Week ending 10th December

Our Friday miscellany

of the week's

news and events

Quiz time ...  Here’s a little picture quiz for you. What’s the photo on the right all about? Is it a government campaign to warn us of the dangers of sneezing without using a handkerchief? Or some pantomime character designed to scare the living daylights out of the children? The answer’s at the foot of the page …..
Election could become a grave matter … A side bar to our piece earlier this week concerning the debacle over plans to turn the original part of Boston Cemetery into an unusual tourist attraction is that an interesting challenge might appear at next May’s local elections. The Boston Victorian Cemetery Trust is so incensed at the cavalier handing of its plans by the borough council that members are considering putting up an Independent candidate to raise the issue on a public platform “as a way of highlighting that the current management is not acceptable.” It’s a very interesting idea – and one which bring local politics back to its roots.
Indepen-dense … Talking of such things, we had hoped that last week’s light-hearted letter from local Independents John Storry and Richard Leggott, taking a pop at the BBI’s Ramonde Newell might have brought an end to the “Mouth of the Haven’s” ramblings. But no. He’s back this week with his usual chuntering about “turncoats.” If the man can’t take a joke he shouldn’t be in politics. Come to think of it, he shouldn’t be in politics anyway.
Lost bridge game … It seems that Boston has a claim to fame that no-one knew about until now, which ought to bring tourists flocking to the town. According to local historian Paul Mould, writing in this week’s Boston Standard, 1809 was “the year John Rennie built the first cast iron bridge in England here in Boston.” We think that the residents of the World Heritage Site at Ironbridge in Shropshire might take issue with that claim – especially … as any fule kno … the world's first cast iron bridge was built by Abraham Darby the third at Coalbrookdale thirty years earlier in 1779. Perhaps Mr Mould is confused. Certainly the final paragraph of his report left us that way. What precisely does he mean when he says:” The present Town Bridge was replaced by Rennie’s bridge in 1913”
Snap happy - 1 … We commented on Monday about the way in which council leader Richard Austin dominated the borough’s website report of last week’s visit to Boston by Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman – even though he was a minor player in the day’s events. We note that he also features well in the local press photo coverage of the event. But then that’s not surprising - as the photos have clearly been provided by the borough to the newspapers.
Snap happy - 2 Last week’s photo of council leader Richard Austin apparently clutching his Star Wars light sabre (click here for a reminder) generated something of an admonishment from one reader, who wrote: “Could I suggest your interpretation of the photo is somewhat flawed. It is obvious to everyone, and not only from your snapshot, that the Leader is brandishing the white stick he needs to carry. Shame on you mocking the politically afflicted! The gentleman on extreme right however, judging from his facial expression, is desperate for the toilet opening ceremony to be over. One can only hope he 'made it' in time and was not 'caught short'--of 20p.”
Imitation greatest form of flattery … We’re sure that the borough is grateful to have such a supine local press. Earlier this week, the borough website reported … “Battling bin men in Boston borough have almost managed business as normal despite abnormal weather conditions...” This was followed by a report in the Boston Target which read: “Battling bin men in Boston have almost managed business as normal despite the bad weather …” Perhaps they felt that words such as “abnormal” and “conditions” were a few syllables too much for their readers.
Blast from the past … In the past fortnight, two letters have appeared in the local papers signed by “former Conservative councillor” Yvonne Gunter on issues as wide ranging as local politics and the town’s Christmas lights. We wonder if this heralds a return to next year’s political action by Miss Gunter – whom we recall made a lot of noise but produced little by way of action. If the cold weather hasn’t yet made you shiver, then that prospect certainly should!
Not what it seems ... For local industrialists, the chance to advertise in a glossy colour production called “The Year in Review – a look at how businesses in Boston and Sleaford fared in 2010” must have sounded too good to miss. We wonder how they’re feeling now that the Boston Standard publication has hit the streets. The only mention of “business” appears in the support advertising. The “editorial” is a lame review of the year‘s “news” which normally appears in the paper to help fill space over the Christmas and New Year holiday. It seems a long time since the Standard last pulled such a stunt. A favourite ploy used to be to persuade advertisers to “support” events such as Remembrance Day. Their ads would appear on a page festooned with poppies and an appropriate banner, while the paper would pocket the proceeds in the usual way.

Quiz time answer ... Did you guess?



If that’s Pescod Square’s idea of a festive figure of fun, then don’t expect too much if you venture out to the shopping centre this weekend. Or if you do, take a big stick!

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