Jottings
News from the UK and around the World compiled by Dave Jamieson
... the wild , the wacky , the wonderful , the weird and the downright infuriating
Council Capers
Wayne Bellows is in trouble for bellowing . He ’ s a market trader in the Hampshire town of Lymington and is the fourth generation of his family to sell fruit and veg in the High Street every Saturday morning . He claims his cries such as , “ Tubs of strawberries ! Come and try ! Lots of fresh fruit here !” add character to the busy market atmosphere , but others disagree . Lymington and Pennington Town Council have now banned him from bellowing . They told him first that he could only shout to advertise his produce from lunchtime onwards , but six weeks later , he was contacted by a council official who ordered him to stop shouting altogether . Mr Bellows , who appears at four markets along the south coast of England every week , reckons the ban could reduce his takings at Lymington by up to 40 per cent .
The local council claim to have measured his cries at 111 decibels , which they say is equal to the noise of a chainsaw or a rock concert , adding that they had had “ a complaint ” and “ had to follow it up .” To be clear , this appears to have been the official way of dealing with one complaint in 800 years of market traders advertising their produce , but let ’ s not go there . However , Lymington has a certain way of dealing with things it doesn ’ t like . In 2006 , it fought off an attempt by Argos to open a catalogue shop in the town , and , four years later , was distinctly sniffy about the arrival of a Weatherstone ’ s pub .
Scandal Corner
Manston airfield near Ramsgate in Kent was rented by the UK Government in 2015 as an emergency measure , after workers ’ strikes at Calais caused mayhem for truckers . It was intended to be used as an overflow park for lorries bogged down in congestion en route to the ports . However , the site has yet to be used . Not a single lorry has been near the place since its introduction and the exercise has now cost taxpayers almost £ 6 million .
The Road Haulage Association has claimed that the lack of use was due to the site ’ s “ completely unsuitable ” location . The group says the road network in that part of Kent is not geared up to accommodate hundreds of HGVs .
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