Your letters April 27

Affluent town? IT gives me no great pleasure to write this letter as my wife and I greatly enjoy living in Bexhill and wish the town well for the future. However, I must put the record straight with regards to much of the content of the letters written last week by Jerry Robinson and Stephen Holliday. We have been based in Bexhill since 1980. During that period there has been a continuous closing down of the town's quality shops, until today when only three or four remain open. Most have been replaced by charity outlets, a sign of prosperity? If property investors and businesses are flocking into Bexhill as Jerry Robinson states, why are so many shops empty at any one time in the town centre? In fact last year we also read that businesses were "flocking in." Where are they now? The De La Warr Pavilion "attracts thousands upon thousands every year to the town", does it? If the numbers are correct the visitors certainly do not spend much of their money at the Pavilion or indeed in the town. Last year's trading figures prove that even with a 500,000 subsidy from local tax payers the Pavilion still made a loss. For the record, the latest survey of visitors to the town shows that staying visitors spent 27 per person per day whilst daily visitors spent 9, compared with figures for all resorts of 51 and 20 respectively. Unfortunately for Bexhill's economy the second most popular attraction after the Pavilion for these visitors was Hastings Castle! Regarding the so-called affluence of Bexhill's residents, they certainly are not using that wealth to keep the town's shops open and have not done so for 27 years at least. If Jerry Robinson had studied the situation more carefully he would have found a rather different picture of Bexhill. Far from affluence, several areas of the town suffer deprivation, some severe, with three wards figuring amongst the most deprived areas of the country. Many of the 35 per cent of the population over pensionable age (nearly double the national average) are struggling financially, with rising council tax and utility costs and have little cash to spare after essential expenses have been met. RDC is working hard to re-generate the town and all credit must be given to them and we all hope that their good work continues. I wish Jerry Robinson and Stephen Holliday every success with their new ventures, the town certainly needs them to succeed if the decline of Bexhill is to cease. But please, no more spin. JOHN BETTS Eden Drive. Link curse? PETER Webb writes eloquently about the need for a local bypass. He is quite right in this, of course, but I fear that in his projected reasoning may be falling into danger of supporting the appallingly misnamed Bexhill-Hastings Link Road. This horrendous proposal, for which I now see the Conservatives are claiming credit in their recently published pamphlets, does not link Bexhill to Hastings at all. It is a quarter-baked hotch-potch connecting the A259 main coast road in central Bexhill to an accident black spot in the middle of nowhere. There have already been several fatal accidents in the targeted Queensway section of outer St Leonards and the situation will only get significantly worse with the presence of the A259 additional traffic. The real reason for this disaster in prospect is, of course, to find some way - however badly founded - to allow the release of the North Bexhill development area to the market and so crop more local taxation for our short-sighted and cash-hungry local councils. The original, and properly planned, access to this development land was via the Bexhill-Hastings By-pass which was itself part of the South Coast (Folkestone-Honiton) Trunk Road. This scheme has been on the table for some 30 years or more and was prominent in many major local planning decisions - whether for housing or otherwise. For example, anyone who has wondered why on earth the Conquest Hospital was sited in such an inaccessible place over 20 years ago can only despair that its planning rested on such fragile - as it turned out - highway proposals. The tragedy is all the more acute since the lost Pevensey to East Rye section of the proposed South Coast Trunk Road is the only main incomplete section of the whole run. If it had been built, or if it still were, there would be greatly improved local traffic connections to Europe and to the rapidly improving East Kent development areas. Maybe, as Peter Webb muses, there really is a curse on this part of East Sussex. DOUGLAS COPEMAN Bexhill. Election subject JUDGING by the constant letters appearing in your paper it appears that the subject of the De La Warr Pavilion is still causing much concern and this subject should be discussed at the forthcoming elections. Once known as 'The People's Palace' and the 'Centre of Life' in the Bexhill Community, the Pavilion appears almost lifeless. The building was restored at great cost to a national charity and with the approval of the council. However the people of Bexhill are still feeling a great sense of loss and unable to make contact with the new Pavilion Trust. Surely there should be more contact with the people of Bexhill who were in the habit of visiting the building on a regular basis. Shows were popular, as were meals at an affordable price, taken regularly. Flags were flying and exhibitions on show in the Great Hall on national and international days. We have many voluntary associations in Bexhill, and a greater use of the Pavilion should guarantee a more equable financial situation and popularise the building as a Centre of the Arts. E A HUMPAGE (Mrs) Cranfield Road. Tesco tactics TWO and a three quarter cheers to planning supremo Frank Rallings for reminding vote-hungry local councillors that popular but longshot planning battles can end up costing Rother taxpayers plenty on appeal. Especially against monsters like Tesco who can and will throw any amount of money and expertise into winnable battles. Why then not the full three cheers? Mainly because there were reports that some hungry looking people with Tesco briefcases were observed sizing up the De La Warr Pavilion recently. It's what Ken Dodd always said it looked like after all! A K BASSETT Maple Walk. Cooden Drive. Danger man YET another car burnt out on the Old Town car park. I don't know who the young man in the white coat is, but it's time he was caught before he progresses to other things. He is a very dangerous person and needs to be put away for a very long time. It's no good these social workers saying that these people are misunderstood, had a difficult childhood etc, it doesn't hold water, there are lots of people like that around but they don't set fire to things. If anyone is in any doubt, ask my niece's children who had to listen to their mother's screams as she was burnt alive by one of these so called misunderstood people. H R LLOYD-JONES De La Warr Road. Worrying sign THE week commencing Monday, April 16 was a good week for me. I won two raffle prizes, also received a large Easter egg from my day centre, I won 10 on the lottery and also won a little money from the Grand National race, having backed the winner. Then things went pear shaped. I had an appointment at the Bexhill Hospital, commenced my journey to the hospital, only to find the road closed completely. Diversion signs to the hospital were in place, which involved a fair distance to travel. Halfway along the diverted route, and as far as London Road, one sign remained, after that, you were on your own. Not knowing Bexhill too much, as I am a Surrey man, I never did reach the hospital, my appointment missed. Whoever signed the route either ran out of signs, or lost their maps. I'm sure that if the AA had been tasked to sign the route, I would have had my examination, now I have got to wait another few weeks. LEONARD C GILHARD De La Warr Road. Read on ON Tuesday, April 10, the Little Common Community Centre Library held an 'open day' which was well attended and once again turned out to be an enjoyable social occasion. Our thanks to the Observer for the publicity and to the Town Mayor, Cllr Armstrong, who again gave us his support. He also kindly agreed to present a clock donated by the Little Common Library to Mrs Y Pearson in memory of her husband, Percy, who was the first chairman - the clock is to be sited in the library. The success of such an event depends a great deal on the work of many people and the committee wishes to send them their grateful thanks. The event raised 536.36p so a special 'thank you' to those who patronised the stalls. The Library's running costs are over 1000 pa so those who were unable to attend and wish to contribute your cheques are always welcome. Enjoy your reading.. D W WOOLLER On behalf of the Library Committee. Pavilion future THE Bexhill Observer has carried a fascinating correspondence about what to do with the Pavilion once the current chapter of horrors (the "DLWP Follies") has drawn to a close. While the varied suggestions have considerable local merit, I worry that they are all only locally focussed and do not really address the main underlying problem of funding. As I read the situation, the present DLWP juggernaut will rumble creakily on for a few more years (say three to five) before a combination of artistic sterility and accumulated losses will become too embarrassing to ignore - even for the Arts Council of England (which, I see, now carries the hilariously inappropriate acronym of ACE). By that time, if God is indeed alive and still in Heaven, we should have a big majority Tory government and a local MP not only hungry for signature causes but also elevated to ministerial rank in charge of something exciting like Culture and/or Saving the Planet. 'Old Tory' virtues of enterprise and initiative will be on the front burner again and all other bets - 'metrosexual' or otherwise - will be off. And betting is actually how I see the future. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Pavilion would make a marvellous top-range casino. Conversion costs would be not inconsiderable but we have Greg Barker as a trump card in this regard. With his ready access to Big Money and High Rollers, this could be an unrivalled opportunity for Greg to display his entrepreneurial talents for the benefit of the town as well as the big project to make his name as a constituency MP. We must anticipate that a degree of re-branding will be required - it will be hard to hang on to the De La Warr name - and we must of course expect to provide premium accommodation for the rich patrons. In this context it is indeed fortunate that Metropole Green remains available at close hand for redevelopment as a 5-star hotel, and who in all honesty would ever mourn the loss of the Crazy Golf eyesore? And why on earth did SeaScape not come up with such an enterprising idea? JOHN PARKER Bexhill Road Ninfield. Lost way YET more and more letters concerning the DLWP. Mr Henderson is correct, 10m down the tubes' and let's face it, nothing to show for it , either. Don't be fooled by the DLWP or anyone wanting to hear your opinions on what should happen with the building or what goes on there. It's a joke. They will take no notice of your ideas. This is not the first time ideas have been asked for in Bexhill. The DLWP lost its way years ago and cannot move forward because it resides in a town that refuses to accept the changing world within which we live. 'Change' is a foreign word in Bexhill. Michael Breally is completely correct in stating that the 'DLWP is not run for the local populace', but then again I don't think the management have known for years who or for what the place is run. And now they want your ideas, which they will, as usual, ignore, especially if you happen to be below 65 years of age with a little get up and go and a few ideas to make the place popular and used to its abilities. GRAHAM BARKER Priory Road Hastings. Missing path I NOTE Cllr Gadd's letter (April 20) supporting the campaign to control speeding traffic in Peartree Lane. Unfortunately, most of this traffic continues to speed in Cooden Sea Road, where there is a 150 metre stretch between the junctions with Maple Avenue and Withyham Road with no footpath. This glaring deficiency was drawn to the attention of ESCC in 1995 in correspondence supported by a petition of over 600 signatories, when it was confirmed in writing to the late Cllr Bill Clements and myself that the scheme would be included in a "priority list" of similar schemes across the county. I was recently informed that the estimated date for completion is now 2011! Whilst traffic improvement schemes in Little Common and Peartree Lane are both worthy causes, I am interested to enlist some local support for the urgent implementation of the council's 1995 pledge. Until this footpath is completed, residents wishing to visit the beach, the station, the hotel or the golf club on foot will continue to run the gauntlet of speeding traffic when walking in the carriageway of the B2128. J HODSON Cooden Sea Road. Conquest experience MY name is Sue and I live in Australia having left England 30 years ago. I have just finished a telephone call to my mother who lives in Bexhill and she read me the headlines from The Observer. My heart goes out to Marion Ham on the death of her husband, David at the Conquest Hospital. My last visit to England was last year to visit my dear father who spent his last three months in the Conquest Hospital from November 2005 to February 2006. We were not expecting him to die. Of course he was ill. That was why he was in hospital. I just wonder if we should have spoken up earlier and, if so, would it have prevented any other deaths? I doubt it. I will keep this brief. My father had a cancer in the colon removed in mid December 2005. He had been in hospital since mid November 2005. He was fine after the operation. Not long after surgery he contracted c-diff (clostridium difficile) and was moved to a private ward. We had to take precautions when visiting him: apron and gloves and washing our hands with a special solution upon entering the ward and again before entering or leaving his room which we did religiously. Also changing gloves and apron when leaving his room to see the nurses whose station was just outside his room. The staff were very sympathetic and caring. My dear old dad also picked up MRSA despite our precautions. (We found this out by a slip of the tongue from one of those caring for him - I don't think we would have been informed but for her mistake). Could one reason be that the people who brought him his food did not bother to take precautions? More alarmingly, the people who changed his water jug just walked into the room, took his water jug and cup holder and threw them in with all the other jugs they had collected and brought him a refilled jug about one hour later. Where did his water jugs end up? - on the tables of some poor unsuspecting patients on another ward I suspect. I feel I should also address the issue of my father's death certificate. The coroner apparently said that he would only sign the Death Certificate if the family agreed to what was written on it! Read that to mean NOT mentioning anything about Clostridium difficile or MRSA!! I find this astonishing. Since I was about to be on my way home and back to work in Australia my mother thought it would have taken too long to arrange an autopsy and then a funeral. My father's death, therefore, has not been taken into account for statistics for those dying with these two bugs. It would be interesting to find out how may others have died with either of these bugs and not have it mentioned on their death certificates. Although my father was ill I firmly believe that it was these two bugs which killed him off - or perhaps I could say that what completely finished him off was when they not only took his feed tube out the day I left England, but also the drip to keep him hydrated. He was dead four days later. I would suggest that there is an opportunity for a new small business in England - a pack containing rubber gloves, some bleach and a washcloth for those unfortunate enough to have to enter a hospital so they can clean everything before they touch it. How much to charge? What price do you put on a life? SUE LAWRENCE Victoria, Australia. Bowls greens Re: Gullivers Green Space If Gullivers Bowls Club Board Member Mr James Saunders (What battle? Bexhill Observer 20 April) had knowledge of his club's history or even looked at the club's wall boards honouring past club presidents, he would have observed a founder member H.P.W. (Percy) Webber, my grandfather who was president in the early years following Charles Gulliver. As a young girl I recall with much pride my many visits to Gullivers Bowls Club during the time of his participation in the Club's full programme of activities with play on both outdoor greens. I'm also sorry that as a Board Member, Mr Saunders is unaware of the formal and informal contact that has occurred between GAG committee members and those representing the Board of Gullivers since 2003. The last meeting was held in the clubhouse on October 23 last. The GAG-Gullivers contact has always been pragmatic, endeavouring to establish ways in which to assist the club to maintain its sporting activity without the destruction of East Bexhill's long-established open space. At one point, not so long ago, more than 80 of GAG's members, living in the immediate community adjacent to Gullivers became members of the club. They joined mainly as social members to assist the club's finances. It is to be regretted Gullivers did nothing at the time to further develop that community relationship and assistance. The meetings between the senior representatives of Gullivers and GAG and the actual demonstrated support of GAG and the community more accurately demonstrates the relationship that GAG and the community has endeavoured to foster with Gullivers Bowls Club and its members. At all times GAG has maintained a positive and practical approach - certainly not combative or hysterical as Mr Saunders has implied. Perhaps Mr Saunders has overlooked the three and four-storey flat complex that Gullivers-Churchills have proposed for the bowling club site; a proposal which is completely at odds with his contention that: "we have and shall continue to refrain from supporting any proposal or action that could in any way tarnish or compromise the appearance of the vicinity of our site." The proposal also includes additional surfaced car parking space - simply because 99.9 per cent of the club's members are not resident in the community within which Gullivers green space is situated. Christine A. Madeley Chairman, GAG Cantelupe Road. Pavilion piano I am pleased that one of your readers has raised the issue of Pavilion piano. The Friends of the DLWP have started a small group with the intention of raising money and the profile of various projects directly linked to the Pavilion. The first of these projects will look into re-instating a concert grand piano. For your readers' information the piano, a Steinway, was found to be in fairly poor condition before the Pavilion closed for refurbishment. During the restoration of the building, the piano was sent to Steinway to be restored. The Trust was advised that the piano had very little value and needed 40,000 worth of work on it. Even so, the value of the restored piano would not reflect the money spent on its repair. The Pavilion asked the restorers to keep the piano in storage until a decision could be taken as to what to do with it '“ should it be restored, or should a new one be bought? A brand new one would cost 65 '“ 70,000 . The Friends are currently considering these, and other fundraising options. We hope that the community will actively support us in this project. Felicity Truscott Friend of the De La Warr Pavilion Channel View. Lola's return We would like to say a big thank you to all the Sidley residents who help in the search for Lola, a 20-week-old African Grey, on Monday, April 16. There was so many of you up on roofs, calling her up alley ways and getting stiff necks from looking up in trees and roof tops. we apologise for not being able to thank you all personally but there was so many of you and the day was such a blur. You all don't know what it meant to us as she is a very special bird to us and even though she has only been with us for eight weeks she has made a real impact on our family life and we love her dearly. For those of you who do not know, she was located in the evening on the roof of the flats in Preston Road. One of us stayed with her all night as she settled down for the night and was not moving anywhere. She flew down to one of us at 7am, which was a great relief as we did not have a clue how to get her down. She is doing well after her big adventure and is back to causing havoc again. We really cannot thank you all enough, but please just keep an eye out for Frankie, the African grey from Cooden, as we can fully relate to what that family is going through. Thank you, Sidley residents! The Tidd family Suffolk Road. Excellent care UNTIL recently my mother was in Aaron Manor Care Home in Bexhill; she was there for 15 months. She is now 93 years of age, and like to many elderly people she has limited mobility and uses a Zimmer frame. Most rooms are on the ground floor, so much easier for the residents. The care home is clean, warm and comfortable and she has been very happy there. I wish to thank all the staff at Aaron Manor Care Home for their wonderful care, for their kindness, good humour, even on the most difficult days, and mostly for the respect shown to all residents. My mother is no longer able to stand, so has now gone to a care home in St. Leonards, as her needs are more specialised. Thank you, Aaron Manor. CAROL SOUTHGATE (Mrs) Sherfield-on-Loddon, Hants. Hungry bats Your correspondent, Neil Chalmers, who wrote to you about the bats he saw flying around the illuminated Colonnade cupolas, signed off in 'a marginally bemused state'. In fact, I fear that he was more bemused than he realised. It would seem, since he can apparently distinguish pipistrelles from our other British bat species from some distance, that he must know something about bats. In which case, he must have forgotten that they have very poor eyesight, and are unlikely to have noticed the lighting effect at all. It seems to me far more likely that the lights would attract moths, and the bats would be there because they've discovered it's a good place to go for food. Far from confusing them, whoever installed the multi-coloured light show was actually doing the bats a good turn. Dennis Chanter The Covert. Problem cats HOW I sympathise with Mr Paul Campbell about cats (Letters, April 13). I am plagued by them - their sole intent seems to be to kill as many birds as possible. Also, they foul gardens - never their own, of course. It is a pity one can't legally act to dispose of these pests which invade our gardens. P. Brown Downs View Ninfield. So generous PLEASE would you find space in your columns to thank the public for their generous donations to the recent collection for Guide Dogs for the Blind, which took place outside Sainbury's stores. The final total was 937.96, for which the chairman and committee are most grateful. May I also draw attention to the forthcoming Sponsored Dog Walk along Bexhill seafront on Sunday, May 20 at 3pm. Further information may be obtained from N. Lockwood on 01580 882204. L. YEARDSLEY (Hon. secretary) Guide Dogs for the Blind. Church buildings I AM not a religious person by a long chalk (in fact, just the opposite). However, that doesn't mean I can't appreciate, and respect, the loving care, the two United Reformed churches in Bexhill, have received over the years, one in Cantelupe Road and the other at the junction of London/Victoria Road, this the St Johns Church, also has a fine large village hall. It's a joy to see the mothers and toddlers groups going in there, and many other events organised by hardworking volunteers. It's such a solid building, made to last, but now it's to be dragged down (I bet it won't give up without a fight!) Some years back there was a loss of our fine historic police station in Cantelupe Road (this to give Bexhill a better service against crime, with a modern more central station). That's OK, if you can go there when it's open. Then the old school in Reginald Road was demolished (complete with air raid shelters) to build flats for people who, for one reason or another, required safe and secure homes ... well - there we go! JOYCE HUMPHREY Reginald Road. Bunny money A BIG thank you to all the team for their hard work and to all the people who came to support us at our coffee morning. We raised 172.98. SUE HORSMAN Cuddle Bunny Team Leader, Buxton Drive. He's dead I wonder what it is like To be dead, When ideas and thoughts no longer buzz In the head, When the heart stops beating and the spirit Has fled, And the blood round the body no longer Pulses red, When the books you have loved have All been read, And the discourse on their themes has All been said, And you lie as stiff as a board and cold In bed, With those standing round whisperly saying Ah he's dead! Then more loudly remarking with an inkling Of dread We do hope his bank balance is not In the red! R V WHITLOCK (Dr) Knole Road.