Don't suffer gas gun torture in silence
I've lived at my current address in mid Suffolk for 11 years and this is by far the worst year for the use of gas-gun bird scarers.
The guns started firing the week before Christmas and are still firing four months later.
At their peak I was suffering 20 explosions a minute heard from indoors (I have double glazing).
Guns regularly malfunction and fire all through the night.
I've tried pleading with the local farmers to lessen their use but their attitude is that they have every right to cause any amount of nuisance to protect their crops, no matter how effective the bird scarers actually are.
Adherence to the NFU Code of Practice is a sick joke.
I've complained to the local council but, provided no single gun is firing 'too often', there seems no enforceable limit to the number that can be employed in an area.
I encourage anyone suffering this slow torture to complain to their council and sign the petition at:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Bird-Scarers/
Keith Browne
Address withheld by agreement
Have radical clearout of undesirables
I was interested to read that the landlady of the Queen's Head in Eye feels that the pub may have to close unless more visitors are attracted to the town (Town's last pub under threat, Diss Express, May 15).
Maybe there is a need for her to re-examine the reasons why people do not use the pub; particularly in view of the population of the town.
My wife and I have briefly visited the establishment several times over the last few years and cannot say that we feel comfortable there.
On the last occasion, while a major football match was in progress, the language coming from the public bar was, to say the least, colourful and went completely unchallenged by either staff or management.
In my view, if the pub was made more consumer friendly to the residents of Eye, there would be no need to rely on passing tourist trade.
This may mean having a radical clearout of undesirable regulars with a limited vocabulary but would, I feel sure, be beneficial in the long run as many residents who my wife and I have spoken to share the same opinion.
Name and address withheld by agreement
It is ugly and inappropriate
It has always been a mystery to me how planning permission was ever granted for the building of Grasmere.
It must be one of the ugliest and most inappropriate modern buildings in Diss.
Hopefully the design for the new apartments will be more sympathetic to the site and will be able to incorporate the arches so everyone will be able to enjoy the view.
Jacky Bradley,
Wortham Long Green
Rejuvenated, not Tesco-ed!
I read with dismay that Tesco want to develop a site that South Norfolk Council has plans for (Tesco blow for park plan, Diss Express, May 22).
I would support the council in this as they would be acting on behalf of the electorate, while Tesco would be acting purely in their own self interest.
I would also object to them opening a cafe as there are many established catering establishments in the town centre whose continuing existence is vital for the well-being of the town centre.
I want Diss rejuvenated not Tesco-ed!
J. Harris,
Diss Road,
Scole
Reasons to boycott store
Tesco’s indiscriminating application of their alcohol policy has provoked a boycott from the customers concerned, understandably (Diss Express, May 15)
But there are other reasons why customers might want to boycott this giant supermarket chain.
Its record annual profits stand at 3bn, yet it pays the lowest prices to its suppliers.
Not only does this have a devastating impact on the UK farming industry, and on local shops (as we have seen here in Diss), but Tesco are now accused by War on Want of breaking their pledge to improve the very hard working conditions of South African fruit pickers (Guardian, May 16).
These workers get a shameful 98 a month, which falls short of the ‘living wage’ minimum that Tesco agreed to honour.
This is the actual, ethical cost of our cheap fruit and vegetables.
The only way such companies will change is by their painful loss of profits as consumers go elsewhere.
Until then, perhaps their slogan should be amended to ‘every little helps Tesco’.
Sarah Guthrie,
Mellis Road,
Thrandeston
Freddie dished up a real treat
The Diss Friends’ Group for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices would like to say a thank you to Freddie Jones, from Fredricks Fine Foods, Diss, for staging an excellent cookery demonstration in aid of the charity at Eye Community Centre.
Freddie was assisted by trainee chef Richard Hayward and between them they showed more than 100 people how to prepare and serve two starter dishes, two main courses and two desserts in the space of less than one hour.
The evening raised 1,650, which included an auction at the end of the evening. This amount is most gratefully received by EACH and will go a long way towards helping those children and their families who use the service.
Pauline Manson,
Chairman,
Diss Friends’ Group EACH
Palgrave
Charities just ask for more
I am fed up with some charities.
Not only do they fill up our High Streets but they continually put plastic bags through my letterbox asking for my unwanted things. It’s just a waste of plastic bags.
I presume the Post Office is paid for the service but what a waste of money, paper and time. If I do scrape my pension together and send some money, I get a request for more by return of post.
Elizabeth Mooney,
Pearce Road, Diss
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Weather for Diss
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
