WHISPERING SMITH: When can we roll up at this bowl by the sea?

I was ticked off in no uncertain terms and told to await its completion before passing judgement.

Uhmm, and just when will judgement day be, I wonder? All activity on the site came to a halt about seven weeks ago, could that mean more than it being simply a weather-related problem?

WHILE on the subject of the Promenade and, admittedly, any prom can look a bit bleak during the winter months, take a look at the longest bench and you will see that it could most certainly use some TLC. Many of the carved sentiments have already become illegible due to erosion, splitting or bleaching and many others are covered in some sort of green lichen.

I would not be best pleased were I one of those who coughed up £60 for a lasting memory. Come on, whoever is responsible for the bench, don’t give the detractors of the project the satisfaction of saying: “I told you so…”

IF, like me, you are a bit puzzled by the flood protection work along the river, puzzle no longer, help is at hand. Visit the green site hut behind the popular Riverside Fish stall and meet the man who knows.

Eric is a softly-spoken, extremely patient and very affable chap and will explain all. He also has an excellent set of plans, photographs and drawings which make it much easier for us non-engineering types to understand what, exactly, is going on.

CAR TROUBLE. Proposed increases in parking fees adjacent to the Windmill will have a detrimental effect on the usage of the cinema and I would suggest the following: either they leave charges as they are, or have a service whereby actual users of the cinema can have a parking ticket validated – or allow them to buy their parking tickets at the box office when they purchase their cinema ticket, at a reduced rate,

Things are moving fast! For an update on what’s happening about the reopening of our cinema, closed now for 357 days, and the parking, see page 10 of this week’s Gazette (Thursday, February 6).