

Will anything I say or any others really have any effect or is the exercise merely to make us all feel that we do count and our opinions also? Will the powers that be listen or even act on those points raised by the general public or will they just end up in the dustbin?

I am reminded of all those satisfaction questionnaires we complete for flights, hotels, holidays, buying cars etc. All filled in with thoughts like 'that'll show 'em what I really think of their service' but I have to ask do they actually make one jot of difference? Does anyone read them or are they there simply to make us feel better after having had a good moan?

A bit like this letter I suppose.

P. M ADAMS

Hornbeam Avenue

Postal subsidy

THE appalling recent queues at Bexhill Central Post Office remind me strongly of Stalinist Soviet Russia where I was required to spend several of the most miserable years of my working life.

And as in Russia the fault lies not with the staff - who are clearly as hacked off with the situation as the 'customers' - but with the management and most particularly with the government who are ultimately responsible for the way this type of supposedly public business is conducted. Clearly the Brown Regime, for all the years of New Labour smoke and mirrors, shares many of the catastrophic totalitarian characteristics of the former USSR and we are now enduring the consequences in our daily experiences at the post office and elsewhere.

But, on the other hand, what a wonderful opportunity this situation presents for the Tory Party to exploit in the interests of the abused local residents. Indeed, Conservative dominated councils in Essex are already subsidising the re-opening of much loved and needed sub post offices and thereby reaping huge political advantage from this relatively minor step.

I therefore have to wonder why our Conservative dominated Rother Council has so far done nothing of this nature in Bexhill and surrounding areas. Does the Tory Party care more about Essex than East Sussex?

I seem to remember a lot of promises at election time about serving the interests of local ratepayers morning, noon and night: well, here is a gold-plated opportunity to put intent into practice to the clear benefit of those among us most in need of support and also gain massive Brownie points.

What about it, local Conservatives? You would win my vote and I know many others of the same opinion.

K. T. HOOKEY

Cooden Sea Road

Golf thanks

I REFER to Jimmy Carroll's Charity Golf Day which was well covered in the Observer last Friday.

It was indeed a splendid day, and on behalf of Sidley Community Association, a principal beneficiary, I would like to thank Jimmy, his organising colleagues, and all those who formed the 17 teams that took part in the competition at Cooden Beach Golf Club for their timely and generous support.

In our thanks we must not forget the sponsor for the day, SLM Toyota; those who sponsored a hole or donated prizes; and the Mayor of Bexhill, Cllr Patrick Douart who gave his support to the event.

We only hope that, on balance, Sidley people will feel that the Community Centre's continuing work will make up for the sacrifice of funds for Christmas lights.

JOHN IZZARD

Holm Oak Close

Helpful call

I WOULD like to thank the young man who called for an ambulance on his mobile phone a couple of weeks ago when I collapsed at a bus stop in Hastings.

I Drovet (Miss)

Tillgate Drive