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Preventing damage to church wall

Sunday, July 18, 2021 - 20:00

There is a traffic calming system in place in Weston Longville that prevents over-large vehicles driving through the village.

After so many years of damage to the church wall in Reepham, would it be possible to install similar width restrictions on Norwich Road so that anything larger than a van, perhaps, would not be able to drive through?

The drivers of the enormous vehicles that attempt to negotiate the corner of Church Hill cannot realise how narrow that section is.

It also presents a hazard to pedestrians walking to the Spar or the Koti Shop on the corner.

Reepham has tolerated years of damage to the church wall; surely, it’s time to call a halt to vehicles that are obviously much too large to negotiate that section of road.

Delivery vehicles would have to use the New Road/Ollands Road route, which, although not ideal, is far more negotiable than Norwich Road/Church Hill.

Buses would have to use the same route or Station Road, as they used to.

Brenda R Palmer, Chapel Close, Reepham

Market Place should be an open space for all

Saturday, July 17, 2021 - 15:42

I understand Reepham Town Council is planning to install two benches in the town square, which, from where they will be sited, will not take up any parking spaces at all.

Hugh Ivins (Your Letters, 18 June 2021) seems to believe the Market Place should only be a car park for the preserve of motorists who want to park directly outside a shop.

At present, there is only one bench outside the pharmacy, so have a thought for the elderly who want to take a rest while shopping or other people who just want to sit and enjoy the beautiful Georgian square – which has virtually no pedestrianisation whatsoever.

Mr Ivins fails to understand that people waiting for the bus will be exposed to traffic fumes whether they are seated or standing.

Reepham’s Market Pace should be a space for all – vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, residents and visitors, not just petrolheads.

I hope selfish drivers don’t put pressure on the town council to remove any planned benches. I’m sure Reepham doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s “planters” fiasco.

M. Cronin, Cawston

Health and safety concerns over Market Place benches

Friday, June 18, 2021 - 09:12

Regarding Reepham Town Council’s proposal for two benches by the islands on each side of the Market Place parking areas (Your Council Matters, 14 June 2021), I would be concerned about the health and safety of people waiting on these benches while diesel and petrol fumes are emitted from cars starting and stopping and turning around, and the bus idling in the close vicinity of these benches.

Also, the proposed bench on the Dial House side will still require people to cross the road to the waiting bus, presenting a crossing hazard.

Additionally, there would be no outlook for anyone sitting on these benches when surrounded by parked vans, 4x4s and other vehicles.

I suggest the two benches be placed adjacent to the Bircham House railings, for health and safety reasons and for access to the bus stop and a decent outlook over the Market Place.

If anything, only a short trial run in the proposed locations will indicate any of these issues.

Hugh Ivins, Whitwell

No excuse for dog mess

Saturday, May 1, 2021 - 11:12

Just a polite request to dog owners who exercise their dogs in the old graveyard on Norwich Road in Reepham to please clear up after them.

It seems to have become a popular place for dog walking recently, and there is a lot of dog mess around the paths, making it very unpleasant for others who would like to walk there.

There is a bin. There is no excuse.

Hilary Gostling, Bircham Road, Reepham

Comforting words and flowers

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - 17:04

To all my dear friends, many thanks to you all for your beautiful cards and memories of my darling Tracy. The flowers and kind words were so comforting. Bless you all from all my family.

Eileen Guymer, Back Street, Reepham

Headteacher ‘could do better’

Friday, April 9, 2021 - 08:36

Additional material in support of the Broomhill Lane planning application has recently been filed on Broadland District Council’s planning portal, including a letter from Tim Gibbs, headteacher of Reepham High School & College.

One can only conclude that he didn’t check his work before handing it in; no less than 148 words from his first paragraph are repeated word for word a few lines later.

And he finishes off his letter with this gem: “The Arts are not catered for strongly, facility wise, in the school or community so this is a potentially fantastic additional benefit.”

One hopes his students are more careful, quality control wise, when it comes to their exams.

Michael Pender-Cudlip, Mill Road, Reepham

What is happening with the care home plans?

Monday, April 5, 2021 - 13:41

Does anyone know what is happening with the plans for the care home site near the Co-op post-Covid?

Is there enough demand for it now or will there have to be a change of the planning application?

Jim Everitt, Moorhouse Close, Reepham

Sports hall ‘bribe’ could be better spent elsewhere

Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - 17:07

I note that various bodies including the town council are objecting to plans for the new sports hall at Reepham High School.

I wonder how many residents of Reepham feel that this “bribe” from the developers should be better spent on improving other facilities in Reepham, especially on updating the facilities at Stimpson’s Piece, where the current building could either be expanded or replaced with a larger building to incorporate a new town hall?

Maybe also some additional money from the developers could be spent on improving the current GP’s practice in Reepham so that there are doctors actually working there full time and seeing patients, rather than patients having to put up with triage phone calls when they really need to see a doctor face to face.

What do other Reepham residents think?

Bryan Gostling, Bircham Road, Reepham

Donations raised for charities from Christmas lights displays

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 - 15:23

Our Christmas lights for charity made a total of £542 this year, which will be split between the Big C Cancer Support and Information Centre at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the Covid-19 Emergency Appeal for the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity.

The Christmas lights display by Laura Hudson in memory of her grandfather Walter Matthew Hall raised £155.57, which will be sent to the Big C charity.

We would like to thank everyone who donated and hope you enjoyed the lights. We wish everyone a safe and happy New Year.

Ian Tooley, Richmond Rise, Reepham

WiFi Calling could be a partial solution

Monday, November 30, 2020 - 09:46

I read with interest the letter concerning mobile signals in Reepham (Still mobile ‘not-spots’ in Reepham, 23 November 2020).

It seems people are not aware that most recent mobile phones have a setting that allows your phone to send and receive both phone calls and text messages using your home WiFi.

It may be something that the mobile phone providers keep quiet about as these calls are not made through their network, and potentially it’s lost revenue.

There is no connection between your mobile phone and broadband provider for this to work – they can be different, even in someone else’s house, as long as you have their WiFi or guest passwords.

However, this should not stop us pushing for a decent mobile signal in the town.

A quick guide: in Settings (iPhone in my case) go to Phone: somewhere in the list you will see WiFi Calling, make sure it’s turned on.

Note: This may not appear in your phone if you are NOT receiving a mobile signal, so try turning this on when you have a 3G or 4G signal.

My wife and I use WiFi Calling all the time. We are with BT and have just two bars showing on our mobile network.

Martin Sullivan, Kerdiston Road, Reepham

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