Standard "shoddy best of bad lot"

After our recent economy tip, we have received the following from reader Andy:-
"I don't know why you're having a pop at the Standard now, for the last ten years it's been an embarrassment of a publication, shoddily put together in some print shop miles away from the town.
"Sadly though, it is the best of a very poor bunch of local papers, with the Target having become nothing more than a rehash of the Lincolnshire Echo's local articles since almost all the decent journos were finished a few years ago.
"Its not so long ago that the Target was a very respectable paper with at least 12 pages of local sport and pages and pages of local news, not ghost written articles about walking around Horncastle or Alford or horoscopes.
"I say bring back George Wheatman, Graham Brown, Ian Mitchell and Rob Singleton - local journos who wrote on local matters and who cared about the town they lived in - not wet behind the ears junior hacks from the West Midlands or Manchester who are looking for a stepping stone in their careers.....
"Keep up the good work, you don't know how many keep tabs on this site!"
Thanks for that, Andy.
We share your sentiments, but with a slight question mark over at least one of the names.
George W's column has failed to live up to its promise, and is now mostly a maundering stroll down memory lane at a time when we need incisive, forward looking comment - not a lament for the lost days when coppers wore high hats.
The same problem occurred when the late Alan Eves switched to writing the "Spectator" column after his retirement from the Standard.
We really need some independent, incisive writers who are willing to ask questions and not be afraid to speak their minds, and modern local journalism simply does not produce them these days.

Write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mail will be treated in confidence if requested