Develop the town to make us proud
IT was in April 2000 that Philip Saunderson, the then Town Centre Manager, came to talk to a group I help run, on the subject of town centre development – creating an attractive town centre for Northampton. As archivist it was my job to provide a summary of the talk. Given the current concern re the bus station’s prospective demise, I looked up the report. It began ‘Would that all our council officials had as much spirit, vitality and drive as Mr Saunderson!’
It went on to reveal some imaginative and innovative ideas the council had – plans to develop Abington Street as far as Abington Square, the Market Square, transport and parking. Demand for more high street name shops was planned, this being a major project requiring vast reorganisation of existing roads. There was a possibility that some shopping, car parking and buses would have to go underground as the town centre is built on quite a sizeable incline. We left that meeting full of hope and a feeling of elation.
What happened? How I wish I’d kept a scrap book of all the suggestions that have been made over the last 12 years, ideas which have existed on paper only for the most part but, sadly, now only fit for scrap! Our market has been ruined – it was the continuing rise for hiring stalls which sent many off to Milton Keynes and they haven’t come back.
What is it about our successive councils that they can’t put a good plan together for development? Do they ever travel outside Northampton to see traffic arrangements and shopping areas elsewhere in Europe? Not all towns have gone over to characterless malls with the same stores selling the same merchandise but have managed to retain specialised shops, fancy goods and art and craft outlets with their markets one of the major draws. If they can do it, why can’t we?
I’d love to see a regular ‘special’ market (farmers’ market, crafts, etc.) running along Abington Street. I used to be so proud of Northampton. It was a delightful market town buzzing with activity and a place to enjoy at any time of day or night. Now I even avoid saying where I live, feeling ashamed at the state of the town.
Come on, council members, put your heads together and listen to your public. Don’t waste any more money on flawed schemes. Nobody has said they like the design of the current bus station but all letters, bar one, have agreed it needs a good overhaul rather than knocking down and it would certainly save money that could be used on other development. Please, please, come up with some sensible suggestions and make us proud of our town once again.
Miriam Solomon,
Lynmouth Avenue,
Abington Vale, Northampton.
Craftsmen have been a Godsend
ON SUNDAY February 5, I watched with great interest the programme on Bomber Boys, a documentary put together by two brothers serving in the RAF as pilots.
My husband, Edward Louis Wallane, was a Pathfinder Pilot: Sqd/ Leader throughout the Second World War.
My darling husband sadly passsed away February 17, 2011 leaving a large void in my life and sadly missed by everyone who loved and knew him.
Anna Brosnan did Edward proud when she put together a feature on his career (Chronicle & Echo, November 11, 2011).
I have aerial photographs taken from the cameras which were placed on the under-carriage of the Wellingtons, Liberators and Lancasters to be looked at when returning to base.
The photographs showed the marshalling yards where they kept their ammunition and other warfare where the Pathfinders would drop their flares.
His operation was a skilled operation flying very low and at great risk to the Pathfinders, often seconds before the bombers followed dropping bombs onto the targets lit up by the Pathfinders’ flares.
Edward was Field Marshall Lord Montgomery’s pilot when the Chateau at Fontainebleau was the Western Union Defence Organisation where Montgomery was Commander in Chief; Winston Churchill was there too.
May I mention too, the ‘Poppies’ from the British Legion’s skilled craftsmen have been an absolute Godsend to me and many more widows and widowers. They do lots of every-day jobs which go wrong in the home. They were by my side quite quickly and have been invaluable to me.
I am pleased that Bomber Command are being at last recognised by a monument to be built soon in their honour in London.
Edward would have been very pleased at this good news.
Wendy Wallane,
Old, Northampton.
I used shelter during the war
Regarding all the comments about the resiting of the bus station, no mention has been made regarding the purpose built air raid shelter underneath the Fish Market site. When the market was built prior to the 1939 war evidently someone had the foresight that war might come.
In the early part of the war we lived in Bearward Street nearby and when the siren sounded, I as a child remember going with my parents and grandparents to this shelter. It was equipped with benches and bunks and we stayed there until the all clear was sounded. The entrance can still be seen in the brickwork and pavement in what was then Silver Street at the rear of the Fish Market.
If the bus station comes into fruition maybe the contractors will be surprised by their findings.
Is there anyone else who out there who remembers this shelter?
John Gardner,
Fairway, Northampton.
Labour should be helping us
WITH regard to several issues regarding the general feelings of the public, it seems from comments from MPs, the leaders of both the borough and county councils, that despite the general public voting them all into power, once in the job, they treat us all with contempt.
Is it not the case that the rich will always look after each other? Large stores are given what they want and damn the general public’s opinion. We need people in power who will really listen to us, the electorate. We need the public to stage large protests at The Guildhall and County Hall and show them how we feel.
Too many properties in the town have been destroyed to the delight of big businesses. Money talks.
We need the party which supposedly stands for the working classes to start angrily protesting about issues affecting us and make their voices heard in the corridors of power, both in the town and further afield.
The Labour Party understands people’s wish to keep the old bus station and they must get behind bus users and stand with us to protest.
M J Baker,
Windyridge, Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Keep ‘the shed’
SO Brian Binley and Michael Ellis compare the bus station to a shed. Well, that ‘shed’ is warm and dry and serves a purpose.
They say it does nothing to enhance the town. Empty shops do nothing to enhance the town either! When all the empty shops are trading again with decent companies and the country has money to spend, then think about moving it. But not to The Fish Market – it’s too small.
The Government are making cuts everywhere, so why are Northampton councillors wasting money on needless projects? Does David Cameron know?
A Palarm,
Woodcote Avenue, Northampton.
Good service
I AM aware of how many complaints Viewpoint gets about council services, more so since the cuts started. However for a change I’d like to say how pleased I am with the service provided thus far by the council since I moved here. Not only do they do the lawns, I did a double take recently upon seeing a council worker clearing snow from my path. It makes a nice change to be able to say something positive regarding council services than negative, certainly appreciated by me anyway. Of course they’ve got to ensure it’s not a flash in the pan, but for now I am satisfied with the service I am getting and hope it stays that way.
Gordon Bray,
Queens Crescent, Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
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