Couldn’t swim in case I got wet

YESTERDAY I went for my daily swim at Uxbridge Lido but was told it was shut because of the weather (occasional light showers).

Is this a first for a lido?

How many more wasted journeys between now and September?

Not to be outdone, I drove to High Wycombe lido. Sure enough, it was open for business, even though I was the only swimmer at that time. They told me that they only close for lightning and heavy rain.

That’s the spirit!

E O’BRIEN

Sussex Road, Ickenham

Wayne Hawkins, general manager of Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, replies: “A member of the team wrongly informed a member of the public that the pool was closed, as no swimmers had been in all day.

“The pool, in fact, was open, and an individual mistake made; we sincerely apologise for the misunderstanding.

“The pool remains open as per timetable – Monday-Friday 7-9am, noon-2pm and 4-6pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-5pm, with extended timetable when the weather is good.

In the school holidays, Monday-Friday, 7-9am and 10-6pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10-6pm.

We sincerely apologise for the miscommunication and would love to offer Mr O’Brien a free swim for himself and a friend.”

Hayes town centre is a sorry sight

THOSE of us who remember when Hayes was a lovely shopping centre know it could still have been when Hayes goods yard was available.

It could have been a ‘miniature Chimes’, but along came Mr Big [High Point Village] and look what a monstrosity we’ve got now.

You will see the same again on a smaller scale opposite. You only have to look at the overcrowded schools; there will never be enough housing.

No wonder the council doesn’t want Asda to come to Hayes.

Don’t go in one of the nine betting shops in Hayes and bet on the future of Hayes – save it and go to Iceland, who have been a blessing after Co-op and Sainsbury’s left us.

P TURNER

Princes Park Lane, Hayes

Difficulty in seeing what attraction is

SO, MR Davies of Yiewsley and West Drayton Town Centre Action Group thinks it is going to be wonderful for Station House to be turned into a 72-bedroom hotel, and it will benefit business and the town due to the amount of people it will bring to Yiewsley (Hundreds of jobs as developers gear up, Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette, June 13).

What ‘excitement’ they are going to experience – Yiewsley and West Drayton comprise more than enough take-aways, betting shops and other food stores (most with alcohol licences).

We have blocks of flats with empty shops at ground level (for several years), and a new block of flats bordering Fairfield Road and the High Street: again, these shops will probably remain empty.

I have lived in this area since 1967 and, like a lot of towns, there has been a marked deterioration in the type of shops open for business.

The recession, high rates and rents do nothing to attract more upmarket businesses, and if anyone, like myself, wants to purchase more than food, we have to go further afield.

Even Uxbridge and Slough are depressing – Hayes more so. The only shopping centre within reasonable distance worth going to is Staines and that has its fair share of empty shops.

If Station House is where I think it is (next to Barclays bank), there is very limited parking under the building – access to which is in Station Approach, which is already congested with buses going in and out as well as cars. What is it going to be like if the station is refurbished?

Improved rail links maybe, but what about the road links?

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

? Realistic views, or too much doom and gloom? Have your say: www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/tellus.

Save money and lovely wildflowers

PLEASE, please, please can we stop cutting the verges and central reservations on our roads? Why?

After all that rain in April the various plants and grasses that grow alongside our roads were in abundance – full of insects and to these old eyes looked very nice.

Then along comes the mowers and all is gone, and oh, what a mess. All the cut grass and plants all over the path and road.

Many years ago the central reservation on Bath Road was a mass of flax, a beautiful blue flower, at this time of year – now all mowed out.

Even places that are out of the way get shaved. I cycle along Moor Lane and Accommodation Lane in Harmondsworth and even that gets mown. Last week, all along Holloway Lane, the verge was a mass of various plants and grasses and mayweed, now all gone.

Whatever happened to the greening of our borough? Gone underneath mowers and strimmers.

If we cut back on the mowing it would save money too. I live in hope!

A voice in the wild verges.

CHARLES YAVELL

Dickens Avenue, Hillingdon