Thursday, November 15, 2012

River CC Kingsteps debate 2 - Exchange between Alexander Brodie and Fred Holmes plus local resident's view from Amanda

Alexander Brodie: “I don’t know that the RSPB are doing there at the moment. I mean quite frankly they’re managing a show shooting reserve. We set up this huge area thinking its going to protect the birds and I discover that wildfowlers are sitting about shooting every thing.”
Fred Holmes: “ We don’t shoot everything that moves we shoot wildfowl.”
Alexander Brodie: “I’m sorry but wildfowling, I hunt pigeons and I eat everything I hunt.I shoot very rarely but the fact is I don not respect wildfowling […] It is one of the forms of hunting in which you do get people who come up, who don’t go onto the beach, who do not respect anything and it is not a form of hunting which I think is appropriate to that land which is a very scientifically interesting area of ground.
Fred Holmes: ”I agree with what you are saying, people visiting here do not respect the law but there are few visiting wildfowlers going down there. It is usually local wild fowlers that go down there.”
Amanda later gave a graphic account of her experience as a resident in the area:

I’ve grown up in the area. I’ve ridden the horses down there over the years. In the last ten years I haven’t seen so many poo bags with poo in them lying at the side of paths in trees on fences and everything. I understand the lay’s concerns regarding why did we take away them away (dog poo bins). Half the time 99% of the folk weren’t using them.[…] The places is just an absolute shambles, to be honest, and I’m all for putting up the gate. Considering I stay at the top of the road, I’ve put up with drunks, druggies, loud music, boy racers, everything goes down the back of my house at 100 miles per hour and I’m sorry but there’s only so much you can live with.

Liz said, “Can I ask Amanda, did you call the police or any other agencies.”

Amanda continued, “We called the police, we’ve had the police involved. I’ve reported it to the council over the years. I’ve had the police down there at 8, 9, 10 o’clock at night. I actually feel sorry for the neighbours that are further down the road because some of the things in the summer time! They’re down there, they’re taking drugs, there’s used needles there. I’ve picked up needles. I’ve picked up syringes. I’ve picked up everything rather than seeing a bairn pick it up and do something they shouldn’t do with it”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know this is going to be shock horror news for some folk, but drugs are taken all over Nairn and it doesn't take too much looking to find the discarded debris of needles etc.

So does this mean we close off many areas of the town whenever there is evidence of drug taking? It's a part of life that some find unpleasant; I'm more upset by dog poo than a discarded needle but there you go, we're all different. Ideally there would be nothing that was a nuisance but society isn't like that and closing the Kingsteps car park is just shifting the problem elsewhere. But that's NIMBYism for you, shouting loud and solving the problem by moving it on

For those of you who really think Nairn has a problem try digging into a few other towns, you won't have to go far, Nairn is a dream world compared to most in terms of the lack of social problems we face

"Drunks, druggies, loud music, boy racers" yes we all at times suffer from these, it's folks escapism that unfortunately encroaches on other folks peace and quiet

Putting a gate up at Kingsteps is a selfish move that will preclude the enjoyment that the great majority had from parking there. True the gated community will have created their own little oasis and I wish them well with their new found society and values

Brian Turner said...

Am sorry, but does not believe the claims that Kingsteps car park is normally filled with drug needles.

I've been walking my dogs there regularly for the past two years - most people do bin their dog poo, and I usually bag any extra I might see.

The worse aspects of Kingsteps are the fact the car park badly needs re-gravelling, and the aggressive pack of dogs that belong to the house at the top.

Aside from that, it's a lovely place.

And so far, not a single argument for closing it has been justified - Alexander wants to stop wildfowling, yet admits closing Kingsteps will not do that.

Anonymous said...

Christ, It sounds like a scene from Trainspotting, Im just waiting for Spud, Renton, Sickboy, Begbie & Tommy to be mentioned 'As Seen' floating about the carpark after Swanny has been offering his trade of dealing to the masses..... Were the needles & syringe finds reported, can this be confirmed, did you dispose of them properly,Hazardous sharps containers?

In all honesty I think that there is a wee bit of elaboration on the truth here, whats next, bus loads of smackheads & alcoholics making their way to the carpark for a hit ! - Seriously, I you were a Junkie, would you be wasting your time wandering out to somewhere that is pitch black at night, can not see your back side from your elbow, let alone stick a needle in your arm.

Some of you people have no clue what so ever !!!