Your Letters - September 28

Panel beaters

AS surely a sign of the lack of bite the police seem to have in general now, we have the perfect example in the Observer, September 21 at the top of the "In Brief" column. Here we seemingly have someone going around with a baseball bat, what I would term under the circumstances an "offensive weapon" he is also apparently observed striking parked cars and presumably damaging them.

The perpetrator is then arrested and apparently let off with the now countrywide non action offering of a "police caution".

I wonder what our "panel beater" does with his bat when he is not damaging people's cars?

In the same report we have an intrepid officer urging the public to call the police if we witness a crime, I can only ask why?

Does the police vehicle need a run out, do the officers need a break from the paperwork or does it just give them a chance to meet an offender now and then? It is certainly not to apprehend and punish an offender, so why waste our time and effort calling them at all.

Prisons are overcrowded so no places there, even the most dangerous are out on bail after an hour or two or the unlucky one may just get a community order or young offenders holiday for the more seasoned or habitual criminal.

How attractive our system of non action against criminals must look to others from Eastern Europe, is it any wonder we have a police chief recently asking for more funding to fight foreign criminals that seem to be flooding here for the rich pickings.

Let's hope that they all stick to wielding bats and nothing more dangerous. They may just risk a custodial sentence, but I doubt it.

KELLY STEWART

Duke Street.

A real PC

I'M a volunteer in a charity shop in Western Road, and something amazing happened outside our shop last Thursday afternoon (September 20).

Customers came in with smiles on their faces "did you see that?" they asked. Strangers were talking to each other and the reason for all this - a real policeman was standing on the pavement. Tall, smart and wearing a helmet - just like we used to see and not (as commented by one of our customers) "one of those lady community police about 5'2" or the wide-as-they-are-tall community policeman, who usually walk with them".

We all agreed, this was a moment to treasure as we may not see it again for some time.

BETTY HUTCHINSON

Deans Drive.

Home hazard

FURTHER to your article in the Observer of September 14, I would like to thank Mr John Fowler for his remarks at the exhibition of new development on the site of Hollenden House, proposed by the Park Lane Group.

He said "I feel sorry for the people in Rayford Court - they are going to be somewhat overshadowed by this enormous building."

I am one of those people and the majority of the residents here are quite devastated by the scale of this project, "almost like a new town" one said.

Some years ago a planning permission was granted to convert the existing buildings (a former ex-servicemen's home) to 24 flats, a quite reasonable proposal.

Now the buildings are to be flattened and the number has leapt to a new-build of 71 flats!

The traffic in Buckhurst Road is already congested, especially when parents deliver and meet their children; just imagine the noise and vast increase in cars from this, another development opposite (ie. "The Chintings"- probably another 24 flats) and McCarthy and Stone just further down the road.

There is bound to be an increased hazard to the children.

Another reason for feeling sorry is the loss of wonderful views across to Beachy Head enjoyed by many residents for several years. It is in this area that one gets spectacular sunsets; both will be marred by the three and four-storey blocks.

How can a building line be changed so dramatically? the existing spacious green area in front of the existing buildings has now been squashed to a mere five to six metres.

The character of the new building, said by the Park Lane Group to be reminiscent of naval architecture, seems to me to be quite foreign to the local area.

The article suggests that the majority of the visitors to the exhibition were in favour, but I can say there are quite a few in this area who are not!

John Abbey FRICS

Chairman,

Rayford Court (Bexhill) Management Ltd.

Rayford Court

Buckhurst Road.

Helping hand

AS a "new girl on the block", now having lived here for just over two months, and truly finding lovely Bexhill full of interesting and friendly local residents.

My quite regular visits, for a coffee and pastry, to the De La Warr Pavilion, also to listen one time to a band, then again, an art show, also the skate boarding young persons day, I'm stunned! Why? So many complaints!?

So much complaining about the De La Warr being a white elephant. How?! Let's be positive! I'll try to work it out. Everyone has a different idea of how it should be facilitated.

Personally I have noted a Big Draw (free) Day - artists, a Russian Ballet performance, also Christmas choristers, to come, ie. why could not this local newspaper have a seasonal voting system for the public, to make up and coming programmes? Maybe the De La Warr committee would appreciate such as they may have lost touch with the wonderful local supporters and communities.

VALDA WARREN

Church Street.

New attitude

THE replies to the questionnaire launched by the council about the De La Warr Pavilion will not save it from sliding even further into debt.

What is needed is a fundamental change of attitude by the Trust.

They should get advice from someone who really understands the entertainments business and go out on a limb to promote it, even if it means modifying their "pure arts" standpoint.

The council should not be misled into giving their continued financial support unless there is a complete change of attitude.

It is an absolute waste of charge-payers' money for the council to hand over in excess of 10,000 each week as they do now, for a continuation of the present arrangements.

Jack Seabrook

Richmond Avenue.

Cycle routes

I REGRET not being able, as a member of the Bexhill Cycle Forum, to attend the recent bicycle gathering at Glyne Gap. This to press for a coastal cycle route Hastings to Bexhill.

I was in Wimborne, Dorset, near Poole, the subject of a cycle route letter in the Observer recently. The whole area has excellent though routes for pedestrians and cyclists. Both shared and segregated. Also, on road by-passing congested areas, sometimes against traffic flow.

Wimborne layout is similar to Bexhill-on-Sea and I see no reason why we cannot have routes likewise.

I note local dignitaries expressed enthusiasm for cycle routes but in my experience Rother Council seem against using some of the promenade.

Where there is a route from Glyne Gap to the top of the hill there needs to be clearer highlighted segregation otherwise pedestrians cannot be expected to observe the cycle lane.

Their recycling scheme is better as well.

KEN BECKETT

Glyne Drive.

Damsel dilemma

I WOULD like to say a huge thank you to all the kind knights who came to the rescue of a damsel in distress last week.

I was reversing my car out of my drive in Peartree Lane and managed to get the front bumper caught on the grass verge outside. There I would have remained had it not been for the ingenuity of the coach driver, passengers and the landscape gardener that I had blocked, along with my neighbours, who all set to work to free my car.

My car, well my mum's car actually, was all OK, as was I once my red face had cooled down. Everyone was so kind and helpful my faith in human kindness has been totally restored.

I met some really lovely people to whom I say a big thank you. As I found out, something good can sometimes come out of something bad.

TRACEY GILBERT

Peartree Lane.

PO closures

THE reason for Post Office closures in Bexhill and elsewhere is that this is more of the E.U.'s continuing interference in the British way of life.

E.U. Directive 97/67/EC refers to the privatisation of the Post Office. Begin by closing them down, then auction them off. Result? Yet more of Britain's resources/industries/businesses being owned by foreigners, not by us. Our fisheries are all but extinct, with our quotas ruinously reduced, whilst other nations are allowed to fish our coastal waters, all but decimating the fish population.

We import most of our food, at prohibitive cost, whilst local farmers are penalised. There is much more. Where are our motor car factories? Our shipyards? Our pottery and mining industries? All but, if not actually, gone. What will it take to wake us up? The E.U. is all about robbing and enslaving the British people.

R A GOLDS (Mrs)

Maple Walk.

Rat menace

I RESPOND to Gillian Duly's letter Bexhill Observer, September 21.

Your cats bringing home rats every week, is not a coincidence, as there are rats pretty well on all parts of the world, indeed some people, and other creatures, rely on same for food.

If your rat population has increased since the fortnightly rubbish collection came into force, it is obvious that somebody is not using the specially designed bins properly, as they are rat proof. Or maybe somebody is putting food out for the birds, and it is not getting consumed during the day. Or people are over feeding their cats and other pets.

I have noticed people feeding cats and other pets outside, and quite a lot is left. It would be better if these people had proper feeding times for their animals, indoors, and when that feeding time has elapsed, to put the food in a sealed container to be given to the animals at the next feeding time. I believe that all pets should be housed, and only allowed to roam to their owners boundary.

And food should not be left out overnight for birds.

And in the wilder parts of our country, i.e. on farm land, and park land, the fox and stoat etc. would keep a natural control of such vermin. If not, the farmers and park keepers, should be equipped to deal with their part in the situation, if it gets out of hand.

If one lives in a built up area, it is certain that the rats, if in excess, are attracted to human rubbish and wastage, which I have noticed seems to be the trend these days.

JOHN CLEVERLEY

Broadlands

Hastings.

Bin sizes

WHY did our illustrious council not survey in the first place to see if we would prefer the large 240 litre or smaller 170 litre bins?

Thereby saving the old tax payer some money for a change.

I for one do not need two large bins. Are they going to allow us to change them in the very near future and will the council get money back on second hand bins?

I just love some of the clever comments on your letter pages.

MARGARET CROFT

Via email.

Conquest thanks

THANKS to the Conquest - I wish to give my sincere thanks to all the staff and ambulance people for their attention and kindness. How lucky we are to have such dedication.

Recently I had to attend this hospital and could not fault with the service given.

Such a pity more people don't take the time to respond and write to the Observer and show their appreciation.

N SCOTT

Hastings Road.

Chantry bonfires

WE have lived in the Chantry area of Bexhill for the last eight years this area has always had more than its fair share of bonfires.

It seems incredible to me that thoughtless people can pollute the atmosphere and affect everybody's lives and nothing is done about it.

I think it is fair to say that this situation is only going to get worse until legislation is altered.

This week we have suffered two all day bonfires.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED.