{"id":7823,"date":"2010-01-26T16:01:33","date_gmt":"2010-01-26T15:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=7823"},"modified":"2013-03-12T15:02:17","modified_gmt":"2013-03-12T15:02:17","slug":"voice-of-st-pauls-road-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=7823","title":{"rendered":"Voice of … St Pauls Road"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sue<\/a>

Sue King of the Village Voice<\/p><\/div>\n

Our second street survey of opinion focused on St Paul\u2019s Road. The overwhelming impression was that faith in the school, the YMCA, the Council and the police taking any notice of residents\u2019 concerns was almost non-existent. Indignation ran high, sometimes amounting to a deep sense of betrayal. Several thought the police to be on the side of the \u2018yobs\u2019 and insolently inimical to decent people. The YMCA is a major concern, both as regards parking and rowdy teenagers at night. Emotions are at boiling point regarding parents and teachers from St Paul\u2019s School clogging the road with cars and parking irresponsibly.<\/p>\n

The articles in this feature are condensed from a 3,200 word report by Sue King, copies of which are available free from our office at 79 Bohemia Road. To read the full report, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

YMCA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201dLots of people won\u2019t park in the YMCA car-park because it\u2019s difficult to get out of, so they park in the road.\u201d – Peter Welford said the YMCA used to allow residents to park in their car park out of hours. \u201cThen they put up railings to stop people.\u00a0It\u2019s an eyesore; a complete waste of money.\u00a0\u00a0They should have spent the money on making the building nicer.\u201d He was upset about excessive noise from teenagers after 10pm. \u201cWe can\u2019t get to sleep and I get abuse if I tell them. Years ago at 10pm they all went home.\u00a0Now it\u2019s noisy until nearly eleven. Children smashed a window with a brick. I complained but the YMCA wouldn\u2019t let me use their phone to phone the parents or police.\u00a0\u00a0 When the police came they said they\u2019d prosecute me because I got hold of his ear\u2019ole.\u201d – Barbara Welford said when she tactfully asks the children to keep the noise down, they do.\u00a0\u201cThey really don\u2019t realise the noise they\u2019re making.\u00a0 I\u2019ve asked the YMCA to have someone at the gate to tell them to go home afterwards.\u00a0There\u2019s very little area for kids to play.\u201d\u00a0– \u201cThey\u2019re sitting on the wall shouting their mouths off and keep us awake.\u201d – \u201cThe YMCA should police what happens.\u201d – \u201cThe YMCA is more trouble than enough.\u201d\u00a0 – \u201cThere are no problems with the YMCA.\u201d\u00a0 (resident of 23 years). – \u201cThe YMCA is great.\u00a0 It provides things for young people to do, but the downside is groups of young people and noise. It keeps people on edge. You can\u2019t quite relax in case there\u2019s something else going on; vandalism. I\u2019m not one who sees every young person wearing a hood as a vandal.\u00a0\u00a0 I try not to be a nimby, but older people might feel a bit more vulnerable\u201d (Jim Proudfoot). – \u201dThere should be more for children to do, especially things they can do by themselves in a safe environment without money.\u201d (Nicola West). – Karen Manning, who runs the YMCA said it was always busier in summer because of students. The youth clubs \u201cget them off the streets and stop them vandalising. We offer that as a community service.\u201d<\/p>\n

ENVIRONMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

– \u201cPlastic windows and doors are ruining those lovely Victorian and Edwardian houses in Bohemia Road.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to see it a conservation area.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s defaced by enormous 24-hour lit-up signs (Lidl and Shell). Light pollution and all these modern buildings spoil it.\u201d (James Caspian). – \u201cThose dreadful plastic flowers! [i.e. the council\u2019s hanging baskets in Bohemia Road].\u00a0 This is the main entry to the town – and it\u2019s a joke.\u201d (new resident).<\/p>\n

RUBBISH <\/strong><\/p>\n

– \u201cVeolia?\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re pretty rubbish!\u201d (Vic Bond). – \u201dI complained to the council because a dirty nappy was in the street for three weeks.\u201d (Mrs Hollett). – \u201cDog mess is bad, especially as there\u2019s a school.\u201d – \u201cDrains fill up with mud and it all gushes down the road. We don\u2019t see road sweepers. They can\u2019t be sweeping it.\u201d – \u201cStreet cleaning is atrocious\u201d – \u201dThis road needs extra cleaning, with the school at one end and the YMCA at the other.\u201d – \u201dLitter is awful.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a scandal; especially when the dustmen have been.\u201c – \u201cWe should all pick up our rubbish and not whinge!\u201d(Barbara Welford).<\/strong><\/p>\n

PARKING<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is danger, especially to children, from speeding cars, boy racers, and bikes. A few residents favoured speed bumps and controlled parking. Others disagreed. – \u201cI don\u2019t agree with paying for parking outside your own house, especially since people who pave over their front gardens don\u2019t have to pay.\u00a0\u00a0 We only have small gardens here.\u201d (Vic Bond). – \u201cWe were thinking about a front garden car park.\u00a0\u00a0 We can, as we have no bay window, but it\u2019s very expensive.\u201d – \u201cIt\u2019s gone down the dumps.\u00a0\u00a0 It used to be a really nice residential area, but now we have coaches and lorries parking.\u201d (long-established resident).<\/p>\n

NEIGHBOURHOOD<\/strong><\/p>\n

– \u201cI\u2019ve only been here a short time but I\u2019ve got to know quite a few people.\u00a0\u00a0 People are friendly.\u00a0\u00a0 I feel I can call on people in an emergency.\u00a0\u00a0 People chat quite a lot.\u201d – Barbara Welford, petitioning\u00a0 about litter, met neighbours she had never met before despite living here 23 years. \u201cThe neighbourhood has got less friendly due to us all having cars rather than walking.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s not anything to do with the people.\u201d – Other comments included :\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cfamily-orientated\u201d – \u201cWe all look after each other in this street.\u201d -\u201dMy next-door neighbours look after me because I lost my husband.\u201d – \u201cWe love it here.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s convenient for schools and parking.\u201d – \u201cLots of life is coming into the road.\u00a0\u00a0 The street has got nicer; people have done the houses up.\u00a0 I talk to all the neighbours.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s nice and friendly.\u201d(Terry Baker). – \u201cIt\u2019s a good place to live.\u00a0\u00a0 I came as a visitor, and thought, \u2018This is nice; if a house ever comes up I\u2019d like to move here.\u2019\u201d (Jim Proudfoot). – \u201dApart from parking it\u2019s a lovely area.\u00a0\u00a0 Very friendly and helpful, and seems to be safe.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s a good community spirit.\u201d (Jenny Chantry). – \u201cAfter 27 years in inner London, it\u2019s paradise here!\u00a0\u00a0 People are friendly, it\u2019s peaceful, relaxed \u2013 fantastic parks and woods. I\u2019ve been in the Park \u2013 the woods \u2013 with a group of Friends, clearing it. It\u2019s already let in a lot of light and encouraged lots of bluebells.\u201d(James Caspian). – \u201cI like the area, but people don\u2019t seem to take much interest in the neighbourhood, except the old stalwarts in the Bohemia Area Association.\u00a0\u00a0 Meetings are open to everybody.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d like to see more people attending, and it would give it a stronger voice.\u201d\u00a0– Barbara Welford said \u201cWe\u2019ve actually made a conscious decision that we\u2019re going to be carried out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

BEHAVIOUR<\/strong><\/p>\n

Parents, teachers, even the ice-cream man touting for custom were criticised, but there were no complaints about the children.\u00a0\u00a0 A resident of twenty years standing enjoys them making friends with her dogs.\u00a0\u00a0 Her only complaint was the ice-cream man making a noise right outside her window every schoolday. But there were complaints about bad behaviour, bad language, and vandalism.\u00a0\u00a0 -\u201cCars were vandalised down the whole road.\u201d -\u201cThere\u2019s swathes of abusive teenagers going up and down the road. The police said it would be kept under control by a curfew, but nothing was ever done.\u201d\u00a0 – Some said they had never seen police or street wardens and asked \u201chave we got any?\u201d – One complained of youths playing football in the road, \u201calthough there are two pitches nearby.\u201d – Youths leaving pubs were blamed for vandalism and noise, especially at weekends. \u201cSince the Wheatsheaf has extended its opening hours, Friday and Saturday nights are very rowdy until 1 o\u2019clock in the morning\u2026or maybe it\u2019s just that the kids have now come of age to go to the pub.\u201d (Vic Bond ). – A resident said hooliganism was the only thing wrong with the area.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cChildren as young as five or six jump out in front of cars on purpose, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019re from this road.\u00a0\u00a0 I think they\u2019re from *****Road\u201d – Several residents named the same road as a source of hooligans disturbing St. Paul\u2019s Road. -\u201cGroups of yobs hang out at the supermarket \u2013 they kept tormenting an old lady who goes to the supermarket every time she went there. Eventually she told the police. All they said was, \u2018change your route going home.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 What are we paying our taxes for?\u00a0\u00a0 They should have a bit of respect. If I saw them mistreating the elderly I\u2019d give them a slap!\u201d – \u201cThe police never came when my other half reported something thrown at him by yobs.\u00a0\u00a0 Six youths threw some fluid at him which exploded.\u00a0 They did it three times at least, but missed. They might hurt somebody next time. Then people wonder why people take the law into their own hands. I feel very strongly about it. So does my partner, as the police said they wouldn\u2019t come to see him.\u00a0\u00a0 Pathetic! I just want to live a normal life and go out.\u00a0\u00a0 And elderly people want to be able to go out without being scared.\u201d -\u201cWhat can we do?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a waste of time reporting things.\u201d – \u201cThere was a big disturbance at night outside our house. The police wouldn\u2019t come. They said phone the community officer.\u00a0\u00a0 But we don\u2019t know how to get hold of him. Old PC Barrie was very good. He knew everyone, but since he retired we haven\u2019t seen anyone.\u201d (Mrs Hollett).<\/p>\n

LOCAL SHOPPING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many want traditional basic shops:\u00a0\u00a0 grocers, greengrocers, butchers, post office. – \u201cWe don\u2019t need kebabs and pizzas, we need essential needs\u201d (Nicola West). – \u201cThere\u2019s a need to encourage nicer shops that sell proper goods.\u00a0\u00a0 It needs a bit of life in that road.\u201d (Terry Baker). – \u201cThe shops are a disaster. The council should be more pro-active re local businesses, for example, subsidising the business rate. This council seems to be dreadfully reactive.\u00a0\u00a0 It should take the initiative.\u201d (new resident). – \u201cIt\u2019s a good local shopping area; convenient shops and petrol station.\u201d\u00a0 – Yellow lines and supermarkets were blamed for closing shops. – \u201cIt\u2019s a nice area, with a lovely pub, the Dripping Spring \u2013 lovely beers!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s got good communications; there\u2019s buses, and you can walk to the station for London.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s shops -but problems with parking-, though it\u2019s a pity things like grocers, butchers and greengrocers have closed.\u201d (Peter Welford).<\/p>\n

ST PAUL’S SCHOOL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Parents often park, even double-park right on corners, making it very dangerous.\u00a0 Double-parking is rife, posing potential problems for fire engines. Parents do U-turns, park irresponsibly \u201cjust waving to their kids,\u201d and \u201cabandon cars in the middle of the road.\u201d One resident\u2019s wing mirror was smashed three times in two months. Many residents are forced to park several streets away. l\u201cSome parents are very anti-social.\u201d – \u201dThe road is chock-a-block with parents.\u201d – \u201cSt. Paul\u2019s say ring the council about parking, but the council wardens don\u2019t do much, they just say,\u2019 Would you mind moving on, sir?\u2019 and that\u2019s all.\u201d – \u201cWardens are only a token gesture.\u201d – \u201cThe Council know. They held a survey, so they know where people come from.\u201d – \u201cThe school should use their influence with parents and parking. The school is thinking of expanding its facilities, but they should consider parking.\u201d\u00a0– \u00a0\u201cLots of residents have had rows with parents over the way they park.\u201d – \u201cTeachers park in the road and not in the school any more.\u201d\u00a0 – \u201cI wish they could close the school!\u00a0\u00a0 We viewed the house during the Easter holidays so we had no conception!\u201d – Several said, \u201cIt\u2019s an accident waiting to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

COMMENTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Emma Kinsella<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>writes (Nov 2007)<\/p>\n

Dear Sir, regarding your article The Voice of St. Paul\u2019s Road<\/em>, I object to the remark about Friday and Saturday nights being rowdy until 1 a.m. since the Wheatsheaf extended its opening hours. In fact we have shut at midnight for the past three months. It\u2019s a family pub, and last Sunday we had a big party for charity which raised \u00a3105. Rowdy kids going up and down the road aren\u2019t necessarily from the Wheatsheaf. Kids often sit on the benches outside long after closing time, but they don\u2019t come from the pub. It also implies that we serve under-age drinkers, but we don\u2019t. The remark about the Wheatsheaf was put immediately after the comment blaming youths leaving pubs for vandalism and noise. I\u2019m really annoyed at the implication.<\/p>\n

Emma Kinsella, manager, The Wheatsheaf.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gloria Denovan<\/span>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>writes (Nov 2007)<\/p>\n

Dear Sir, I enjoyed reading the highlights of the survey conducted in St Paul\u2019s Road. Lovely Victorian houses but what a shame that the residents cannot shrug off Victorian attitudes towards children. We have adapted and come a long way since the time when children were seen but not heard. It is no longer acceptable to beat the evil out of them or send them up chimneys or down mines. Why buy a house near schools or youth clubs if you do not enjoy watching children develop? Providing the children do not enter your home or garden they have every right to be on the pavement. You may own your property but pathways and roads are for public use. The police frequently patrol this area day and night. I know this as the blue flashing lights shine through into my lounge. They have always responded when I have had the occasion to call them to move on a gang of children drinking. But then I do not call them about trivial matters. I have found that if you treat children with respect they will respond to requests to quieten down. I would suggest getting good double glazing so you can enjoy a quiet night indoors. Open your heart and be happy.<\/p>\n

Gloria Denovan, Bohemia<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Peter Holland & Andy Holmes<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>write (Nov 2007)<\/p>\n

Dear Sir, many thanks for the copy of your report. We shall be inviting each resident of St Paul\u2019s Road personally to the next meeting of the BAA so that they can continue their dialogue with councillors and committee members alike.<\/p>\n

Peter Holland & Andy Holmes, Bohemia Area Association<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Judith Monk<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/em>writes (Nov 2007)<\/p>\n

Dear Sir, during the past few years we have had to refocus the work we undertake in our [YMCA] building. This mainly now takes the form of youth work and providing specialist facilities and training for young people who are struggling to develop the skills required to succeed in an advanced technological society. We still do however provide first class sports, such as our Gyros Gymnastics Club, Judo Club and family skate sessions. We also offer after- school provision for children and in addition house a top class nursery run by Jigsaw.<\/p>\n

To provide safety and security for all of our centre users we had the car park, which was dangerously worn, resurfaced and restructured and added security cameras to cover the grounds. This remodelling also allowed us to provide access for disabled patrons. These works alone cost in excess of \u00a330,000. The fencing was added as part of our need to maintain safe access and egress of cars and for the protection of centre users. Some local residents used to use the car park for parking at night, when away on holiday or for long term storage of cars prior to selling them. None of those residents asked permission nor offered to contribute to maintaining or repairing the car park. Their actions reduced the available space for paying customers and at times left us to pay to have unclaimed or non-running old cars removed. Not one resident has come in and asked about how much we would charge for overnight parking or if this could be offered. It may be something we can look into. The days of free parking anywhere are gone. Most residential roads in the town now have major parking problems as houses have been redeveloped into flats and families often run two or more cars each.<\/p>\n

In fact, other than at the planning stage, when half a dozen residents expr-essed dismay at the loss of free parking, we have received no direct complaints at all about parking, noise, youngsters, broken windows or late leavers.\u00a0We work closely with Hastings Safer Partnership and the Police in dealing with any perceived problem behaviour by youngsters in the Bohemia area. We run Youth Clubs and skate sessions to give the young people somewhere to go. Most of this is offered for free. This does not mean there is no cost attached, we have two unpaid volunteers working tirelessly to raise the funds to pay for these. The YMCA Board and staff are currently very busy continuing with refurbishment of the building and will shortly have an Internet Caf\u00e9 open for use. Two of our young people have also recently secured \u00a329,000 of funds to upgrade the toilets and showers. This Christmas we will once more open our doors to the charity Surviving Christ-mas so that people less fortunate than us can have a festive season with a decent meal and a few small gifts.<\/p>\n

We would welcome any positive suggestions as to how we can engage with the local community and become more inclusive for them. There are spaces on our Board of 9 volunteers for people with the requisite skills; there are opportunities for volunteering to work with the children or young people and for anyone interested in helping us raise funds to run projects for children and young people. We would like to reinstate our Senior Citizens Lunch Club one day too. Should any local residents feel they can help in any way we will welcome them. Everyone is also welcome to attend our AGM which takes place on 1st November at 7.30pm.<\/p>\n

Karen Manning and I would be delighted to meet regularly with the local residents group to discuss all these issues face to face. In fact we give the Bohemia Area Association free use of a room in which to hold their meetings although we have yet to be invited to attend or send a representative.<\/p>\n

It is our hope that by working together with Bohemia residents and by forging a deeper understanding the YMCA can become the heart of Bohemia and not just another NIMBY.<\/p>\n

Judith Monk, Chairman, Hastings & Rother YMCA<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Andrew Cartwright<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0writes (Nov 2007)<\/p>\n

Dear Sir, regarding your article on St Paul\u2019s Road,<\/p>\n