21 January (Part 2) - Wilton Road. Caters for allcomers
The meeting I had to attend last night
is not directly connected to Bexley Council, it was of the Wilton Road Traders’ Association as I have been asked
to take a small role in the organisation. Obviously not all discussions are for public
consumption. However I think it is safe to mention a few things.
Parking is always on the Agenda. Two out of three car parks were closed
and Bexley Council decided to exacerbate the situation by taking a
dozen or so bays away from Wilton Road and others nearby. Then they compounded the
problem by installing meters (minimum charge £3·80) where formerly there were none.
Bexley Council professes to care but clearly it does not. If it did so it would
have arranged temporary parking on the Harrow Inn site as proposed at least two years ago.
The Christmas market was deemed to be a success and something similar will be
arranged for the summer too. June 4th was suggested but that is very much a provisional date at the moment.
I suggested that banners similar to those Bexley Council has put around Bexley Village (Business Open As Usual) because of
the bridge closure were displayed in
Abbey Wood. Bexley Village disrupted for seven months: Bexley Council takes immediate action.
Abbey Wood in turmoil
for five years: Bexley Council does nothing except make parking more difficult.
Customers believe Abbey Wood Village is closed and with contractors’ toilets
parked in front of shops footfall is obviously down. Fortunately Deputy Leader
Sawyer said that Bexley village style banners could be placed in North End Road
when that is disrupted next month so he will have no excuses when asked for one in Abbey Wood.
The flytipping problem is getting out of hand and it is becoming a cross borough border dispute.
The
brothel that opened in mid-December was not widely welcomed but there was no
formal move to have it closed down. My subsequent enquiries revealed that the
police know all about it. Is it illegal? I don’t know.
Tonight I have a very different sort of meeting, a pub quiz. Not done very well
recently, 5th last time.
Maybe you are better at quizzes than I am.
What is the connection between Mariners Walk in Erith and former Mayor Howard Marriner?
Answers on a postcard to Amax Estates, Gravesend.