City’s truly become a ‘Ghost Town’ now
AFTER walking through the centre of Coventry today, I was struck by two things. Firstly the dramatic increase in people being forced to sleep in the doorways and secondly the amount of vacant units scattered around the town.
Years ago, The Specials sang that the city was becoming a ‘Ghost Town’, now I can sadly say it truly has. As the spectre of the new year looms large it is a sorry state of affairs that in society it is commonplace for piles of sheets and blankets adorned the once lucrative and busy doors of large department stores and where once hurried shoppers once walked, now lays the down-trodden of those unfortunate to find themselves in that position.
It is hard to imagine what these people are going through, not just at this time of year but all year round and it is humbling to realise that we are ever only a couple of paydays away from their predicament.
As the cold and bitter nights approach surely the city bigwigs in their warm council buildings can look down from the ivory towers and take pity on the homeless and open a few of the empty units as a gesture of good will.
These units are not in use, and are crumbling to dust with time so surely for a while at least put them to good use and allow the homeless
to shelter in their warmth. Andy McDonald, Tile Hill
Why should all amenities have to make a profit?
RE: The proposed permanent closure of Abbey Fields open air pool in Kenilworth as “not economically viable”.
Why does everything unfortunately have to be rooted on the great god profit, the philosophy being if it does not make a profit it has to close down. What happened to amenity regardless of profit or no profit - we pay enough rates don’t we?
Actually the local power combination has been trying to get rid of the outdoor poor for some years now, by actually discouraging folk from frequenting it: eg on hot days, turning people away from the cash desk by claiming there are not enough lifeguards in attendance to cope with the amount of patrons.
Also also on dull or intermittent sunny days having a board up stating “Outdoor Pool Closed”. George Jones. Kenilworth
Kind pair helped me after slipping over
DURING a torrential rainstorm on Tuesday, I decided to take a shortcut through the shopping arcade in Ironmonger Row to avoid the stormy conditions.
On entering the arcade, I slipped and lost my balance, and fell backwards on the floor. On seeing my fall, a kind man came to my aid, enquiring if I was ok and assisted me in getting to my feet again.
Meanwhile another kind person, an Asian lady was also enquiring as to my wellbeing. The man had now left me, having realised I was ok.
I here, thank both of them for the kindness shown in my plight at the time. I have had no medical problems since and reached my destination safely. Thank you. Raymond Archer,
Stoke