Your Letters - August 15

British is not best

SO the East Sussex Hospital Trust has not decided that BRITISH is Best?

If they had any knowledge of Time Motion Study they may have changed their mind and devoted time and money to needful things. P.M. study shows that present operation is 1 + 1 = 2, proposed operation will be 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 7. Not very surprising that without reducing present hospital service they will be digging themselves deeper in debt due to payment to two bodies. My advice is you have staff with a 98/99% efficiency, you should appreciate their labour. It's a pity that the Trust members do not give as much.

V. J. BOYD-VANDELEUR

Norfolk Close

Communicating

I WAS most interested to read that our wonderful council is almost certain (you can bet on it) to appoint two "Communications Officers," presumably at the cost to local taxpayers of 100,000 per annum for the pair of them.

Should we be grateful for this move?

I doubt it, personally it slaps of the council having too much of our money already.

All I can say is that if this is the remuneration paid to these people what must the salaries be at the top of the Town Hall tree?

Let's hope (in vain probably) that the 100 grand "communications" duo will have better "hearing" than Rother has shown up until now and that they may actually listen to the rumbles of discontent among its poorly represented and poorly served people who, it should be remembered, but sadly not, that we pay their exorbitant salaries now and for what?

The money surely would be better spent on more police patrolling on foot the vandal-stricken areas that we have. That might just save Sussex Police Authority needing even more of our Council Tax next year!

There you are, money where its really needed, are you listening Rother?

Sorry, I forgot you have not got the "communications officers" yet.

DEREK STOCKER

Duke Street

Madness politics

Re: Sea Front Regeneration

TO suggest that we have retail outlets on the seafront is the politics of madness, we have many empty shops already in the town.

The rowing club should be addressed urgently. I did not row in my younger days but I have many friends who did and are still working for the benefit of the club.

The recent successes of the club has put the name of this town on the map. All along the Sussex coast thousands of our young people (not forgetting the veterans) have benefited from the sport.

I am sure that many residents will support me in saying that the money to redevelop this club should be found so that it can grow and flourish. After all isn't a sailing club and a rowing club part of any normal seaside town.

R. SANDERSON

Top Cross Road

Chantry thanks

ON behalf of Chantry Community Primary School Bexhill, I would like to thank the following businesses who very kindly donated prizes for the raffle at our summer fair. The fair was a great success which is partly due to the generosity of the following traders and companies:

Druisillas Zoo Park; The Cooden Beach Hotel; Bexhill Leisure Pool; Yesterdays World - Battle; The Cafe Belge; De La Warr Pavilion; Shaws Butchers in Western Road; W.H. Smiths; Sainsburys; Wards Outfitters; Tesco; Devonshire Park Theatre - Eastbourne; The White Rock Theatre - Hastings; Trattoria Italiana Restaurant; Knockhatch Adventure Park; Middle Farm - Firle, Lewes; Kent & East Sussex Railway; Wilderness Woods and Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway.

Many thanks.

GONDA BOREHAM

Chantry School PTA

No cardboard

WITH regard to this week's letter's page, yes the recycling centre at Ravenside is opposite Wickes but there is no facility there for recycling cardboard. This is the point your correspondent was trying to make. The paper recycling bin is clearly marked 'No cardboard'.

KAREN SMITH

School Place

Many thanks

THROUGH your paper I would like to say a big Thank You to the kind, thoughtful and honest person, who saw my daughter's pushchair on the kerbside two weeks ago in a road off Buckhurst Road near the school. It was put in a garden, in the dry overnight. Thank you whoever you are from a very grateful mother/granny.

MRS M. BELCHER

Address supplied

Offence committed

REGARDING the article on page 28 of today's (August 8) Bexhill Observer, Tesco do not, despite the spokesman's claim, follow "best practice" regarding deliveries.

As there is no "dropped Kerb" at the Collington Mansions site it is illegal for their delivery vehicles to drive over the pavement to get to their delivery area.

Every delivery driver that drives over the pavement here is committing an offence under Section 184 of the Highways Act 1980.

GRAHAM MARTIN-ROYLE

Dalehurst Road

MPs - insulting

AS a pensioner, can I claim additional expenses, to be able to live a comfortable life, or do I have to be an elected MP? The recent published statement of our MP's expenses of 21,000 for three months does seem to be rather insulting to a lot of families who have to live on a lot less than this for a whole year.

The phase 'snouts in the trough' comes to mind.

J. TOLLETT

Bidwell Avenue

Can't recycle

PERHAPS a more appropriate response to Mr Trimby's query as to where the cardboard recycling facility is on Ravenside would have been to agree with the point that he was correctly making i.e. that there is none.

Mr Trimby's comment does lead the reader to query the accuracy of Mr Caunter's assertions since, as we all know, there are a large number of wrappings, not to mention items of food waste which, however much we would like to do so, we are unable to recycle.

JOHN BENNETT

Ridgewood Gardens

Cruiser thanks

ON behalf of the 1066cruisers.com, I would like to thank, everyone for turning out on a damp overcast day to attend our show and help to raise funds for Sussex Air Ambulance, Demelza house and The Agape Trust, without their continued support we wouldn't be able to help these worthy charities, also, a BIG thank you to club members, friends and families, Catsfield fete committee for the dedicated support and greatly appreciated help, before, during and after the show.

See you all next year.

KIM FREEMAN

(Chairman) 1066 Cruisers Rod & Custom Car Club

Chin up Alfie

Letter to 'Alfie'', Letters, Bexhill Observer, August 1

I DO hope you're feeling better now, after what that horrid, horrid dog did to you.

Please don't be too frightened to come out to play.

If I see you around, I will play with you.

I am a tan and white Jack X Beagle and very brave. I will look after you.

I'm eight-years-old, but I'm still active as a puppy, so my mum calls me Peter Pan. I'll never grow old.

Keep your chin up Alfie.

'SUSIE'

c/o JOYCE AUBREY

Gloucester Avenue

What was forecast

COULD we please see the estimated rents which would be obtained from any new development by the council on the sea shore area?

What is the income from the Pavilion development? What was forecast?

G. ARMSTRONG

Cantelupe Road

We're dreamers

LENGTH can indeed sometimes be important, so it was helpful of Marina's Norman Churcher (your issue of August 1st) to remind us that the impressive and now superfluous measurements of the platforms at Bexhill Station were primarily due to the much longer trains of the early days ferrying "passengers" '“ how much more elegant than the present dumbed down "customers" - primarily to the independent boarding schools which once studded the town and were its pride.

But yes, Mr C. you are missing something when you state that locomotives are always at the front of trains. Should you have the pleasure of travelling on the Swiss Federal Railways you will more than likely find yourself on a comfortable inter-city train, usually a spacious "double decker" pushed by a locomotive at the rear. The driver is in a small cabin at the front. The trains also incorporate "silence" compartments in which the use of mobile telephones, and even loud conversation is prohibited (Southern Rail please copy).

And upon arrival at your destination exactly on time (surprise ?) you will always discover plentiful supplies of luggage trolleys on each platform, together with escalators and lifts. Perhaps one day the still partially refurbished Bexhill Station may have some or preferably all of these amenities and help us overcome the current "ramp range". But then I'm a dreamer. Aren't we all ?

MICHAEL GREEN

Marina Arcade

Lost relations

I'm writing from Australia in the hope that your readers might be able to help me get in touch with 'lost' relations.

After 40 odd years in Australia, and the death of parents on both sides, I've lost contact with my cousins who lived in Bexhill on Sea. I'd appreciate it if anyone who knows of their whereabouts could let them know that I am trying to get in contact. Tom Mead, married to Stephanie, was the brother of my father Herbert (Peter) Mead and it's the children of Tom and Stephanie that I'm trying to trace: Janet (now married) and Clive Mead. The last address that I have is Edmonton Road, Bexhill-on-Sea.

Thanks in advance for any assistance that might be forthcoming.

Simon Meade

9 Thornbill Close

Healesville

Victoria 3777

Australia

Hospice upset

REGULAR town visitors and many local people are going to be surprised and very shocked to learn of the impending closure of St Michael's Hospice coffee shop in St Leonards Road.

Such a welcoming place during so many successful years with its friendly, jolly lady volunteer workers from parts far and wide who give their time freely, it is a great shame that suddenly finance seems to be a problem which causes one to ponder how do other businesses fare when they have to fund wages?

The Palm Tree is a shining example of community commitment and a spotlight for St Michael's Hospice, shown in poster photographs - an excellent idea for customers taking genuine interest.

The goodwill of such a special workforce is in jeopardy. This should be valued by St Michael's Hospice. Come on management, how about some more effort to resolve the financial 'problem' and save the Palm Tree? An appeal from one, and on behalf of, the many long time supporting customers.

H. MOUQUE

Ridgewood Gardens