downsmail.co.uk


creating, gridlocking road proposal like Lenham Heath is not sound planning. We can only pray the political parties just look at the planning facts and do not just succumb to officer persuasion or politics.


Someone said houses have to go somewhere. They do, but they do not need to be placed in remote areas, concrete over acres of countryside or blight the borough so that no-one wants to live here anymore.


Politicians need to think twice. The elections are coming up next May and everyone is watching their behaviour. K Hammond, Save Our Heath Lands, via email.


M&S better than town


HAVING just spent the most enjoyable morning at the new M&S at junction 7, I can understand why everyone is raving about the place.


It’s airy, clean and new. There is a massive choice from all the lines throughout the store. Perhaps it was little light in the homeware department but, generally speaking, I was absolutely bowled over by the experience. Perhaps one of the reasons why it is proving a hit over going into Maidstone is that the shopper does not have to spend an age in traffic, is not charged a small mortgage in parking charges (it is free) and does not have to rush back to the car for fear of a fine. There are no drunks or drug addicts swaying about hurling abuse.


It is small wonder the high street is on its knees. The rents are too high and the business rates far too steep (despite the recent Government stimulus). Too many of the retailers are owned by huge conglomerates which are up to their necks in debt and who have been caught out when an unexpected event such as the Coronavirus struck. Ironically, on the day I went, M&S had announced 10% of its staff would be going because of falling sales. I hope none of our local shop workers lose their employment, because these are desperate times for the small and large business owners.


But it is a simple enough formula. If you make going into Maidstone an expensive, unwelcoming experience, the chances are shoppers will end up going somewhere else like Tenterden – or closer to home, the new M&S. B Black, via email


Park smell can’t be right


I READ recently the article in your newspaper about the horrible smell in Mote Park. I have been using the park for over 40 years now and have never experienced a smell like this over there before.


It has been like this for some time. I hope it gets resolved very soon as it


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makes our visits less pleasant and desirable. How they can say that everything is “in order”? I find quite unbelievable.


Jules Wraight, via email No change, no licence fee


YOUR readers may be interested in the following letter we have written to the Director General of the BBC: My wife and I have carefully considered your decision to charge the elderly for a TV licence and will subscribe for this year. But our renewal, after July 31, 2021, will be conditional on changes so many viewers seem to be demanding: 1 Ageism You target younger viewers at the expense of older viewers, especially at peak hours. We now rarely watch BBC before 9pm, switching to Sky/Netflix or recorded films. Why not a separate channel for younger viewers? 2 Political bias Left-wing bias is increasingly evident in so many programmes, even now among news readers. It’s an immediate turn-off. There have been significant BBC admissions – but no significant action. We will not pay for a Boris Bashing Corporation.


3 Outside broadcasting Why spend on expensive outside broadcasts where noise blots out speakers, and why conduct interviews with people with nothing useful to add? 4 Text service This is an excellent service for fast news, sport and finance. If that goes, so do we. Executive changes are being made at


the very top of the BBC. It is a time for change to save it. J & D Banks, Maidstone


Why are build-outs back?


COXHEATH fought hard and successfully for the removal of all ridiculous village centre traffic-calming build-outs. I am amazed one was retained and even more so that one has just been reinstated. Both are well away from the village centre, so do nothing for traffic calming. They just create totally unnecessary dangers (especially head-on crashes), unnecessary traffic hold-ups and unnecessary frustration.


I am in despair with Kent Highways, who take so little notice of local opinion. Jeremy O’Connor, Maidstone.


Relief to see Downs Mail


THE relief of seeing the Downs Mail back! My three children grew up with the Downs Mail as their local paper and now that they live in Rome, Sydney and Miami, they rely on posted copies from me. You save me writing very long letters. Mary Cotton, Bearsted.


Great to have you back


I WAS wandering miserably around Sainsbury’s when I saw after the checkout copies of the Downs Mail. I had been thinking about how out of touch with the world I felt, because watching the news on TV is so emotionally draining in that it is all bad news or inane, too-cheerful presenters so I content myself with endless reruns on Line of Duty.


I am so pleased that you are back in business and I can look forward to some really detailed news about my local area – and I know now that I can get a copy in Woods, my village shop in Hollingbourne.


Thank you for restarting. Val Williams, Hollingbourne WI


Getting back to school GOING back to school can be scary for children whatever their age and it can be an anxious time for parents too. School closures during the pandemic had meant that some children have not had the opportunity to visit their new schools and classes.


Children may have questions and worries about going back to school during Coronavirus and we’ve got advice to help. With younger children, have


conversations about what going to school might be like. You might walk a different way or start at a different time; the school might look different or the adults may be dressed differently.


Ask your children about what they’re looking forward to most about going back to school and then manage some of their expectations. You can also try to readjust their bed times a week before starting school to get into a healthy routine.


For older children, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult about their feelings – this doesn’t have to be face-to- face, they may find it easier writing their thoughts down.


Rolling news and social media can cause a lot of anxiety; remind them of the facts and explain what false or sensationalised information is. It’s important that they don’t take their mobile, tablets of other devices to bed as this may stop them sleeping. There’s lots more advice and support available online too, at


www.nspcc.org.uk or for children at www.childline.org.uk, so remember, we’re still here on the frontline for children, but we’re here to help you too. Helen Westerman, NSPCC head of local campaigns.


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