Spread the cash around in Valley
OTHER details emerging from the private full council meeting include the fact that the money generated from the sale of Rossendale Transport to Transdev, some £ 3.7m, will be put into the Spinning Point project.
Haslingden Conservative councillor Annabel Shipley has made the point that this cash should spent in Haslingden or spread across Rossendale.
Haslingden, of course, is where Rossendale Transport was based before new owners shipped the fleet and staff to other depots it already owned elsewhere in East Lancashire.
The ‘not Rawtenstall again’ argument is a potent one which resonates with many people in towns like Haslingden and Bacup. At least Bacup has benefitted from a multi- million pound heritage project. In Haslingden, the warm words of action promised after Haslingden baths was closed have yet to materialise into anything transformational.
The multi- million pound public works loan the council had secured for a new pool in Haslingden was diverted to fund the purchase of the Valley Centre, and to make the creation of Spinning Point possible. That decision caused the closure of Haslingden baths.
Whether it’s really acceptable for councils to close swimming pools to become the owners of shopping precincts will always be the subject of debate.
But Rossendale Council would be wise to listen to the points made by Cllr Shipley and make sure that areas outside Rawtenstall aren’t just improved, but are appreciated to have been invested in to. n IT’S that time of year when it’s hard to have anything but sympathy for people working in the service industry. Shop staff, restaurant staff, delivery drivers all working around the clock and often very under-appreciated.
And the grief they get from customers is sometimes remarkable. Take this Tweet from Levanter, the incredibly popular restaurant in Ramsbottom.
It read: “If you stand up, tower over my young staff, intimidate them & say “You should know the customer is always right” rather than being sensible & expressing your problem calmly, then you should know I will always back my team.”
So often, waiters and waitresses are young people, maybe even in their first job, and want to do the best they can.
And well done to Levanter for speaking up like this - I hope other establishments follow suit. Rossendale has amazing eateries to attract people from all over, but hopefully only the people with good manners who appreciate the great customer service we get around here.
The Scribbler’s views do not necessarily represent those of the Free Press.