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Co-op is slowly stifling competition

Thursday, May 24, 2018 - 11:36

So the Co-op convenience store planning application on School Road has been rejected. One of the reasons stated was the fact that pedestrians would have to walk on the road owing to delivery lorries.

If the County Council are so concerned about this very important safety aspect, why did they never do anything about the HGVs that were regularly up on axle stands when the garage was functioning?

I for one contacted the police with my concerns on several occasions as it was a health and safety nightmare.

If we are going to oppose planning applications, let us not forget the recent past and what has been allowed, and not just pander to the whims of the local retailers, although my theory is that the Co-op is slowly taking out the opposition.

Phillip Leeder, Cawston Road, Reepham

Station yard development will have a detrimental effect

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - 20:30

How sad that such a large-scale development can be proposed for such a tranquil and peaceful area of Reepham, rich in wildlife and biodiversity, while a brownfield site close to the town centre is refused.

Do people not realise that a supermarket sited in the old station yard would have a much more detrimental effect on the existing small businesses in Reepham?

People shopping there aren’t going to “pop round the corner” into the Market Place, before or afterwards, as they might have done from the Reepham Garage site.

As a previous correspondent has written, “people don’t like to walk far”. They’re much more likely to do all their shopping in there and go.

The arguments about traffic, access and noise disturbance at the School Road site are spurious.

And can our doctors’ surgery cope with the potential demands of having such a large-scale retirement complex and care home in Reepham?

Hilary Gostling, Bircham Road, Reepham

Old station yard development ticks many boxes

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - 15:32

This site has been on the cards for development for several years. Amongst the many schemes that have been put forward this seems to be the most promising.

The plans as shown appear to be carefully and thoughtfully designed with the type of accommodation sorely needed for Reepham’s ageing community.

The Co-op convenience store would serve the community housed on that site, together with residents living at the Cawston Road/Stony Lane end of Reepham.

Improvements to access onto Cawston Road from Kerri’s Pine would be a great safety advantage. Deliveries to the Co-op store would cause less disruption than those to Spar on Ollands Road now.

It would also be less likely that Spar and the local shops would lose business as there would be some distance between the town centre and the new convenience store – we are well aware of how reluctant people are to walk any distance!

Since we have to accept some development, it seems sensible and appropriate to consider the increasing needs of the elderly residents who have outgrown their homes, but still wish to remain within Reepham and accessible to friends and relatives.

It would be sad to lose the quiet and rural atmosphere of Stony Lane, but far better that than the less-than-suitable proposed development of the old garage on School Road.

The surface of Marriott’s Way is in need of improvement, especially during the winter or exceptionally wet weather, so, again, that would be welcome.

It’s also possible that I could well qualify as one of the new residents in the not-too-distant future!

Brenda R Palmer, Chapel Close, Reepham

Horse items stolen

Monday, May 21, 2018 - 12:01

My 10-year-old daughter Caitlin had some of her horse equipment stolen from the field on Wood Dalling Road, Reepham, between 8 pm Saturday 12 May and 2 pm Sunday 13 May.

She had her dressage markers, two blue plastic jumping wings and two pink-and-white plastic poles taken.

Obviously, Caitlin is very upset as she had used her own money – selling toys she had outgrown and Christmas money – to buy them herself.

The police have been informed.

Caitlin is just grateful that her pony Suzy was not stolen or harmed in any way.

Maria Jackets, Bircham Road, Reepham

Businesses open to have a life too

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 - 18:19

Further to the letter “Closed for business” by L. Boyd (8 May 2018), how wonderful and lucky to live in a town where the people are so caring, kind and thoughtful.

It is refreshing that many people here understand the importance of stopping and having a break at lunch time – a good “work/life” balance in modern parlance.

Perhaps they even take a proper meal rather than a fat and sugar-loaded fast-food alternative, eating it off a plate, God forbid, with a knife and fork!

Some are even able to hold Sunday special enough to close up shop (a nod to our heritage possibly) and take only half a day off to replace a day of work on Saturday.

And time is taken to serve customers with respect and care.

As for using cash, many of us love that.

As for minimum spends, one would need to address the banks about it, not write rude letters about local shop owners.

Janet Pender-Cudlip, Mill Road, Reepham

Offshore wind farm companies’ sugared pill

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 - 21:12

Re: Farm manager’s fears over wind farm cable corridors

I’m utterly dismayed that the rich archaeology across the county, and of course the ritual Neolithic landscape of the Salle and Wood Dalling areas, is not mentioned or taken account of at all, seemingly.

This is by far the most significant issue. Not Reepham, of course, but the Happisburgh hand-axe at 500,000 years old is a mere youngster compared to the 800,000 to 1 million-year-old human footprints, by far the oldest in Western Europe and some of the oldest evidence of human life in the world, outside Africa.

Do these wind farm companies really care or are they just out to make money like any other business, sugaring the pill and getting away with it by calling it “eco” to make people feel bad to argue against it.

What price the creation of a few jobs compared with what will inevitably be lost for ever or certainly decontextualised?

Imogen Ashwin, Reepham Road, Brandiston

Closed for business

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 - 19:22

Shops that close for lunch? Half-day closing? Stores reluctant to accept cards or enforcing a minimum spend? Are we still in 1918?

No wonder supermarkets are queueing up to target small towns like Reepham.

L. Boyd, Thorpe Marriott

Convenience store plans to be discussed at next Town Council meeting

Monday, April 2, 2018 - 15:27

There has been some correspondence on Reepham Life recently concerning a proposal for a new convenience store in School Road.

A planning application was originally made some time ago, but was withdrawn by the applicant before a decision was made by Broadland District Council.

The applicant has since resubmitted an amended application and, as part of the local consultation process, it will be discussed at the next Town Council meeting to be held in the Town Hall on Wednesday 11 April, starting at 7.30 pm.

Councillors would welcome representations from members of the public before reaching a decision on this application.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite anybody who would like to have an influence on developments in Reepham to join us as councillors.

You will have the opportunity to work with local, district and county councillors to help shape the future of our town.

We still have vacancies for councillors and we, and the people of Reepham, would appreciate your support.

Les Paterson, Chairman, Reepham Town Council

What justification for new businesses?

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 - 17:34

Since my last letter to Reepham Life (25 March 2018) I have been given to understand that a new business selling packaged meats, fresh vegetables and flowers is due to open in The Chimes in Reepham’s Market Place, and there is possibly to be a café in the current police station when it is vacated – both in direct proximity to the existing butchers, greengrocers, florists and cafés.

How then, given their strong objections to a small supermarket on grounds of the viability and survival of the existing businesses, does Reepham Town Council justify allowing these new businesses to open?

Hilary Gostling, Bircham Road, Reepham

Definite need for a new supermarket

Sunday, March 25, 2018 - 20:49

There is no need for another convenience store in Reepham? The other businesses in the town would be adversely affected? Really?

When I first came to live in Reepham, in the late 1970s, there were six general grocery stores, two butchers shops, two hardware stores, plus Randall’s, which also sold electrical and white goods, a drugstore, a post office, a newsagents, a drapers, a clockmaker and a mobile greengrocery business.

All to serve a population of less than 2,000 people. All co-existing without problems; all thriving.

How can some of your correspondents justify their claim that the present businesses in Reepham are: a) sufficient for the needs of the now enormously expanded population, and b) could possibly provide for even greater numbers if the proposed new housing is completed?

Judging by the number of Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s, etc. delivery vans I see coming into Reepham each day, a large proportion of residents clearly don’t appear to agree that local shopping provision meets their needs.

We definitely do need a new supermarket with a more comprehensive range, quality, value and price of food products.

Hilary Gostling, Bircham Road, Reepham

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