2 April 2004


Thought For The Week

Oddagh shin goll dys Doolish noght.

[We could go to Douglas tonight.]

Damn The Torpedoes, Fool Speed Ahead!

Good to see I'm not the only subversive in town. This year the Secret St. Ives April Foolists put up signs around Downlong saying that the area was now a mobile-free zone with a maximum penalty of £500.

I wonder how much they made.

Also, I didn't see it but apparently there was an item on the local TV news saying that due to the warmth of the Gulf Stream causing the trapped air to expand the Scylla (see below) had now bobbed back up to the surface!

Sadly, I was in the Slop having a natter with Welsh Derek and Dave the Spanish Fisherman on the subject of "isn't wreck diving supposed to be quite dangerous?" yesterday, when Jenny chipped in with her sagacious contribution that apparently they were now having trouble with the air pockets in the Scylla. [STOP PRESS: She is now denying it and claims that the 'air pockets' story surfaced days before the Scylla did].

Dive Bombers

As if there weren't enough shipwrecks around Cornwall, one ship, HMS Scylla, has been deliberately sunk with scuttling charges in Whitsand Bay. The idea is to create an artificial reef for divers to explore. Apparently, it's the first in Europe (apart from the Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, etc.).

When The Boat Comes In

It looks like Smeaton's Pier could be getting a much needed refit after Penwith District Council gave the go-ahead for allocating £30,000 towards a £130,000 project to drag it screaming into the twenty-first century. The rest of the loot will come from Objective One funding via the Fisheries Priority Group. Various facilities and gizmos are due to be installed to aid the Harbour Master and the fishermen. The only potential wisp of water vapour on the horizon would appear to be that, because the pier is a Grade II listed thingy, we'll have to get permission from whoever is fronting up Tony Blah's politburo these days.

Not To The Manor Born

Following on from our report in Another One Bites The Dust (Part 2) Roger Harnett, the Chief Planner of Penwith DC, is recommending that the council stick two fingers up at the proposed redevelopment of the Manor Nursing Home in Lelant.

So far, over 90 letters of objection have been lodged protesting that, amongst other things:-

It's not appropriate for Lelant

Large areas of the village are a designated conservation area

No similar apartments exist in Lelant

Overdevelopment

The potential increase in noise and disturbance

The additional traffic

Lack of affordable housing in the area

The loss of the nursing home facility

Loss of privacy for neighbours (everybody needs good neighbours ... !)

The size and structure of the proposed new block

The closeness to the road

The absence of similar properties in the area

So, a popular proposal, then!

Beware The Hooded Claw!

Local seal-ologists have been delighted by the arrival of an unexpected visitor to St. Ives. A hooded arctic seal has recently taken to 'doing an Alfie' and basking on the rocks between Porthgwidden and Bamaluz.

Quite what an arctic seal is doing down here (the weather has been a bit duff but not THAT bad!) has yet to be discovered but the seal-ologists are hoping that it will take up residence with the seal colony on Godrevy. Failing that, they may have to give it a lift up to Scotland.

Neither Here Nor There

Sorry, it's a bit late (saved it somewhere safe on my computer so I wouldn't lose it and promptly lost it ..... temporarily).

Got this e-mu from Donnette Bufton of Laidback Trailblazers at the start of March saying that part of the St. Mike's Way walk has been updated.

It's fairly self-exploratory:-

Hi Paul
Thanks for the email re the St. Michaels Way scheduled for 16th May.  I have looked at your website and attach a plan (small I know) but this shows the route of the Walk, as last year the County Council changed it.  You will note that the difference is from Ludgvan where it leaves the road, goes down across the fields crosses the main A30 into a large field, crosses the Helston road then makes its way through Marazion Marshes.  I am assured that the new OS maps available now does follow the new route.  It would be great if you could change the route on your site and we would love to have you join us walking on the day.  I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Donnette Bufton
Laidback Trailblazers
The Old Barn Bosulval Newmill Penzance TR20 8XA
TEL: 01736 367742; 07802 335999 (mobile)
email: info@laidback-trails.co.uk
The all new map Alt-St Michael's Way route.jpg (46534 bytes)

There's nothing to stop you going the way I originally went but the route through the Marazion swamps looks straighter. I'll try to let you know what the actual going is like once the weather perks up.

Board Of the Flies

As intimated in this week's emus, there at last seems to be some hope in finding a negotiated ceasefire in the Skateboard Wars. There was a meeting between local business bods, the Town and District councils and the police at the Guildhall last Monday.

Concerns were expressed by locals of various ilks that, apart from the 'aggravations' previously reported, the use of areas such as The Wharf for skateboarding, scootering and general acts of youthery were making the area 'an accident waiting to happen' given the increase in traffic that will come with a new 'season'.

Jim McKenna, the Chief Exec. of Penwith DC admitted that the skateboarding issue had not been a top priority but moves were now afoot to progress matters. He also added that the council were looking at installing CCTV at the Guildhall and trying to make the area less attractive to children [Try putting the school there, then!]

Speaking on behalf of the forces of law and order, Inspector Wilkins did admit that there was an element that were committing offences and needed to be dealt with. However, without alternatives to offer to the yoofs it was difficult at present to separate out the Shauns from the goats. In the meantime, Officer Trudes will continue to try to hover around the worst affected areas as much as possible and other officers will be drafted into helping out Trudes when time and resources permit.

So, the Spooky St. Ives reporting Team say:-

Penwith District Council, pull your finger out. We pay our taxes so we deserve some representation when it comes to allocating resources. You've built skateboard parks for other towns where the same Health & Safety, etc. regs apply, so, we're not asking for anything more than your other voters have received.

St. Ives Town Council, don't let PDC off the hook.

Parents of St. Ives, they're your sprogs so get campaigning on their behalf.

Sprogs of St. Ives, get campaigning on your own behalf and stop taking it out on everyone else because the world's not perfect.

Disgruntleds of St. Ives, don't let any of the above think they're off the hook.

Trudes, keep your truncheon sharp, we aren't out of the woods yet!

Vile Jelly, ..... it's your round. 22 pints of Doom Bar, a large G&T and a diet cream soda for Soupette, please!

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