Lynn News letters from Friday, August 15, 2025…
Fears and judgments often prove to be unfounded
I read the Lynn News report with disappointment at the uncaring attitude of the NIMBYs (regarding the new children’s home) in Swaffham.
As a retired professional youth worker I am delighted the planning has been approved.
I have spent most of my life proving to prejudiced adults that their fears and judgements are unfounded and discriminatory.
Given the right support and positive opportunities young people are a credit to our society and a valuable resource, something you can’t always say about their adult role models. I have helped set up two youth councils in England and, despite scepticism from some councillors, both projects were extremely successful in working with authorities, councillors, police etc.
I wonder what those adult citizens were like in their early lives… Mods, Rockers, Goths, clubbing etc?
I really hope the residents give the young people a chance, to which they are entitled under the UN principles on ‘The Rights of the Child’.
Mike Wilkinson
Feltwell
Such a shame to stop after 200 years
I recently visited and showed at the Lynn Horticultural Summer Show at South Wootton village hall.
What a lovely show, with lots of exhibits, lovely fruit and veg and lovely flower displays. In what had been a challenging year, the produce was excellent.
This is only my second year of showing but what a great bunch of people. All very helpful to a novice and full of knowledge.
It was such a shock to be told by the society president that after 200 years the KLHS was to stop and be no more.
There were various reasons given for this: ageing committee, low turnout for the shows, lack of members and trying to attract new and young people to the society had failed.
I can remember going with my mum to the old Corn Hall when the summer show was held there.
It was full of people exhibiting as well as people coming in after judging to see the fine produce.
It is such a shame that after 200 years it is going to stop and what is a tradition for lots of local families will not be anymore.
Let’s hope that maybe someone or a group of people will take it on.
Dave Rasberry
via email
Perhaps we should tax people to come and visit Lynn?
In light of the recent trend to apply a visitor tax to various towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom, would it now be inopportune for West Norfolk Council to act likewise and apply a potential visitors tax to Lynn?
Perhaps then, this extra revenue could be wisely spent in sprucing up the town.
In my humble opinion the waterfront could be regenerated into a tourist attraction instead of be used as a car park.
The Custom House begs to entice visitors to explore this ancient building as indeed does King Street and many other areas of our town.
Our town, as a historic port, bristles with antiquity and yet this huge asset is yet to be exploited. Why?
David Skerritt
Lynn
We’re in Last Chance Saloon over QEH site
A recent occurrence required me to take a speedy ‘blue light’ trip to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s A&E as quite a lot of ‘claret’ was exiting my right leg after an RTA and I know it’s probably futile to bring it up again but the ambulance trip was most definitely highlighted the massive problems for emergency vehicles accessing the hopelessly congested Lynn bypass.
Sirens blaring, we sat rooted to the spot as hundreds of cars, lorries and vans struggled to all run on the same stretch of gridlocked road running by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Once finally on site we then had to negotiate the hospital traffic seething round like ants all seeking parking places.
It is literally a nightmare and frankly if anyone truly and genuinely believes we can build another brand-new hospital on such a tiny and already congested site while maintaining the existing one and building a monster multi -storey car park there too they must need their heads examining.
My driver and paramedic clearly were stoical and used to this carnage but frankly before we put a spade in the ground, we really do need to decide whether this makes sense when other spacious, open, easily accessible options are on the table.
We are drinking in the Last Chance Saloon when it comes to pulling the plug on this disastrous notion that we can squeeze a quart into a pint pot.
It’s absolutely insane that nobody will address this issue or walk on site and stand and stare at the current maelstrom and what’s proposed and look at the nose to tail traffic going past without asking: “Does this really make sense?”
Steve Mackinder
Denver
How long before a serious injury or death?
When are the police going to take action with regards to the electric bikes and scooters that are ridden dangerously along the Sandringham cycle path.
Some have huge tyres and make an awful noise. They have no consideration for walkers on the path.
I was under the impression these bikes/scooters were illegal.
If they are not, then they should have number plates, pay road tax and have insurance. If anyone gets hit by one of these people, what recourse do they have? Nothing.
Does someone have to be seriously hurt or die before they are stopped?.
Gaywood resident
Name and address supplied
It is not ‘far right’ to express fears
The Lynn News last week reported objectively on Norfolk sites being assessed to house asylum seekers and examined the overall picture. There was a time when newspapers avoided the subject of immigration as the term ‘racism’ was regularly misconstrued, but not anymore, judging by a sentence in the article: “The revelation comes at a time of mounting tension over the accommodation of migrants in communities”. It explains why councils are refusing to disclose details, but the genie is out of the bottle.
It is not ‘far right’ to protest, using an overplayed cliche. The truth is that people are fearful of their futures, hence the expressed anger.
The culture and customs of illegal immigrants clash with the host communities as British tolerance gets stretched. The sharp rises in crime brings the public disquiet to the surface.
Mike Larcey writing in Viewpoint did not portray a bird’s eye view of issues, instead going for a biased perspective. When he advocates integration, the operative term is demographic replacement, the ultimate result, a syndrome of being excluded on the part of long standing Norfolk people who are being dragged into woke ‘inclusiveness ‘.
The Government has no rationale on a vexed subject, going for the recourse of coercion with threat of criminal proceedings against dissenters.
The Lynn News has reported on resentment at Burnham Market due to affluent Londers having second homes there. In all fairness they pay their way as taxpayers and benefit the local economy. Residence is part time and seasonal, no freeloading.
Oh how this Government would love to tax successful homeowners more to punish a culture which is at variance, which cannot relate to hard earned income as more illegal immigrants will be incoming.
David Fleming
Downham
Weekly cartoon by John Elson
