Sunday 1st September 2024 - Great Start, Another Loss and a Further Bin Gripe

The first day of metrological autumn and what a great start it’s been.  Yesterday’s chilly wind has dropped and we are enjoying warm sun and a gentle breeze.  We’ve had a busy few days, the car went in for its MOT at Curtis, our village garage, and passed (phew!), we visited a friend in Cromer, purchased a small cabinet from Cromer Trading (a lovely family firm dealing in second hand furniture in good condition – over the years we’ve purchased various pieces of furniture from them), taken delivery of a garden strimmer (not available locally), the boiler has been serviced and yesterday, we went to Homebase to purchase compost for the garden, plus we have spent quite a lot of time gardening.

Although the village garden centre is still open, they have sold out of a number of items, including our favoured compost, hence the visit to Homebase in Cromer; now the nearest retailer stocking a selection of items for the garden.  When we got home a neighbour told us Homebase is closing and will be replaced by a Sainsburys store.  Well, that’s just what Cromer needs isn’t it, another food store to add to the four others (two Co-Ops, Morrisons and Lidl).  Come next year we will have to travel further afield, probably Aylsham or North Walsham for our garden needs.  As for general DIY items, I guess it will be Travis Perkins, Screwfix or Jewsons none of which, as far as I am aware have large displays to browse; instead, you really need to know exactly what you want. 

I took today’s photo of the Garden Centre, when we were on one of our early morning walks and doing our usual litter pick.  A number of people have said, once the centre closes on 20th September it won’t be long before there is a planning notice on the fence.  I should just add, after mentioning litter, there has been little improvement in the frequency of the emptying of bins on the car pack, down the zigzag path and the end of the promenade. Tomorrow, I will be submitting another form, chasing up the emptying of the recycling bin, near the picnic benches – I’ve lost count now of the number of forms I have submitted about full and overflowing bins as well as rats and rat holes too.  It’s pointless having this recycling bin if it’s going to be ignored, while others are emptied.  I wonder, does having this bin fulfil some recycling requirement on behalf of the District Council, whether it’s emptied or not?  What we need are more general bins in the village during high season.  Despite suggesting this, it seems my request has fallen on deaf ears.  It would have been a different case when I was able to contact two of the Council’s officers directly; they dealt with bin issues within hours.