Less than 3 years ago Amey contractors cleared the open space in Belmont this is how it looked back then.

This is how it looks today

Just a line or two regarding traffic orders. I contacted Cllr. Price Cabinet member highway in the hope he could speed things up regarding the three year wait to get a traffic order implemented. He informed me that he had asked one of the highway officers to look at it and let me know, that was in early October. After a couple of weeks I emailed the officer for an update, no response. Then about two or so weeks ago I repeated the same, still no response. I have just sent a third email, now this officer may be off work for some reason but we are normally informed if this is the case.

Fed up with the scruffy look along my street I am thinking of joining some of my neighbours in neighbouring streets and cutting the verge outside my home.  Before I undertake such a role thought it was a good idea to email Herefordshire Council about the rules of undertaking such a role, and to ask the question will I have to pay for the Green Bags that Herefordshire Council issues for grass collections.  If the answer is yes then I will decline to take on the role of helping to keep my street tidy.  As I don't see why I should also pay for green bags to clear a public area.

I shall let you know the reply to my email as soon as I get it.

I know that it has been said in the local papers that Herefordshire Council would like the community to get more involved, well I think anyone who is willing to cut the verge outside their home that is pubic property should check with Herefordshire Council, about rules and the collection of the waste grass afterwards.

Wheezer Weiner

Who are "Monmouthshire Grounds"?

I'm guessing that they aren't part of HC, because there was a guy outside this morning cutting public grass. 

Sitting on his ride on mower, in thunder and lightning, with rain so torrential that he had to re-zip his jacket up past his face so only his eyes were showing. About 5 minutes later a utility truck came speeding up beeping. To pick him up I assumed, due to the adverse conditions. Oh no, a guy jumps out of the van with a huge petrol strimmer and starts to cut the edges!

Given that I've never seen this grass long and the weather - which I'm sure you all saw - these people can't be part of of HC right?

We all know him, we all know his inimitable writing style.

He is the King of the posters.

Now, sadly, Bobby has decided to retire from blogging, and has asked me to let you all know. It won't be the same without him. For me personally, reading his regular diazepam fuelled rants in the Hereford Times, inspired me to start blogging, and over the past few years we have posted alongside each other many, many times.

He created a world which we were all able to join in with. From humble beginnings kneading dough, he then went on to dig for Studmarsh, (in the wrong place!) Then it was dalliances with Liz Hurley, and on occasion ,Shane Warne! From wearing his Granny's dress, to firing Jarvis from a cannon, he wrote it.....and we loved it!!

He will never be replaced upon these pages.

So Bobby, I trust you will read this, whilst stuffing your fat face with pork rind and avoiding the wife's frying pan, I just want to say "Thankyou" for all the laughs over the past few years. I am so happy to be able to call you a friend.

If you ever change your mind.....we'll still be here!!

That'll please the council. One less paper probing into their affairs.

Hereford People, this is the Second Report of Dogs dying in as many Days 5 dogs have died now in a short time, Please be Careful of the top fields Belmont and around the Belmont Pools! Please Share!A

few years ago one of my dogs went in Belmont Pools and ended up with a rash I found out after that there is sewage leaking into the pools is this still happening 4 years on and if so why has it not been fixed.

Man Punched And Kicked In Vicious Assault

Police are appealing for the public’s help, and particularly a couple in their mid 20s, in tracing trace two males responsible for a vicious assault and attempted robbery in Hereford.

The offence took place on the Great Western Way walk (known locally as The Lines) near Hereford Rugby Club at just before 1am on Saturday 31 May 2014.

A man in his 50s was walking along the path towards the rugby club and the River Wye footbridge when he was passed by a young couple, holding hands and walking in the opposite direction, who may have witnessed the assault moments later.

The man then saw a male ahead of him and a second male came out of the bushes and joined him. As the victim approached them, one of the men punched him in the face.

He turned and ran in the opposite direction but the two males, believed to be in their 20s, caught him and he was punched to the face again and grappled to the floor.

He was repeatedly kicked and punched until one of the men demanded money and they tried to get his jacket off him.

The victim tried to run down the embankment towards the rugby club, where a function was being held in a marquee on the pitch, to get help but the men grabbed him and continued attacking him as they all ended up at the bottom of the bank. The attackers eventually fled and the victim was able to get help at the rugby club before going for treatment at Hereford Hospital.

Detective Constable Moore said: “This was a vicious, unprovoked and prolonged attack on a middle-aged man in poor health, who thought he was going to die at the hands of these young men.

“We are appealing to the couple who passed him on the footpath a few moments before the attack to contact us as they may have vital information that could identify the attackers. They are described as being in their mid 20s and the woman wore dark jeans and had long light-coloured hair, while the man was wearing blue jeans.â€

The attackers are described as in their mid 20s and both spoke with Eastern European accents. One was 5ft 10in tall, of slim build, with very dark short shiny wavy hair, dark eyebrows, clean shaven and a clear complexion. He was smartly dressed, wearing a pink shirt with a collar, a dark jacket, smart trousers and dark leather shoes.

The other man wore a dark jacket with a white stripe down the front that went down the right side and was about 1.5ins wide. It is thought, due to their smart clothes, they may have been on a night out in the city before the incident.

Anyone who recognises the possible witnesses or the attackers, or has information that could help the police investigations, is asked to contact DC Moore on the non emergency number 101 quoting incident number 032s 310514.

Alternatively information can be passed on anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or completing its online form by logging on to www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

 

Issued:  Thursday 5 June 2014

 

 

West Mercia Police

Both suspects spoke with Eastern European accents which is highly relevant as it rules out anyone who speaks with a local accent.

The Hereford Times has got straight onto this press release and has produced it's own story which has edited out the reference to Eastern European accents:

Both offenders spoke with Eastern European accents which is highly relevant as it rules out anyone who speaks with a local accent.

The Hereford Times has obviously got straight onto the story and has produced it's own version of the release:

One of the attackers is described as being 5ft 10ins tall and of slim build. He had very dark, short and wavy hair, and was clean shaven. He wore a pink shirt with a collar, a dark jacket, smart trousers and dark leather shoes.

The other man is described as wearing a dark jacket with a white stripe down the front.

 

 

Hereford Times

I have come to the conclusion the new pedestrian Shared Space crossing arrangements on Newmarket Street are not safe through bitter experience.

When crossing with young children to the cinema it is anxiety ridden as the staggered crossing and lack of kerbs or barriers are confusing.

No warning is given to vehicle drivers to beware of pedestrians, so drivers may not be as pedestrian friendly as we'd like.

As a driver I've noticed the 20mph limit is ignored by many drivers.

As a cyclist the narrow lanes and changed priorities, which allow turns onto Widemarsh Street, are difficult to negotiate and complicated.  Cars want to pass when the room is not there and keeping safe is a problem.   

Yesterday I was in the car travelling towards Franklin House and saw a driver do a U turn straight across the pedestrian area between the bike stands!

Anyone know if there are any plans to improve it?

I understand that Hereford will soon be having black wheelie bins and refuse collections reduced to once a fortnight.

Half the rubbish bags that are over a week old stink and that's if the local wildlife has not already opened them and dragged the contents along the streets. Not the best idea in my opinion.

Herefordshire Community Toilet Scheme, so this is where they expect you to go...

That's the question the media are now shoving out after they managed to get Nigel Farage to give them the answer that they wanted to hear!

I want out of this unholy bloody European Union but at what cost? Good grief! Now we're done picking on the Polish people who've taken all our jobs and all our houses, now its the turn of the Romanian people. And why? Because they have a predisposition to commit crime. That's what they say. If it ain't nailed bloody down, they'll steal it.

Good bloody Lord. Well if anyone here in this fair County is bloody qualified to answer this question, its me and my wife who still ain't cooking for me and still makes me sleep in the High Town bed.

For the past two years my neighbours have been a Romanian family. Since they've been my neighbours my car is still out there on the drive, my house hasn't been burgled, my wallet is still in my pocket and the cans of Ale that I hide in the shed because my wife's a nosey bloody woman are still there. Nothing has been taken! Not one penny piece.

And I'll tell you why! My neighbourse are lovely people. They are kind, thoughtful, caring, extremely polite, they speak English, they work harder than ever I did when I was able to do anything that was ever worthwhile and productive toward society, they love 'family' and they ain't a moments trouble.

In bloody short, I couldn't ask for or want for better neighbours than the ones I've got.

In fact, if anyone's the problem in my manor then its me when I stagger home and try to get over my threshold and past my wife who has a predisposition to commit violence upon my fat face.

Don't listen to the media. Don't let them press your buttons and make you afraid of things you don't understand. There ain't anything wrong with people. People are just fine and dandy. All people want is a better life and that's why the migrants are here. They want happiness and a chance for a better life.

It ain't their fault that the politicians have constructed a crazy social model that allows anyone to leave their home Country and move here.

Me? I simply want the chance to put my 'X' in the box that clearly states I want my Country to leave the European Union. I do not want to put my 'X' in the box alongside people who are happy to demonise a minority group simply because the media thirst for a battle between 'us' and 'them'.

Finally, to illustrate how nice my neighbours are and how humour has no boundaries, T'other day I was spraying weedkiller on the front drive. The lady from next door said, 'Hello Bobby. How are you today'?, to which, I replied, 'Every day is worse than the last one. Im killing these bloody weeds'. She said, in her great English, 'Bobby, you know they are English weeds. They are not Romanian weeds'.

How about that for razor sharp humour. It doesn't get any better than that!

My warmest regards to all.

Last week I spent a few days in Hereford visiting as I've not been back for 3 years (Moved away a decade ago, however).

I decided to have a walk around my old School, Haywood (Formally and originally know as Grafton) as I was aware it had been taken over, rebuilt and turned into an Academy - Great stuff, no problem with that.

What I do take issue with however, is the fact the relatively new 'Grove' building has been completely demolished! It was only built in 1998 at a cost of £3-million pounds!!! (If I remember correctly, which I'm sure I do).

I do not know the facts of how the new school buildings have been funded (privately I assume) but I'm absolutely gobsmacked at how a building only circa' 15 years old can be discarded, especially being a very modern facility.

Details just published

Am 1 of those people who's affected by this. I will not be able to allow children to play outside my house !!! They will have to cross a main rd for a play area. And view will be lovely not.

Beer On The Wye Festival