Your views on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Corn Exchange and the tip in King’s Lynn and anti-social behaviour in Downham Market
Here are the Lynn News letters from Friday, October 25, 2024..
Anti-social behaviour is getting worse
Many elderly people are becoming concerned with regard to anti-social behaviour coming from the roof of Iceland supermarket in Wales Court, Downham.
Many times every week there is very loud music and people shouting from the roof which looks out to Priory Road.
An elderly friend who was walking through the passageway from Priory Road to Wales Court was shouted at for no reason - there seems to be drunk people on this roof.
We have been told that people have mentioned this to Iceland, asking them to inform the landlord.
Many elderly people will not use this area due to being scared of this problem.
The residents of Priory Road would kindly ask for the landlord of his area to investigate so we may feel safe when out shopping.
This problem seems to happen more and more often in this area.
John Lomax
Downham
Our NHS staff should always be at front of the pay queue
When I was at school, our Founders' Day programme bore the motto in Greek: "Men make the city, not the walls".
I always thought it was Homer, but I can't find it.
Anyway, during the Blitz, George VI said: "It is not the walls that make the city, but the people who live in them.” So I suppose that will do.
I mention this, because yesterday I went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn for knee surgery. Yes, our out of date, crumbling, propped it hospital that so badly needs replacing. And I could not have been in a better place.
I was booked in for the op in Holme Ward, in the main building, and registered there at silly o'clock, to be told I was first on the list, but there'd been a gremlin in Holme, so it would take place in Sandringham Ward, where I was due for recovery, and I was transferred over there.
In prompt at 9am. All done with (fingers crossed) no complications. As there was a slight delay in prepping meds at pharmacy, and hence my discharge, I was even surprised by being served supper. I have to say, I rate QEH so highly as everyone knows, but I have to say, the Sandringham Unit is superb, and I have never met such a wonderful bunch of professionals as the staff in all departments of QEH, from initial contact in Holme Ward reception, right through every volunteer, auxiliary, nurse, doctor, anaesthetist, right through to the surgeon, Mr Jeffery, himself. Many thanks and fullest respect to one and all.
I’ve said before, the government must, or should be realistic and responsible with pay awards, but whatever is awarded, no one deserves it more than our NHS staff, and they should always be at the head of the queue.
Pete Widdows
Heacham
EDITOR: For those interested, the quote was from Thucydides.
As good as anything you’d see in London
Swan Lake at the Corn Exchange in Lynn last Wednesday was outstanding.
The skills of the dancers, the beauty of the ballet, the music, scenery, production, it was an absolute delight to be there. For just £30 we were present at a performance which would have graced any London, or indeed any national stage.
My most sincere congratulations to everyone in any way connected with the performance - they gave us a truly outstanding and memorable evening.
Gordon Eagle
Lynn
And yet I still have to pay my water bill
“Love every drop” is the tag line. Well they must really love job number 64589075 on Wootton Road.
Despite having put cones out, twice, with associated works of fiction identifying notions of repair, just like Old Man River it just keeps “rolling along”.
Good job Anglia Water. Perhaps I could give you tales of derring-do rather than pay my water bill.
Concerned resident
I suppose we will just have to wait and see
With reference to Caz Fisher’s letter concerned about the changes at the Saddlebow skip site.
I for one do not like it but I spoke to a workman on my last viist and he said that many other counties have worked like this for some time. I know Suffolk County Council has.
As far as his concern about a phone call, there is a phone number to call to book.
Like many changes these days, many of which I do not like, we will have to get used to it.
We will have to wait and see.
David Wright
East Winch
Population crisis brought about by politicians
Last week’s Lynn News front page headline was on the rise of homeless in Lynn, backed up by an edifying and comprehensive report, a wake up call for the town, and the ramifications can extend beyond those sleeping rough. Out of desperation comes a rise in theft and emboldenment to commit other crimes, extending victimhood.
In my town of Downham, its character is discernibly changing for the worst and I feel uneasy these days when I go out. This is despairing as the citizens used to feel at ease with one another, but we now keep an extra watch on our plastic cards etc.
There is a disused hotel which has now been reopened to accommodate the homeless, and with it some bring anti-social behaviour.
Staff in the supermarkets express concern over the potential for an increase in shoplifting. Intimidation is on the rise and there is now a bigger police presence, testament to a growing problem as the socio-economic mix. changes.
As a major problem gets addressed, other problems ensue and here in Downham insecurity is on the ascendency. This is going to be exacerbated with deputy PM Angela Rayner’s misconception of egalitarianism where the world is not a melting pot, with her extensive housing schemes. The town will cease to be a place where people go to retire, as we drift towards inner city culture.
At source we have a population crisis, brought about by politicians who at the same time connive about it.
David Fleming
Downham
Never really a true opposition
After a much media vaunted ‘hundred days’ of a new ‘so-called’ Labour government, the problems it faces today are solely due to never being a true political opposition in the first place.
The much ‘cosseted’ right wing Labour leader Keir Starmer, with the help of the right wing media and in the guise of ‘cleaning Labour up after the Corbyn era’ had merely created an alternative Tory opposition in Labour which explains why Starmer, Reeves and co were and actually still are now in government anxious not to be explicit on major policy alternatives if they won power.
Prior to the election the Labour opposition’s only real electoral appeal to much of the electorate, which accounts for its massive majority in government, is they weren’t the Tories and therefore couldn't possibly be worse. Really?
Let’s wait for their much-delayed budget and question why the delay if they were so different?
In reality this Labour government, if not already, now faces the same economic policy problems, personnel ructions and shenanigans which the Tories faced in government so needless to say there’ll only be one ultimate beneficiary of this political malaise and that’s the far right of the Tories who will no doubt absorb the populist factions of ReformUK who are merely a Tory pressure group anyway.
Nick Vinehill
Snettisham
