Bloated just thinking of all these restaurants

Ashford Borough Council - do they have OCD?

With the local elections having finished, I was wondering if there might be a change in the thinking that this town needs more restaurants.

My feeling is that the council is suffering from OCD - or what I describe as Obsessive Culinary Delusion - due to the fact that every new project seems to include an eatery or bar.

The Coachworks scheme will have a food and drink destination, the proposed huge apartment block for HomePlus will have a ‘destination’ bar and restaurant over two floors, the proposed area behind the old cinema would have bars and restaurants.

Our council leader, Gerry Clarkson, thinks that restaurants could fill the Debenhams and M&S units. All this and yet the Elwick Place hotel and cinema complex still has eight empty restaurant units.

With the above proposals, the eateries and bars that already exist together with those that will be in the outlet, I feel bloated just writing this. Health experts are trying to cut down obesity levels, not increase them.

Michael Butcher,

Whitfield Road, Ashford Then what is left?

Many years ago, you couldn’t go into the town centre without seeing people you knew and talking to.

Now, you are lucky if you know anyone you see. I love living in a time warp, the town was much friendlier. Jean Rolfe,

Kingsnorth Road, Ashford this and also informed them of the now closed Newtown Road in hopes that they would take action to prevent even further delays in this area by removing the cones and fully opening the new roundabout. I have had only one response, which was completely irrelevant to the question asked.

ABC knows from last year exactly what trouble is caused by Newtown Road being closed.

Did they not inform HE of the second closure so they could have been better prepared for the traffic increase?

B. Marchant,

Crundale Close, Ashford