Category: Local (To Me !!!)

Closure of Denmead pub shows grim realities of struggling trade – It’s A Crying Shame


Closure of Denmead pub shows grim realities of struggling trade – Local Business – The News.

It’s a crying shame that Ginny Paul and her husband have fallen foul of our constrained economy. It is, however, a sign of the times.

In this day and age it seems that pubs have to have all the modern technology installed. Music blaring out, football on big screen TVs, factory produced food and the whole thing run to a formula. Certainly the Fox & Hounds needed some perking up in the decor department but the atmosphere was fine and the music wasn’t overpowering. You could hold a conversation without having to shout and strain to hear. On a recent visit, with my wife and some friends, we found the landlady and staff really welcoming and the food was good.

The Fox & Hounds will be missed.

View From The Conservatory


Beavering away over a hot keyboard when I looked up in response to a sudden gust of wind which caused the conservatory to creak and groan.

The sun burst out from the clouds and my eyes were drawn to this beautiful blossom in my neighbours back garden..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A reminder that spring is on its way.

View From The Conservatory


09:15 For the second time this week I am able to observe the traffic chaos build following a road traffic accident at the junction of the B2150 and the A3(M). It appears that there has been a rear end shunt.

The lack of foliage on the trees and bushes means that I can see right through to the entry point on the roundabout. On Monday the accident occurred a little earlier and we were able to change our planned route to get Gerry to work. Today, however, it has happened while I was delivering Gerry to work and I have had to claw my way through the tailbacks to get home.

09:28 So far there are 4 police cars an ambulance and now a fire engine has just arrived.

For some reason the police have stopped traffic from traversing the roundabout thereby forcing all traffic up to wards Waterlooville. There will be a total logjam soon.

A second fire engine as also just arrived.

I hope the motorists are not seriously hurt. The presence of the fire brigade usually indicates possibility of fire, or perhaps the cutting into vehicles to remove anyone with the possibility of neck or spinal injuries.

Just to make life more difficult it has started to rain.

09:33 Third fire engine and a further fire vehicle have just arrived.

09:47 The roof of the car that was rear ended has been removed and is lying on the ground.

09:49 Bracing boards are being offered into the accident victims position.

09:54 The injured motorist has been lifted clear of the vehicle.

09:57 And is loaded into the ambulance.

10:10 Ambulance still has not departed. Vehicle recovery truck is waiting to move in.

10:20 Ambulance has gone and recovery truck has now moved into position to pick up the decapitated car.

10:26 Car is loaded. We still have 4 police cars and a police motor cycle the sneaked in quietly.

11:45 So I’ve managed to have a work conference call in the last hour and all is now clear and running free.

Hope the actions taken to extricate the motorist from their car were mostly preventative and that they make a swift recovery.

Monstrous evil – Remember When


On this day in 1864 a letter appeared in the Hampshire Telegraph drawing attention to ‘the monstrous evil which has been permitted to exist for a considerable time past without any effectual attempt being made to check it’.

The writer was referring to the nightly assembly on the main roads crossing Southsea Common of prostitutes of ‘the most vile and abandoned character’ who ‘assail every passenger, even in the hearing of the guardian policeman, with their filthy invitations, couched in language the most revolting and obscene’.

The preceding text was taken directly from The News. I have highlighted a few words and only suggest that the venue may have changed but you only have to visit Guildhall Walk when some of the noisier clientele spill out of the many hostelries. I am not suggesting that they are prostitutes but the language of some of the “ladies” can leave a lot to be desired and many of them are not wearing any more than the ladies of the night who used to frequent Southsea Common just a short walk away.

The following week the newspaper reported that ‘we understand that the authorities have given instructions to the police to remove these creatures from all places where they are a nuisance to passengers and more particularly from Southsea Common’.

Methinks, Nothing changes

Monstrous evil – Remember When – The News.

Owners to be forced to give up pier – Not a moment too soon


Owners of Hastings Pier, Ravensclaw, were given notice but took no notice. Now the council is taking action and not a moment too soon.

Not only should they lose ownership through compulsory purchase but they should also be fined for not taking action.

The pier suffered major fire damage to some 90% of the total structure so this is a major restoration. Leaving a structure such as this to the ravages of the sea has just exacerbated the problem.

I hope the council get their act together and make this happen very quickly.

Owners to be forced to give up pier – Regional – The News.

Davy’s happy days spent on his Hampshire farm – Remember When – The News


Link provided for sister Sue.

Davy’s happy days spent on his Hampshire farm – Remember When – The News.

£1m McDonald’s Bedhampton drive-through gets green light


Yet another farcical decision by our local planners.

Have they ever visited this site ? How many times have they sat in the queue waiting to either get into Asda to go shopping or even just to go and get fuel. Many times I have seen the traffic backed out of the site and I have decided to go elsewhere or even just go home to return another day.

I think it is just what we need, more traffic entering the Asda site. Admittedly when the store is closed and the kiosk-pay petrol pumps are closed then there really won’t be an issue. However, for the rest of the time i.e. during waking and normal working hours this new development will surely add to the aggravation.

As usual there are the weasely words about creating jobs but what will happen to the McDonald’s branch in Waterlooville centre. I’m guessing that it will fade away in the evenings.

£1m McDonald’s Bedhampton drive-through gets green light – Politics – The News.

Police hunt for two missing Hampshire teenagers


Has anyone seen either Harley Smith or Anita Rawson, both 16, who have been missing since 16th February. Last seen in Cosham.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen Harley and Anita or knows where they are to call 101.

Police hunt for two missing Hampshire teenagers – Local – The News.

Yobs hurl brick at car from Portsmouth bridge – Haven’t Got Two Brain Cells To Rub Together


Yet another moron without two brain cells to rub together.

Someone out there knows who this is and needs to turn them into the police.

Elsewhere in the country there have already been serious injuries caused by idiots such as this.

If they really want to kill people, why don’t they join the army and head over to Afghanistan where they will be given the opportunity. At least then they can show how brave they really are. After all, motorists don’t throw bricks back at them.

Yobs hurl brick at car from Portsmouth bridge – Local – The News.

So Are Your Kids Safe ?


So you pack your kids off to school by taxi. That same taxi firm picks them up and brings them home safely.

Well you might think they do it safely.

This afternoon I spotted two private hire taxis that I assume were carrying kids home from the same school. They had presumably picked up their passengers in Chandlers Ford. Both passed me, while I waited at a roundabout just outside Otterbourne, coming from the Chandlers Ford direction.

The first had a young boy hanging out of the offside rear passenger window. The second had a young boy hanging out of the near side front passenger window. The two boys were obviously having fun and were waving and possibly shouting at each other. At the next roundabout the cars parted company. The first heading south down the slip road onto the M3 while the other carried on round the roundabout presumably heading towards the north bound M3.

I assume that their actions and the fact that the drivers allowed them to do this was breaking some basic private hire licensing rules let alone the road traffic rules regarding seat belts etc. Where on earth were the drivers brains ?

I don’t know which school the boys had come from and I didn’t catch the name of the taxi else I would have been on the phone to both to express my concerns.