St. Edmundsbury and the Olympics

The saying 'You want to get out more' might have applied to me over the last few weeks.  Normally I'm not a great lover of sport on the TV (or 'live' come to that), but Olympia-mania overcame me for the duration - as it did with so many, and I became something of a couch potato as a result. Any outdoor activities were executed swiftly so that I could return home to witness the latest triumphs. And triumphs they were. I was bowled over, not just by the competitors, but by London, it's happy thronging crowds and the glory of the whole event.  The effects on the population, young and old, were clear, and it is now time for the 'legacy' to be activated.  How best to 'cash in' on the wave of inspiration that flows across the regions will be high on the agenda of many borough authorities.

In this region I think we are very lucky with our local upper schools.  Opportunities not just for sports, but all manner of activities, are endless.  I'm not so sure about sport in our local community though.  We can visit a 'public venue' - The Apex, subsidised by the local tax payer to the tune of £800,000, but if we want to take our children to the local swimming pool during the holidays, we will be lucky if we can actually swim.

I'm not saying that the families using the leisure centre last week when I went, were not enjoying themselves, but the provision for local swimmers was woefully inadequate.  I could have travelled
12-15 miles either north or south for better, but that seemed an unreasonable journey to make given the size of this town.  And the local authority want to make it bigger by building more houses but strangely don't seem to give much thought to the infra-structure. I wonder why? No, I really wonder why.  Local politics leave me confused.  The words 'left hand and right hand' come to mind, and occasionally 'underhand', but hey, none of us are perfect.

Okay, I didn't do more than rush by Debenhams last week during the Olympics, but I don't remember seeing the highly subsidised Apex (and Debenhams come to that?) offering anything in the spirit of the Olympics. No fun activities for kids, no free entertainment, no flags even. Haverhill had the flags and maybe more, but then their Christmas decorations are probably better than ours too.  Yes, I'm going off the point .... but this town bugs me. Style over substance?  Well, maybe style is the wrong word.  I will stand corrected if word comes to me that there were Olympic tributes in Bury, but in my experience it's usually volunteer organisations that do all the good stuff (the 'alternative' olympics would be good but that's a big, big venture). 

I would like to see Bury St Edmunds pull a proverbial 'rabbit out of the hat' while the Paralympics are on (because it's too late for anything but a magic trick), but more importantly I would like to see some real thought given to the future well-being of young people in this town rather than to those 'grown-ups' who could probably afford to go further afield in pursuit of their interests.

Archley Landscape Solutions

                                                                                         

www.archleylandscapesolutions.co.uk

It occurred to me recently that I pass on names of local businesses that I think deserve a mention (or a moan about) but I have never included the family one.  My son-in-law and daughter own the above business which has been immensely successful over the years, winning national awards, and accolades from the numerous happy customers who have seen their gardens and drives totally transformed by Steve Bentley and his team (take a look at their webpage).

As Steve's success and reputation grows I cannot help but feel that many people with smaller gardens might have assumed that Archley Landscape Solutions (formerly Archley Paving) was aiming to capture the larger 'landscape' market....... leaving the town gardens behind. This is far from the truth. Despite much of their work being of 'landscape' proportions, Steve and Archley's garden designer Linda Munday take great pleasure in turning small gardens into little paradises.

Some years ago when I was holidaying in Greece I used to pass a garden regularly on the way to the beach. By the end of the week I so enjoyed glancing into the courtyard of the building, which had been transformed into an ornamental garden, that I resolved one day I would have the same. I know Steve could build me one but I think even at mate's rates, I could never afford the marble surrounds.  Not to be deterred, it is my ambition to have some modernisation with water features and lights in my garden. The present pond and solar lanterns do not count.

I don't know whether it's called taking the indoors outside but essentially, Archley has completed a number of projects to make gardens special enough to almost live in. Steve's own garden 'loggia' is a great place for adults and children alike to spend time in - room for entertaining, relaxation and 'sleepovers' (which is called taking the noise outside). There's no hot tub in it though (but I suppose there could be).

I always think it's a good sign when your friends employ you and Steve has worked for his friends and neighbours and my friends. Now if I could get a few more friends interested, I might get that mediterranean garden I want (despite living in the most un-mediterranean climate).