Your Letters - November 9

Marina yes

RE proposed marina

AFTER having walked along Bexhill seafront to delight in the setting sun reflecting on the glistening sea, I was filled with hope and anticipation after reading the Observer's front page article: finally, we have someone who is designing with sense!

I hope this local architect will be given the chance to display his project further without the "Let Bexhill Die with Me" brigade ruin the chances of what looks like a fantastic future plan for our town, without it being shot to pieces before it even gets past the chrysalis form!

Could this be the phoenix Bexhill has been waiting for?

PAM HOLLAND

Sutherland Avenue

Great idea

MESSAGE of support for Mr McPherson. A great idea and a breath of fresh air for Bexhill. This would be a real boost for both the image of Bexhill and the local economy.

I hope everyone in Bexhill rallies round and gives wholehearted support.

NEIL BUTLER

Linden Road

No thanks

I AM surprised at the support which the Observer seems to be giving to the latest extraordinary idea for the aggrandisement of Bexhill. A yacht harbour, no less, cutting in half the lovely sweep of the beach, a two-storey hotel being the view from the east and a row of shops the view from the west and the yachts or sailing dinghies or fishing boats seen from the De La Warr Pavilion Terrace.

I may have misunderstood the description and one eagerly awaits the promised model.

The fishing boats of Hastings have been pulling up their boats onto the beach for generations. Why should Bexhill sailors wish to pay for the privilege of riding the tide between hotel and shops and probably being unable to leave between each high water? Will it be a lock? Or will the basin stretch so far out that one can come and go at will?

Surely a yachtsman would prefer to find room at our neighbour vast yacht home, Sovereign Harbour.

My vote will be, leave Bexhill alone - unless you have a superior plan for the by-pass.

JANE OFFORD

Amherst Road

Think again

THERE is little point in creating a marina when you already have a dry marina/boat park in the town that enhances the attractive shoreline of the bexhill sea-front and makes the walk along the promenade even more enjoyable.

This boat park does not disfigure the shoreline, does not build huge concrete defence walls, large flood gates necessary to maintain the marina.

A short drive to Brighton or Eastbourne's marina will educate most readers.... gone are the surrounding family beaches instead they are replaced by vast, frequently empty shopping cantres , restaurants and hideous blocks of flats built to pay for the marina .

The once-aquamarine water is replaced by a polluted black water where floating debris floats alongside the docked gin palaces. Hardly an area to enjoy a bathe in the sea

Man-made marinas( vast grey concrete basins) can never compete with a natural harbour, and do not enhance the visual beauty of an English seaside now seeing a resurgence in family holidays .

I agree completely that the English seaside should be regenerated and even go as far as saying that Bexhill certainly deserves a little push in that direction however a marina is not the answer.

More emphasis should be made on keeping the shoreline green, ecologically viable by not destroying the natural habitat and encouraging the tourist to return by excellent hotels, restaurants, and well-designed leisure facilities.

You already have the most exquisite gems the De la Warr Pavilion build around this and please do not destroy the Edwardian charm of this elegant town. A good website for the old bathing pool site at West Marina can be seen on www.beach4.co.uk We have worked around a traditional English seaside, a truly green scheme for all the family .

la Verne Preston

Wilton House

Grosvenor Gardens

Wrong place?

DOES Bexhill really need a marina? I think not. That's thought one.

In all fairness, though, we need to see a lot more of what Alex Macpherson is proposing before passing judgment.

However, my gut feeling is that his imaginative plan would be suited much better to the derelict site four miles away at Bulverhythe where the swimming pool and holiday camp were.

It's crying out for a development like this. It's an area that is in desperate need of regeneration. But it's also in a position to be of benefit to both Bexhill and Hastings.

Sinclair Robieson

Marina

Some hope

I think the marina is a very good idear it is just what we need in Bexhill, but I do not think it will happen as the last one was rejected, and instead R A Larkin was alowed to build three blocks of flats.

I just hope Mr Macpherson gets the vote, but don'thold your breath.

Graham Willard

Bexhill

Economic boost

IN answer to one of your previous letter writers and to any others who may be interested. I own copies of the SOS report and every other report, study and survey on Bexhill produced over the past 10 years relating to the town's regeneration, tourism etc.

These I obtained in my capacity as head of fundraising for Bexhill Museum and therefore do not have to visit the library to read them!

Regarding the marina complex scheme put forward by Alex Macpherson. A great idea, just what the town needs; if indeed it is a viable business proposition.

What an economic boost it would be, one could become almost over excited at the prospect.

But then unfortunately reality sets. This is Britain in 2007 when virtually every project for countless reasons takes years to get off the ground with costs rising accordingly, (for example the link road and the museum re-development project). Then we have the Bexhill factor of our 'concerned' citizens, the majority of whom will find some trifling reason for not wanting the project to go ahead.

Hopefully this idea or a similar one will come to fruition one day. Any scheme that draws in more visitors to the town has to be good for local businesses and the general well being of ALL residents.

JOHN BETTS

Eden Drive

No reply

SO, Bexhill MP Greg Barker, who pulls in more than 135,000 a year in expenses, reckons he's good value for money does he?

He tells us how busy he is replying to constituents' concerns. I have written to him twice about issues that concern me - local rail services and the Freedom of Information Act reforms. On neither occasion did I get so much as an acknowledgement, let alone a considered reply.

Roy Haynes

De La Warr Parade

Good value?

SURELY our local MP isn't so obtuse as to imagine that, at a cost of nearly 200,000 per annum to the taxpayer, he represents good value as an MP?

Sadly, he probably does!

DEREK DULY

Newlands Avenue.

Post offices

Copy of a letter sent to the Prime Minister, Postwatch and Greg Barker:

THE Government has decided to close up to 2,500 post offices throughout the U.K. because of increasing financial losses and falling customer numbers and the Post Office Ltd. is responsible for deciding which offices will close without any local knowledge of their importance to the local community.

Four years ago I lived in Pebsham, Bexhill and the sub post office was closed and left us with no post office near us. This was closed against the wishes of the local residents, many of whom were elderly and disabled. After the post office closed the small shop that was on the premises also had to close. The postmaster gave a very friendly helpful service to all his customers and he was sorely missed.

I left that address and moved to the Old Town, Bexhill. Surprise, surprise shortly after moving here this one was also closed again in consequence the small shop also closed with others also having the same fate.

I now use the London Road sub post office, it is within my walking distance but not for most of the elderly people of the Old Town area. I now hear that this office will be closed in February 2008. The postmaster gives a friendly, helpful, valuable service to all his customers and this a busy post office, although most of the business has been taken away i.e. TV licences, pensions etc.

The general post office in Devonshire Square, Bexhill, is already overcrowded, the service is impersonal and to have to queue for 25 minutes to buy a stamp is unacceptable. There are 11 windows and there are often only two in operation, thus making a very long queue of frustrated customers.

In the general post office the staff are paid whether they give a good service or not. The sub postmasters provide a much better efficient friendly service because their livelihoods depend upon it.

How can the post office claim that 90% of customers will use the same office if it has already been closed?

ALAN PITCHES

De La Warr Road

I'VE lived in Bexhill for all of my 56 years and find myself wondering what is going on with the "powers that be" allowing people to build in any nook and cranny.

I live at Pebsham, and it seems to me that if it's a vacant space, let's build or should I say squash buildings in!

It wouldn't be quite so bad if Bexhill could, or indeed, would cater for new business but no, Bexhill town is full of etate agents, charity shops and tea rooms, so where do people spend their cash?

If the "powers that be" are going to keep letting these buildings go up - then let's have some decent shops in the town.

There, I feel better for that little moan up!

L CORBIN (Mrs)

Kinver Lane.

Suffered enough

Re: Housing in Pebsham Lane

I WRITE in support of Cllr Clark's letter against allowing this development. If Rother District Council give way on this one they will have set a precedent allowing any tin pot developers to fill every nook and cranny in Pebsham.

Pebsham citizens have suffered enough from lack of consideration by the council. They will do well to get together and take more positive action in future.

J H ALLEN

Haslam Crescent.