Local Politics …

Well, ok, it’s one of THOSE posts, again!!

Yeah, I know, I will insist on on putting up a post, whenever I send a letter to the Gazette.

But only if they do something hopelessly provocative.

Like not publish the last one …

Oy veh!!

But, at any rate, what caught my attention this week was a letter from the owner of Callico’s, a hairdressers on Warley Hill that’s been going for quite some years. In fact, I think the owner used to drink in the Essex Arms, when I worked there.

Which was quite some time ago, now I come to think of it …

But Ms French’s point was that Brentwood Council has spent quite a large wedge of cash on improving Brentwood’s High Street.

But little, if any, on the Warley Hill part of town.

It pretty much looks as it did — with very few changes — when I lived here as a teenager, some twenty-five years ago.

Oh, the odd extra residential street, tucked out of sight, and paid for by developers and lots of offices, and a hotel, but very little on the main area around Brentwood Station.

What got Carol’s goat was simply the fact that, although the High Street’s shopkeepers were getting tons of funding and tax breaks to stay open one night a week — the much written about ‘Late Night Shopping Thursday’ Project — traders on the hill are getting little in the way of help or incentives; which she was kicking up a fuss about, as her and her staff had been opening late, three nights a week, for the past thirteen years.

Now, granted, I’ve never needed a late night facial, but I do know that Callico’s, the barbers a few doors down from it, our three local convenience stores, the chip shop, both Chinese takeaways, three Indian restaurants, The Emporium, and, of course, the off-license where I work, all open as late as regulations will allow, to catch that all important commuter trade; as do all three of the local newsagents.

And Alan, who’s been running the local bakers, opens at stupid o’clock to both start baking, and catch the early morning commuter crowd.

There’s even a travelling coffee stall, early on. (The chap who runs it buys his beers in the off license where I work, and claims to make a mean cappuccino.)

Passing Trade.

Oh so important thing, passing trade.

And something I’m fairly sure Brentwood High Street doesn’t see much of, at 7 o’clock.

Which was a point I didn’t mention in the email I sent to the Gazette.

But I did point out that — for many — Warley Hill is the first point of contact for many commuters.

But, here … here’s what I wrote …

“Dear Editor …

I’ve got to admit, I really do agree with Ms French, when she wrote in this weeks Gazette, about Brentwood Council’s seeming lack of support for the shops and retailer’s on Warley Hill.

Or, at least, the lack of renovation in the area.

Now, as I’ve already stated, I’ve been a bar worker for many years, and, for three and a half of those years, I worked at the Essex Arms; whilst the (debatably) much missed Mick and Pam were running it. Now, whilst I know that they had their faults — BOY, did they have their faults! — I do know that, during their tenure, they had little or no support from Brentwood Council, whenever the Brentwood Blues Festival came around.

And the Essex Arms has had live music — damn good live music — from when I started there, right up to today.

I also know that she raises a very good point about the amount of violence we see in Brentwood High Street; as I’ve mentioned in previous letters, I worked at the White Hart, many years ago, and it — compared to other pubs I’ve worked in, including the Essex Arms and The Hutton— it saw a good deal of trouble; it just wasn’t always reported. (Incidentally, a few weeks ago, Brian Lynch wrote that the White Hart was known to be a fairly untroubled Pub. Where he got that idea, I don’t know; unless he was drinking in a different White Hart to the one I worked in.)

And yet …

And yet …

In all the years I’ve worked in the area — I’m now working in a local off-license on Warley Hill— I don’t think I’ve seen a penny spent by the Council on beautifying the area.

And given Warley Hill is many commuters first point of contact with our town, that is a shame.”

Surely spending a few quid on it wouldn’t hurt?

•••••

Hmmm …

At any rate, I do know that there’s been another resident’s meeting, tonight, for those of us in Rollason Way.

And, to be quite frank, given I’ve had a a mouthful of abuse, the other day, from one of the organiser’s, I really didn’t fancy the thought of getting more of the same tonight.

Which is a shame, it would’ve been one of the first chances I had to go.

I know there’s always people I’m not going to get on with — and who probably feel the same about me — but that didn’t exactly encourage me to go.

I’m hoping Adrian’ll be able to fill me on the important points, though.

One of which is the potential installation of closed circuit TV cameras in the area …

Hmmm …

I’m not convinced about that …

I’m not so much worried about any invasion of privacy, here; given there’s tons of cctv cameras on Brentwood Station, and up and down the High Street, a few more — in that sense — won’t hurt.

After all, if you’re doing something illegal, you’re not necessarily going to be doing it in front of a camera.

He says.

No, it’s that the simple fact that I’m not convinced there’s enough on-street crime to make it a worthwhile addition to the street. (The last time we had a lot of police cars in Rollason Way, it was a drugs bust. A chap had been growing cannabis — lots of cannabis — in his bedroom. I’m not sure a CCTV system would’ve caught that.)

And I’m none too sure if CCTV in each building would be a stunner, either. But I could, of course, be wrong; I do know we’ve had hordes of (non-resident) screaming kids in Damon House — wouldn’t have minded knowing who they were —, and a couple of break-ins, in some of the other flats.

Some sort of interior CCTV would’ve been appreciated, under the circumstances …

Actually, closing the main door of the building would probably help …

But the biggest argument against, in my view, is quite simple.

How much is it going to put the rent up by? Or ground rent, if you’re one of the part buy people?

I think that’s gonna cause a rumpus … !