8MMERCURY June 13, 2008
email: mercury@hertsessexnews.co.ukMERCURYFundraiser
has much to
be proud ofCONGRATULATIONS must go out to
stalwart fundraiser Barbara Doherty,
who reached the final ofBritain8217s
Most Inspiring Fundraiser for her
work for Isabel Hospice.
The Much Hadham grandmother has
racked up more than 163750,000 for the
Welwyn Garden City-based hospice
over the past two decades and is
continuing her excellent work.
Although Barbara, 65, did not win the
16320,000 prize 8211 which is put towards
the winner8217s chosen charity 8211 she and
the other eight runners-up each
received 163500 for their hard work and
dedication.
It is wonderful that these people have
been recognised for the amazing
contribution they make to society.
The awards were established in
memory ofJane Tomlinson, who
battled cancer to raise more than
1631.75m for charity. She would have
been proud.Getting nowhere
with fuel costsHIGH fuel prices dig into everyone8217s
pocket, but Mercury readers will find
it particularly galling that they are
paying more than most in the county.
East Herts is a rural district, meaning
many residents have no option other
than to use a car for the school run or
to operate their businesses.
Higher prices ofoil globally mean
there8217s little or no prospect ofprices
dropping nationally.
But ifmotorists take their custom
elsewhere, then local garages are sure
to sit up and take notice.Mercury contactsCOMMENTLETTERS Make Tesco chairman
plead for store plansINOTE that Cllr Jane Sartin
is ofthe same opinion as
myselfregarding the
application from Tesco to
shoehorn a carbuncle into the
existing site (8220Don8217t let Tesco8217s
plans spoil town8221,
Mercury,
June 6).However, I would differ from her
approach in that we shouldn8217t be
pleading with the Tesco
chairman to reconsider, rather
he should be doing the pleading.
Ifthe town doesn8217t want to
accept these proposals, say no!
The body which approves plans
and acts on our behalfas
residents should be as firm with
Tesco as it is with any other
planning application.
The rest ofus mere mortals have
to call it a day ifour plans are
rejected. We can8217t threaten the
council with long-drawn-out and
expensive appeals.
Tesco can and it knows full well
that the council can8217t. Clearly it
is the wrong reason for allowing
any scheme to proceed.
Having seen the weakness within
the planning system, I8217ve no
doubt that Tesco has a
contingency for paying legal fees
incurred through the appeal
process. The onus ofconvincing
and costs ofany appeal should
be entirely down to Tesco,
whoever wins.
As our representatives, the
council has a duty to gather the
views ofthe citizens and act
accordingly without hiding
behind their desks and waving
the white flag.ALAN CRITCHLEY
Ware Road
HertfordDo readers feel
same as me?THE new design for the
proposed expansion ofthe
Tesco store in Hertford is
hideous. It is nothing more than
slabs ofconcrete.
How can a building like this go
up, opposite such delightful
architectural red brick buildings
as Bluecoats? It simply should
not happen.
Not only is it hideous, in my
opinion, but we do not need a
larger Tesco store. It would take
away the trade from the town
centre and block up our roads
even more.
How many more times do we
have to object to this before the
planners take notice?NAME AND ADDRESS
SUPPLIED
Via emailShoppers, watch
your step hereBE very careful ifyou squeeze
between the flower display
and the pillar in Tesco8217s Ware
store with a trolley.
A month ago, I scraped back the
skin on the back ofmy right
hand and badly bruised it
whenmy trolley jammed my
hand, which wasunfortunately
on the side ofthe handle,against
that pillar.
Although I told Customer Care,
nothing appears to have changed.
I suggested that the gap should
be either made larger or reduced
so a trolley cannot pass through.
Two weeks later, I tripped over
the remains ofa broken post in
the Bishop8217s Stortford Tesco car
park. There were many ofthese.
Again I reported it.
Ifyou visit Tesco, watch your
step.R KING
Via emailDon8217t let Tesco
fob us offIS it just me being cynical, or is
it pertinent to note that Tesco
knocked up a hand-drawn
picture ofits first 8216proposal8217,
then when everyone was well
and truly shocked and opposed to
these plans,surprisingly quickly
offered up its 8216revised model8217,
which was a far more detailed
and wonderfully computer-
designed plan for the store?
Yes, call me suspicious, but it
looks fairly obvious that this was
the intention all along 8211 so let8217s
not be fobbed offby Tesco,
because once it is built, we8217ll
never get that space or skyline
back.
Instead, let8217s really think about
what we actually need and what
we want to see in our town; local
diversity and stores in keeping
with its character or a
domination ofspace by large
chains, like every other town? MARTINE CARROLL
Tamworth Road
HertfordCurrent store is
more befittingIAM amazed that Tesco is
persisting in its aim to extend
the current store! What's wrong
with keeping its present size and
design, as befits a town like
Hertford?
I agree with the points made by
all the
Mercury8217s contributors
and would like to have a meeting
with a Tesco representative to
discuss the plans further.
I suggest that the meeting also
includes our local MP.GUY THOMAS
Via emailHave a heart,
help our shopsIAM writing to appeal to
Mercury
readers to help the
British Heart Foundation by
volunteering at their local BHF
Shop in Hertfordshire.
Volunteers are absolutely
essential to the success ofthe
BHF and they really do help save
lives.
Readers can find their local BHF
Shop by visiting
www.bhf.org.uk/shops
or
calling 0844 412 5000.KEN BLAIR
Chief executive
BHF shopsHave YOUR say on the website voteLog on to www.hertfordshiremercury.co.ukA POLL on the website asks you
to vote on a different issue each
week.
This week we asked: Do you
believe the Earth has been
visited by aliens?The results of the poll were:
51% said 8216Yes8217
49% said 8216No8217
q
Log on now for the latest poll and
have your say.I
I
f
f


y
y
o
o
u
u


w
w
a
a
n
n
t
t


t
t
o
o


h
h
a
a
v
v
e
e


y
y
o
o
u
u
r
r


s
s
a
a
y
y


o
o
n
n


a
a
n
n
y
y


i
i
s
s
s
s
u
u
e
e
s
s
,
,


c
c
o
o
n
n
t
t
a
a
c
c
t
t
:
:
Hertfordshire Mercury, The Media Centre,
40 Ware Road, Hertford, Herts SG13 7HU, fax (01992)
526645 or email mercury@hertsessexnews.co.uk
P
P
l
l
e
e
a
a
s
s
e
e


k
k
e
e
e
e
p
p


l
l
e
e
t
t
t
t
e
e
r
r
s
s


t
t
o
o


3
3
0
0
0
0


w
w
o
o
r
r
d
d
s
s


m
m
a
a
x
x
i
i
m
m
u
u
m
m


a
a
n
n
d
d
a
a
l
l
w
w
a
a
y
y
s
s


i
i
n
n
c
c
l
l
u
u
d
d
e
e


y
y
o
o
u
u
r
r


n
n
a
a
m
m
e
e


a
a
n
n
d
d


a
a
d
d
d
d
r
r
e
e
s
s
s
sE
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:


Paul Brackley(01992) 526621
P
P
r
r
o
o
d
d
u
u
c
c
t
t
i
i
o
o
n
n
E
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:


Ian Rogerson (01992) 526602
A
A
s
s
s
s
i
i
s
s
t
t
a
a
n
n
t
t
E
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:


Sarosh Daruvala (01992) 526605
N
N
e
e
w
w
s
s


E
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:
Abigayle Barber (01992) 526636
C
C
h
h
i
i
e
e
f
f


R
R
e
e
p
p
o
o
r
r
t
t
e
e
r
r
:
:
Wil Longbottom (01992) 526637
D
D
e
e
p
p
u
u
t
t
y
y


C
C
h
h
i
i
e
e
f
f


R
R
e
e
p
p
o
o
r
r
t
t
e
e
r
r
:
:
C
atherine Lofthouse (01992)
526643
H
H
e
e
r
r
t
t
f
f
o
o
r
r
d
d
a
a
n
n
d
d
D
D
i
i
s
s
t
t
r
r
i
i
c
c
t
t
:
:
Daniel Phillips: (01992) 526644
Sara Black: (01992) 526641
W
W
a
a
r
r
e
e
a
a
n
n
d
d
D
D
i
i
s
s
t
t
r
r
i
i
c
c
t
t
:
:
Amy Roberts: (01992) 526638
B
B
u
u
n
n
t
t
i
i
n
n
g
g
f
f
o
o
r
r
d
d


a
a
n
n
d
d


R
R
o
o
y
y
s
s
t
t
o
o
n
n
:
:
Gemma Gardner: (01992) 526640
S
S
p
p
o
o
r
r
t
t
s
s


E
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:


Andrew Franczak (01992) 526613
S
S
p
p
o
o
r
r
t
t
s
s


r
r
e
e
p
p
o
o
r
r
t
t
e
e
r
r
s
s
:
:


Alas
dair Gold (01992 526614);Marc
Beyeler (01992) 526615
E
E
m
m
a
a
i
i
l
l
:
:


mercury@hertsessexnews.co.uk
W
W
e
e
b
b
s
s
i
i
t
t
e
e
:
:


www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk
A
A
d
d
v
v
e
e
r
r
t
t
i
i
s
s
i
i
n
n
g
g
Tel: (01992) 526666/526625
Fax: (01992) 526686/526687/526654
C
C
i
i
r
r
c
c
u
u
l
l
a
a
t
t
i
i
o
o
n
n
Tel: (01992) 526666/526625
Fax: (01992) 526686/526687/526654
P
P
A
A
R
R
T
T
O
O
F
F
H
H
E
E
R
R
T
T
S
S


&
&
E
E
S
S
S
S
E
E
X
X


N
N
E
E
W
W
S
S
P
P
A
A
P
P
E
E
R
R
S
S
M
M
a
a
n
n
a
a
g
g
i
i
n
n
g
g


D
D
i
i
r
r
e
e
c
c
t
t
o
o
r
r
:
:


P
aul Thompson
P
P
u
u
b
b
l
l
i
i
s
s
h
h
e
e
r
r


(
(
E
E
d
d
i
i
t
t
o
o
r
r
i
i
a
a
l
l
,
,


N
N
e
e
w
w
s
s
p
p
a
a
p
p
e
e
r
r


S
S
a
a
l
l
e
e
s
s
)
)
:
:


Richard Byham
P
P
u
u
b
b
l
l
i
i
s
s
h
h
e
e
r
r


(
(
C
C
o
o
m
m
m
m
e
e
r
r
c
c
i
i
a
a
l
l
,
,


D
D
i
i
g
g
i
i
t
t
a
a
l
l
)
)
:
:
Ricky Allan
C
C
i
i
r
r
c
c
u
u
l
l
a
a
t
t
i
i
o
o
n
n


a
a
n
n
d
d


P
P
r
r
o
o
m
m
o
o
t
t
i
i
o
o
n
n
s
s
:
:


Ale
x Buckledee
D
D
i
i
s
s
t
t
r
r
i
i
b
b
u
u
t
t
i
i
o
o
n
n
:
:
Mike Barber
The Hertfordshire Mercury series conforms to the
Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice. If you
have a complaint or comment as to how we can
improve our service, then please write to the Editor,
Paul Brackley, Hertfordshire Mercury, The Media
Centre, 40 Ware Road, Hertford, Herts SG13 7HU
To obtain permission to copy cuttings from the
Mercury/Observer/Star for internal management and
information purposes you should contact the
Newspaper Licensing Agency, Wellington Gate, Church
Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1NL. You can also call them
on 01892 525273 or email copy@nla.co.ukMY husband and I now live in
Caloundra, on the Sunshine
Coast of Queensland, and
imagine our delight when we
looked at the Ware webcam on
Saturday night here and saw
morris dancers performing in the
street.
It made us feel very homesick.
We often look at the webcam as
our sons still live in Ware and we
like to check up on what is
happening, but to actually sign in
when the dancers were there was
amazing.
Yours 8211 very homesick expats
from Ware.FRASER and
MARGARET BEARD
Via emailThis makes us homesickDANCINGINTHESTREET:Standon Morris Men in action Photo: KHMF3V3F-08
Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 9Page 10Page 11Page 12Page 13Page 14Page 15Page 16Page 17Page 18Page 19Page 20Page 21Page 22Page 23Page 24Page 25Page 26Page 27Page 28Page 29Page 30Page 31Page 32Page 33Page 34Page 35Page 36Page 37Page 38Page 39Page 40Page 41Page 42Page 43Page 44Page 45Page 46Page 47Page 48Page 49Page 50Page 51Page 52Page 53Page 54Page 55Page 56Page 57Page 58Page 59Page 60Page 61Page 62Page 63Page 64Page 65Page 66Page 67Page 68Page 69Page 70Page 71Page 72Page 73Page 74Page 75Page 76Page 77Page 78Page 79Page 80 Produced by PageSuite