LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Wrong sort of shopping trip Dear Sir – What spoilsports Maidstone Bor- ough Council are. My husband and I spent many a lunch hour watching unsuspecting shoppers around Jubilee Square tripping over the new, expensive paving. We could easily reach double figures whilewe shared a sandwich and now it has been spoilt by some clumsily-painted yellow lines! We also witnessed several elderly unfor- tunates trying to get up on to the kerb by the junction of King Street and Week Street, only to realise itwas far too high at one end. For Maidstone’s economic development manager John Foster to say: “There have only been a small number of trips and falls,” can only mean he inhabits a parallel uni- verse, where “emergency” works by UK Power networks dig up the new paving and then leave it for weeks, without actually doing anything and still allowing traffic through the new area. Canterbury manages to be a very success-


ful city with a bus station at one end and no through traffic, so why can’t Maidstone? I am also saddened on another issue, that several of Bearsted’s forward thinking and independent parish councillors have felt they had no alternative but to resign. Fabienne Hughes is correct that the parish council is supposed to be non-political, but with the majority of members being Conser- vative, this was never going to be a reality. Mrs Hughes and her husband, Jon, have worked tirelessly on events such as Music On The Green and, with others, provided a sensible,measured approach to community affairs in the village they clearly love. It seems that the protocols of running the parish council only apply when it suits some members, but can be set aside when inconvenient and, as such, is no wonder that new prospective councillors are reluc- tant to come forward. Thank you again for supplying us all with


such an excellent publication Jeanne Gibson, Birling Avenue, Bearsted


Heroic story of Captain Nolan Dear Sir-Iwas interested in the article in the June Downs Mail on the statue proposed for the forecourt of the former Opthalmic and Aural Hospital at Maidstone. It stated that Captain Nolan was killed


while in charge of the Light Brigade at Bal- aclava. He was, in fact, probably the first to be


killed inTHEcharge, whichwas led and com- manded byMajor General Lord Cardigan. Nolan was a staff officer stationed with


Lord Raglan, the Army commander, some 6- 700 feet above the cavalry division, when it was realised that the Russians were trying to tow away British naval guns which they had overrun earlier in the day. An order had been sent to Lord Lucan, the divisional commander, to advance and: “try to recover the guns,” but, believing he was to await supporting infantry, he stayed. Captain Nolan, a supreme horseman, was


then sent with an urgent written order. Lucan read the order but then asked: “Which guns?”, to which Nolan flung up his arm and said: “There are your guns ,my lord”, and rode on down to Cardigan to pass on the order. He then went to the front of the 17th Lancers to take part in the charge. The only guns then visible to the Light Brigade were newly-placed Russian batter- ies at the head of the valley about one and a half miles ahead, the captured British guns being out of sight from this level. Cardigan’s trumpeter sounded “the charge” and the brigade moved off at a trot, when


34 South


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Decisions a flooding risk Dear Sir -Many of your readers will have been hit with increased premiums for buildings and contents cover, due to ei- ther flooding or the risk of flooding, and some poor souls are unable to get insur- ance at all. Some of our area’s flood disasters are caused by man’s lack of thought: For gen- erations, our forefathers toiled within the farming community to create a network of drainage and ditches. They knew that all the low-lying areas act as a huge sponge, so they dug shallow ponds that would dry in summer months, but take excess dur- ing very wet periods. Anyone digging in their garden will find


water about 18 inches down at this time of year on what are now deemed areas of flood risk. What can make that situation even worse are new fishing lakes and more building of any description that is going to stop the sponge effect (Downs Mail South, July – Five fishing lakes agreed in Marden). Imagine you are in your bath, and watch


the water level rise for every brick you add, because that’s what happens when a lake or building is constructed on a low- lying area now designated a flood plain by the Department of the Environment who, along with our very own Maidstone Bor-


Nolan suddenly galloped across Lord Cardi- gan’s front, shouting to him. But his words were drowned out, and a


shell burst, which exposed his heart. His sword dropped from his hand, but with his arms still raised, he remained in the saddle as his horse turned back through the ranks; giving a drawn-out scream until he fell dead. Having heard and seen Lord Raglan’s rea-


son for giving the order, he must have re- alised that the Light Brigade was charging thewrong guns and tried, too late, to rectify the situation. The moral of the story is its example of


how NOT to give orders! F C Honywood, Hollingbourne


Start supermarket petition Dear Sir – I read in the Downs Mail’s letters page about the need for a new supermarket on the Sutton Road. I think the writer or yourselves should


start a petition for a new supermarket. Mor- risons is just too small to serve the area, the shelves are out of stock, the parking is busy and more competition would be a great thing for all the people who have to use the store. Not another Tesco,maybe Asda? They do food, clothes, and electrical items, which would be great. There are plans to build more houses near


the golf driving range on the Sutton Road, so maybe that area would be good? Rob Taylor, by email


Ancestor’s ferry legacy Dear Sir – I have just read your article in the Downs Mail about the ferry across theMed- way. My husband’s granddad operated this


ferry in the late 1930s until his death in 1942. He was always told that Jubilee George bought the ferry from his granddad. We know his granddad ran the ferry, be- cause we have been asked if we are related, and a district nurse who used to attend to my husband’s mother knew him. So why all about Jubilee and nothing about our Granddad?


Doreen Garrott, by email


Fishing lakes recently agreed in Marden


ough Council, have given the green light to several such projects. We wholivewithinthese areasofim- pending risk (and there are many of us) have to live with the continued decisions of stupidity of a few, which will blight the lives of many. If you want to find out why our land


and waterways are behaving differently, don’t ask some geek in the Environment Agency or the borough council. Ask a couple of the oldest farmers or farm hands you can find. They are not stupid, but be quick because soon there won’t be any sensible or knowledgeable people in that field.


What is clear is the people we have making decisions on thesematters are not as informed as they should be. Name and address supplied.


A hat-trick for Mote Park? Dear Sir – I was delighted to read (Mail Marks, July) that there is a real chance of county cricket returning to Maidstone now that The Mote Cricket Club has major pro- posals to regenerate the fading 100-year-old pavilion and facilities at the ground. They are needed to match the splendour


of this magnificent ground as well as to meet Kent Cricket’s requirement to return to Maidstone for county games, which were first held there in 1859. Cricketers have a chance of completing a wonderful hat trick at Mote Park. The coun- cil’s recent major improvements to the park itself have added so much, and the Audley restoration of Mote House and surroundings as a retirement village has brought back to life a sad and neglected area. Marion James, Bearsted


Olympic route to a solution Dear Sir – I noted with amusement that sleep- ing policemen, doubtless constructed as an important road safety measure in London, are to be removed to facilitate the smooth pas- sage of the great and the good to the Olympic stadia. It is a pity the route does not include Cox-


heath, thus providing an opportunity for the highways authority to get rid of those useless and dangerous “build-outs”. Malcolm Brockman, Carman’s Close, Loose


Blue badge red tape Dear Sir – I had to write in response to the letter in Downs Mail from Ron Mould re- garding his friend’s wait for a blue badge. I ama blue badge holder, and with every re-


newal it does say reminders are not sent out. It can take up to six weeks to renew each


time, to allow for details to be checked etc. It is up to the badge holder to apply in plenty of time. Every renewal requires two photos, and a £10 admin fee. This used to be £2, but has had to go up. I think his friend needs to read the pa-


perwork with the badge. John Funnell, by email


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