Your letters - July 18

Artistic shops

I AM sure many of your readers share the views of A. P. Hamilton regarding the number of recent shop closures in Bexhill. Such closures are a poignant and sad reflection of the current economics of running a business.

These unoccupied premises quickly start to deteriorate and shop fronts displaying bare wooden boards, brown paper, white metal grills, faded copies of the Sun newspaper or whitewashed as well as having grimey windows significantly detract from the quality and appearance of our shopping areas.

I have felt for some time that much better use could be made of these properties while, hopefully, new owners are found. Whilst it is important that the name and contact details of those trying to sell these businesses should be prominently displayed, could we not use these sites as a showcase for local artistic talent or the promotion of local worthy causes?

Our schools and colleges as well as amateur and professional artists could be invited to create murals on boards either outside or inside the premises and pictures, photographs, sculptures and other interesting objects could be displayed in the shop windows. Bexhill Museum could use such a shop to demonstrate how their development project is proceeding and Friends of Egerton Park could display their plans for the regeneration of the Park.

Other local groups and societies could explain their interests and work to encourage new members etc. No doubt there would be issues of costs, access, ownership, security, insurance, fire regulations etc but surely these are not insurmountable in exchange for an improvement in the quality of our local community.

PAUL WRIGHT

West Parade

Rubbish policy

I HAVE recently read in a national newspaper, that district councils are beginning to cry to the government about soaring fuel prices.

High petrol prices are meaning that their rubbish collections are now costing more. No doubt, Rother Council will soon follow suit as they are always looking for ways to put up council tax while providing less service for it's taxpayers. Let's go to the ever popular "Green Issue". In years past, I used to put out all my rubbish every week. It didn't matter what it was. Twenty or 30 black bags plus the odd mattress, and the bin men took it all away. And they would get a good tip at Christmas for being so obliging.

Then, Rother District Council, in their infinite wisdom, decided that my and everyone else's rubbish shouldn't have four trash trucks per month to take everything away; but run six rubbish trucks per month - with the right to refuse picking up any rubbish that was "contaminated" with the wrong recyclable - such as bottle caps left on the bottles. I have had three bins not collected without even receiving the courtesy of a naughty sticker.

Before recycling was popular: All my rubbish was collected weekly, everything! The trash truck came around four times a month, I rarely drove to the tip and my bin men received a nice tip at Christmas.

Since recycling, the trash truck comes around six times a month, they won't take everything, I drive to the tip three or four times a month and my bin men don't get a tip. I fail to see how the carbon footprint is being reduced by recycling.

But, I am told, this saves the planet and makes me a better human being. My reward? My taxes are going through my un-solar powered roof!

R. Harris

South Cliff

Waste reward

WHAT an ingenious plan by the Tories to provide us with financial vouchers (could I trade mine in at Marks and Spencer's please?) as a reward for doing our recycling. How will Rother's Town Hall manage to sort this one out? Especially after your recent story about the hundreds of green wheelie bins (including mine) sitting dormant when we could be recycling our garden waste alongside the already meagre provision for recycling undertaken in our area.

Let us all calculate how much recycling we could have done if this incompetent Tory-controlled Council had from the start (like neighbouring Wealden) taken up Government-funded incentives to do a proper scheme and allowed local residents to do what they wanted to do all along rather than Rother's half-baked idea, presently falling apart around all our local houses and streets.

Perhaps too, those of us who do recycle now could have a retrospective payment (like they want for car tax duty to polluting cars) if the Tories are in Government or is their policy only to reward those who do nothing now but like the chance of a quick buck in the future?

What a great way to save the planet and encourage future generations that waste is a problem for all of us not just those willing to get paid to dispose of it.

Philipa Coughlan

Gordon Place

Cooden caravans

I STILL cannot believe after all this time that caravans are still parked up on the beach at Herbrand Walk next to the fishing huts. What a mess they have made with black bags of rubbish piled up all around them, broken wood, and furniture littering the beach and dogs mess here and there. Before long there will be rats running around. I suppose they empty their toilet into the sea or bury it under the stones.

It's getting beyond a joke. The council seem to turn a blind eye. They should go along and see for themselves the mess these people are making. I think they should be made to pay like we have to or fine them for parking there. Something should be done before more come along and take up residence.

What must the holiday-makers think, and the people that go jet skiing and the fishermen. I wouldn't want to swim in the sea in case the water is polluted with all their waste. The council should get off their back side and do something.

I notice that down further people have been fly-tipping lots of furniture and it's more mess for the farmer or the council to clean up. So come on, council, do something before it becomes a health hazard.

S. DANN (Mrs)

Watermill Close

Birds' demise

YOUR recent front page article on several dead birds being found on roof tops of Bexhill buildings took little account of the vast number of seagulls and pigeons scavenging in the seafront and town area. There is a natural demise of a percentage of the local bird population and roof tops would be a natural refuge for sick birds.

Seagulls in seaside town areas frequently abandon their natural habitat of cliffs and seafood for the easier life of roosting on urban buildings and scavenging on domestic refuse thereby forfeiting their right to be regarded as wildlife to that of being regarded as vermin with all the problems which that entails.

For householders living near to the coast, seagulls (also pigeons) cause immense damage to building decoration, roofs and guttering. In order to minimize building damage and the daily disgusting task of cleaning the bird droppings, some buildings have been fitted with bird deterrent devices the cost of which is regarded as balanced by the cost saved in reducing the restoration needed for bird damaged buildings.

Recently Bexhill Marina witnessed an RSPCA vehicle and staff, two large fire brigade vehicles, one fitted with a telescopic lift cradle holding two firemen with other firemen on the ground manning the vehicles, recovering a sick bird from a building's roof (the bird was said to have subsequently died). Just what are the authorities doing in incurring this absurd squandering of public money and putting at risk the health and safety of two firemen when a powerful airgun would have sufficed to save any suffering.

Rother DC should consider periodic culling of seagulls and pigeons and/or the introduction of a colony of some form of predatory bird eg. sparrowhawk.

A. MILES

Marina

Bright hubs

WHAT on earth has your newspaper (and all those snobby councillors) got against fast food?

In my view 1066 Marketing is bang on the ball on this one: Bexhill is a goldmine for those of us who hanker after a variety of quick cheap nourishment at odd times around the clock and, let's face it, the town centre would be completely devoid of anything approaching human life in the evenings without these bright hubs of social life.

We had a similar appalled outcry from the same quarters some time ago when it was proposed to let a part of the Pavilion to Wetherspoons. The massed forces of local conservatism managed to kybosh that proposal, more or less directly leading to the present situation when the Pavilion now seems to be open on only three evenings a month (in the summer).

Why not celebrate our local richness of fast food outlets this time? Or are we still locked into the same chain of food snobbery as before?

JONATHON TURK

Cooden Drive

Choir joy

I FELT compelled to share the pure joy of Sunday's performance by the London Adventist Choir, a most beautiful and moving culmination to a thoroughly enjoyable Festival of Music programme (and this from a complete non-believer!).

I think I'd expected "happy gospel" whereas what we were treated to were haunting and elegiac harmonies, as well as more upbeat arrangements, that combined for a performance we didn't want to see finish.

I feel privileged over the past ten days to have had the opportunity to enjoy such diverse musical styles as the luscious Puppini Sisters, the fine London Mozart Players and, of course, the Choir.

Not everything in the DLWP programme is to my "taste," nor should it be. But what it does do is offer all of us residents is the opportunity for fantastic new experiences

C. Hirst (Mrs)

Amherst Road

Station ramps

I AM encouraged '“ indeed given somewhat of a lift '“ by the number of your readers who have contacted me following my recent letter, with a variety of alternative suggestions to tackle the vexing problem of elderly people coping with the Himalayan access ramps at Bexhill station.

In addition to the most convenient but costly lifts, escalators are an obvious, but alas, I presume an equally budget-busting solution.

Two ingenious and well-travelled folk suggested a basket and pulley installation similar to those in Greek or Turk monasteries to hoist up heavy baggage from platform to station level, while one imaginative and philhanthropic resident put forward the intriguing and enchanting idea of housing a willing team of Nepali porters, trained almost from birth to cope with loads, in the empty station accommodation.

This, although utopic, would go some way to compensating Britain's recent shameful pension treatment of its faithful Gurkha soldiers.

I loved the old station hand who wrote to you with an amazing false memory recall of the main station as once actually being sited in Devonshire Square and the present one only being built in the Twenties.

As you correctly pointed out from the "Observer" archives, it has unfortunately always been where it is, and that since l902. The reason for the length of the platforms is in fact because trains in those early days were always far longer than they are now and had locomotives at the front end.

Michael Green

Marina Arcade

The station built in 1902 replaced the original station which faced Devonshire Square - then called Station Square. Ed.

High culture

MR DAVE Walsh seems to be labouring under a strange misconception about the DLWP - he seems to think that the Pavilion should be open at times convenient to the local population!

Surely, he must realise by now that locals are only to be allowed access to this temple of high culture at times convenient to the DLWP hierarchy?

ANGIE YEANDLE

De La Warr Road

Post wait

Re: D. A. Bowles' letter, Observer, July 11

SADLY no - 14min 35 sec is not a record for Bexhill post office. I have queued for well over 20 minutes which would have been much longer had not so many people in front of me walked out in disgust, since the closure of the sub post offices of course, this is a regular occurrence.

MRS COOK

Albany Road

Festival thanks

AFTER a lively and delightful ten days, we would like to thank the artists, the musicians, the sponsors and, in particular, the young people of Bexhill for making the Bexhill Festival of Music 2008 such a success.

Now firmly placed in the Bexhill calendar of events, this Festival of keeping it "live and local" saw an invaluable contribution from Bexhill's young people.

Whether they were primary, secondary or college students, performing in choirs, bands, orchestras or as solo artists, whether in the auditorium or in the caf '“ they all gave their best, demonstrating once again the diversity of their talent. Many of these performances were organised and delivered by our Festival partners the East Sussex Music Service and the Bexhill Schools' Consortium as well as singers from the Royal Opera House who worked with a group of primary school children in a workshop based on the opera "Carmen".

Thank you also to the photography students at Bexhill College for recording the event on film and video as a lasting memory of the Festival.

Alongside local talent, the Pavilion was alive with the sound of music from The Puppini Sisters, the London Mozart Players, The London Adventist Choir and the BBC Big Band.

We would like to thank the people of Bexhill who came to support these concerts and who so impressed Julian Lloyd-Webber that he agreed to become the Festival's first Patron.

We look forward to seeing you all again at next year's Festival.

Tony Mansi & Alan Haydon

Chairman, Director, De La Warr Pavilion

Bexhill Festival of Music

Achievers award 1

MAY I say thank you on behalf of Mrs Jill Halsall, chairman of the Bexhill Voluntary Day Centres for the Elderly, to the committee who awarded the group (Achievers of the Year) in their particular section. Jill was unfortunately away on holiday that evening.

To be given this award was an honour shared by Jill and the six centres and much appreciated by organisers, helpers, cooks and drivers, who work week by week to provide companionship, friendship, interests and outings for many lonely, bereaved and often disabled elderly.

Drs Irvine, Pennyfather and their committee, not forgetting dear Nan Wilding, who started the first centre, would have been delighted to know how their original inspiration like "Topsy" had grown over 35 years, long may the work continue.

Should any Observer readers be interested in volunteering, do get in touch with Jill Halsall, phone 842425.

FLORA E. HOLT

Collington Avenue

Achievers award 2

IT was so nice to see our local pet shop Cats Whiskers / Paws-A-While get an Achievers award.

I feel as a pet owner they well deserved it. I have found not only the owners Hayley and Larry but all of the staff are always very pleasant and they will do anything to help.

I am the owner of very tiny Yorkshire terriers and they have gone out of their way to have coats and collars etc made to measure when I have been unable to buy them small enough.

They have delivered to me out of hours when I had a very sick dog and went out of their way to go back to their shop to collect something for a new puppy that had arrived, how many shops would give such service free of charge!

I have also used their doggy creche which my dogs have enjoyed so much they can't wait to go back. They get lots of walks and cuddles what more could they want. I wish you all the best and thank you all sincerely for all your kindness.

JULIE PAINTER

Kites Nest Walk

Meadow threat

EVERYONE has heard of the destruction of the rain forests, well on a smaller scale we have the destruction of the glorious grassy meadows of Broad Oak Park.

Every summer, when our grandchildren were growing up, we went with butterfly nets and caught Meadow Brown and Chalk Hill Blue butterflies and grasshoppers.

It was a natural history paradise for children to wander in. Now it is a desert of dust and dead yellow grass.

Do the authorities that manage the Park take advice when to mow the grass? Do they know that in July and August the meadows are full of creatures? Do they even know there are at least two types of wild orchid growing there?

It breaks my heart to see such unnecessary destruction when a few years ago the meadows were mown much later in the year. Could they please revert to that practice.

JANICE YOUNG

Downlands Close

Homecall appreciation

I WOULD like to express my sincere and grateful thanks to Bexhill Rotary Club for staging their sixth Community Charity Walk on June 8.

This well-organised and hugely successful event enables organisations to raise funds for themselves and on this occasion Homecall has raised a magnificent 1,822.90.

Through the Bexhill Observer, I would also like to thank everyone who took part in the event and all those who supported the walkers so generously.

This further boost to our funds at this crucial time is wonderful and I am immensely encouraged by the support the community of Bexhill has shown for Homecall over the last three months.

Very many thanks to you all.

Jenny Private

Peartree Lane