Hi Mr Shambles!

Just a brief note to let you know that somebody out there is listening, and is grateful for your efforts to expose the PEL scandal. (And yes, I have faxed my MP – he hasn't replied.) But here's a local story which you may find interesting/relevant.

The street I live on is a lateral branch off the main North/South road through my locality. A section of that N-S road (which includes the turning for my street) has, for many years, been lined with hotels – mostly created by knocking three or four large Victorian houses into one. Until a few years ago, all these hotels were fairly drab and unexciting. Hardly any of them opened their eating and drinking facilities to non-residents.

Then, all of a sudden, their ground floors started to sprout flashy new bars and restaurants, which soon attracted a large section of the local "yoof market". Every few months another one opens, despite protests from residents who believe we already have quite enough. The authorities seem unable, or unwilling, to do anything about the racket made by inconsiderate revellers rolling home in the early hours. (Or the broken glass, take-away food wrappings, and puddles of vomit they leave behind.) Meanwhile, the owners of many of these hotels are lobbying strenuously for even longer opening hours, and later closing times.

And … can you guess the punch-line ? …        almost all these bars provide juke-boxes and televised football (often simultaneously!) but none of them feature live folk music. Kim Howells' concern for the welfare of people living close to places of entertainment doesn't seem to have had much impact here. Maybe if we could open a folk club in the neighbourhood, he might start to take notice? Or am I just being paranoid ?

Wassail!