mercuryg

Not sure how that happened!

"...more of a "rule of thumb" than a law...' curious comment, Chris! Speed limits are definitely law, hence the frequency of persons being prosecuted for exceeding them.If they were a rule of thumb every case would be thrown out of court. As far as I know, the speed limits in the UK are as follows: 30 in built up areas, 'built up' being signified by street lamps on the road. 60 on those roads identified with the National Speed Limit sign (black diagonal on white background) and 70 on motorways and dual carriageways, unless otherwise indicated by speed limit signs. Hence, if the stretch I'm on about is lit, which I suspect it is, the speed limit would be 30mph; If it isn't, I can legally do 70 (assuming I have a car capable of getting there) unless there are signs saying otherwise. Simple! ** all figures refer to cars, not lorries etc

Aaah, that's a common symptom of over-indulgence in Old Speckled Hen, Foxy; the walk home is always twice as long as the walk there.

"Please please can we have a shopping centre (like the Keel Row) maybe call it The Lonnen. Waitrose and a Marks and Spencer Food store plus other retailers. Anyone who wants a way into a huge potential untapped market. Lots of available space. Bus station and parking on level ground. Two other levels with a walkway over to the old Elliott's Garage site and the old school Obviously there will be space available on the GAP Site." Just thinking about this; I understand your approach, but is it really what Bedlington needs, or wants? I know I'm going to sound like I'm going against my general approach on the subject, but for me, one of the joys of the town is the Front Street itself. Yes, it's currently blighted by unsightly closed shops and unfinished building sites, but on the whole it is a unique asset, a wide, pleasant, market town street that hasn't changed much in 100 years. Now, the idea of a shopping centre is a good one; indeed, that could be an ideal use for the Tesco's buildings, but a walkway over the road? Not for me, I'm afraid. Morpeth's Sanderson Arcade works because a) it is a spur off the main street and it incorporates major brand stores with eclectic boutique stores. It should be, in my humble opinion, the aim of any development to serve those in the 'shire' rather than try and encourage others to come and shop here, which will never work. Food for thought.

Now then peoples, let's take a breather from our rantings about the state of our pretty and historic town, and consider an important point of trivia that has sprung to my fertile mind. I spent part of yesterday writing about UK speed limits (I lead an invariably interesting life) and then the latter part pondering a related point. It seems that a 'dual carriageway' is defined as a 'road with two or more lanes for each direction, separated by a physical barrier in the middle'. Well, I was enjoying a pint in the Red Lion (I wish more people would use the name rather than the increasingly popular 'Spoons') looking out onto the roundabout, and for some reason, decided to posit the following question: is the stretch of highway from the Red Lion roundabout to the roundabout next to Morrissons possibly the shortest dual carriageway in the UK? I challenge those of you with no lives and more than enough time on your hands (which you clearly have if you have read this) to find me a shorter one!! A brief addendum: I will have a look later but cannot remember - are there actually any speed limit signs on that stretch? If not, I believe it my legal right to boot my car up to 70mph between points! I now realise that last sentence should also refer to street lights - is the road lit? I can't remember! I am now officially fixated on this subject. It will rule my life until I find all the answers.

I think you might have missed some of my point, Scoop. I agree with many of your points - as I stated - I simply think there's a bigger picture here, which addresses the inevitable fact that more people are going to want to come and live here in the future. People are living longer, the population is growing, and an attractive place to live, in pleasant surroundings, with good schools for the children and transport networks to the main areas of employment is always going to attract new families. The trick is, as has been discussed much, how to improve the services and infrastructure to cope with a population increase that we can't do anything about.

"People like looking out of there windows and seeing open views, they like going for walks in the countryside which is virtually on there doorsteps. It makes people feel good in a world which is really messed up at the moment." All well and good Scoop, people do enjoy those things (I'm lucky enough to have a nature reserve outside my back gate) but, with respect, very few people in Bedlington can wake up and look out over open views and green fields; most, after all, are hemmed in on housing estates, with only those on the edge having the privilege of such views. As for walking in the countryside that is 'virtually on their doorsteps', it still will be, it's not going anywhere soon. The land earmarked for development in this scheme is, if I'm not wrong, privately owned. From what I've seen, the footpaths already there will not be affected (as those that existed when Hazelmere was built were not). It's all very well wanting to keep 'our' town at the size it is now, but what about those people who want to come and live here, who see it's attractions (including those above) and wish also to enjoy them?As I said in an earlier post, it's clear demand exceeds supply - the new batch of houses on Hazelmere have pretty much all been snapped up. Yes, the infrastructure needs work, in all areas you mention, but while the negatives outweigh the positives for you, for those looking for a new home in a nice place with all the attributes mentioned, it's more positive than negative.

Not seen that one, sounds like a great story. It's a great place for plane spotters thanks to the fighter contingent and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight being on the same base. Typhoons and a Lancaster in short succession - won't get that anywhere else

'tis true Sym! Sismerc's land practically borders the runway, so she's the perfect choice of spy!

"I think you can still detect something Russian, nuclear, and that wasn't armed in the Lake District." probably not just there, but all over the joint! However, you know as well as I do there is a vast different between that and a nuclear warhead, which is basically a big shell unless armed. " If I remember correctly this one was notable because it turned right and flew the channel too - thus unsettling the great and the good." It did indeed. Not the first time it's happened though, just Ivan flexing his muscles and giving our lads some much needed action!

"He's an immediate turn-off when he shows up on TV" Same here! Nothing to do with his sexuality or his political views, more his inability to be concise with the English language.

"Are you aware that you likely came within 50 miles of a Russian nuclear warhead the other day?" It wasn't armed. I often wonder why some of these intercepts get reported, and others don't. I have it on good authority from someone working with the QRA team that it happens on a weekly basis.

"I am a councillor and I do nothing else except stand up for Bedlington!" Indeed you are, and I have the greatest admiration for your dedication and commitment to the town. Personally I can think of nobody better than yourself, Adam et al to carry the flag for Bedlington and, as you are aware, have already enquired as to what I can do to help. Perhaps others would like to join me in offering support?

Not local to me Sym, I live in Choppington! Sister lives near Coningsby

Mimimal or not, 3g, the cost is there, and Virgin didn't want it. There'll be no fallout, it will all be forgotten in no time. Short memories and all that.

That would be news-worthy.

"I think it could have worked." It certainly would have worked. Before it all went tits up (pardon the expression) and Wetherspoons stepped in, there was a similar idea in place for the Red Lion. I had my name down for an office in that development. Working from home is all very well, and convenient, but I honestly believe I would be more productive if I were to 'go to work' every day rather than simply moving from one room to the next.

I really don't see it that way 3G. They're being given plenty time to change (even 90 days, or was it 60? is plenty). Nobody is being 'forced' to do anything, and the whole thing will be forgotten in a short time.

"anybody with an ounce of commercial sense would negotiate on these and put forward the business case for a lower rent" I know we've had this discussion before, and I still think you're displaying a little naivety here. You're quite right in that anyone with a bit of business nous will negotiate; the problem is, will the landlord? I've said before I entered into discussions over a number of properties on the front street a few years back on behalf of a friend. Not one landlord budged; in fact, one, when they found out there were two parties interested simultaneously, put the price up overnight! Is it any wonder we chose to walk away? or that my friend eventually opted to open in a different town, at more attractive rates? The problem is that for the location and its few benefits, rents here are expensive. I'd far rather open a retail outlet in Morpeth and would pay little more. The example you link to is an interesting one; any idea what the rent hikes up to after year one?

"I hope you are wrong mercuryg." I do too, Maggie. The worry is I was 'right' some years ago when I expressed the opinion that, due to a lack of through traffic and low footfall, the planned Tesco development would never happen. I'm afraid it will take more than a big supermarket to draw in people from the surrounding towns who already have such facilities, and that would be needed in order to justify the investment. 4G... "The best use for the building imo would be to split it up into a few dozen incubator style offices/meeting spaces with reception services. I expect these would be quite tempting to the likes of Merc working from home, it would create activity in the town centre and some may grow to fill the more visible high street retail premises over time. There would be lots of networking opportunities and a lot of the hassles many start ups face would be eliminated." Great idea, and it would certainly be of interest to me at the right price.

Maggie, "The number of people who live in our town and the number who drive through must be huge." While I appreciate your impassioned plea to Waitrose, and I'm one of those advocating optimism, the above quoted sentence highlights the problem. Officially, Bedlington has a population of around 15,000. That's not particularly great. Also, it's a town that is, geographically, 'stuck in the middle'. There is, in truth, very little through traffic; the Spine Road and A1 see to that. The only people who would shop at a Waitrose in Bedlington would be those who either live or work here. Otherwise, where would they come from? All the surrounding towns - Cramlington, Blyth, Ashington, Morpeth - have more than adequate shopping facilities. Why would they choose to come here instead? One of the areas in which I agree with those who propose a doom-laden future for the town is that I personally cannot see any store of this type bringing people here to shop. Quite simply, out-of-towners don't need to. The question is, what do we want? What would we use? I doubt, sadly, that Waitrose see the site as having anything but minor potential. I don't claim to know what the answer is, but I don't think it's another supermarket giant who would quickly see that the footfall just isn't there.

The reason businesses such as Virgin are so successful is because they cut out all those 'drops in the ocean' 3g. Being generous does not reap profit. Im with plusnet, phone line and unlimited broadband £20 a month and never had a problem

Absolutely right, that is the biggest hurdle! Mind you, Malcolm's quite tall......

To Canny Lass: we can liken the demise of Tesco to the famed '2012 Mayan End of the World Prophecy'; in fact, the legendary calendar was not significant of an end, but signalled a new beginning.......