Aldeburgh in bloom fights back
RESIDENTS and shopkeepers embarrassed by criticism of their town are hoping to make it look blooming beautiful next year.Action is to be taken in Aldeburgh in the face of sustained criticism about the lack of hanging baskets and the amount of litter on the streets.
By Richard Smith
RESIDENTS and shopkeepers embarrassed by criticism of their town are hoping to make it look blooming beautiful next year.
Action is to be taken in Aldeburgh in the face of sustained criticism about the lack of hanging baskets and the amount of litter on the streets.
Aldeburgh has been left in the shade by nearby Saxmundham where nearly 200 floral baskets have turned the market town into a colourful picture postcard.
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Meanwhile, wilting Aldeburgh has an old sign on the approach road saying it won Anglia in Bloom nine years ago and it does not have an Aldeburgh in Bloom committee due to apathy.
Now a public meeting will highlight the town's poor image and people have already offered to set up a committee to ensure that Aldeburgh gets noticed next year for all the right reasons.
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Aldeburgh has not entered the Anglia in Bloom competition for several years after the town could not find a chairman willing to control a committee responsible for hanging baskets and floral displays. There was also difficulty in obtaining enough sponsorship from businesses.
Marianne Fellowes, a town and district councillor, told the Town Appearance Committee that there were people in the town who wanted to revive Aldeburgh in Bloom.
She said residents and businesses wanted to work together in making Aldeburgh look good and this would bring together the community.
The latest criticism of the town's appearance came from Richard Hickson, an Aldeburgh resident who had completed a 1,800-mile drive through France and found ''spotless towns and villages, bursting with flowers.''
Mr Hickson said: ''On my return to Aldeburgh I felt sick to see the unmown verges, the weedy roundabout, the flowerless High Street, overflowing rubbish bins and litter-strewn streets.”
He complained to the Town Appearance Committee and now the resurrection of Aldeburgh in Bloom is one of several items to be discussed at a public meeting.
Cllr Fellowes said a public meeting was required to address several urgent issues in Aldeburgh including anti social behaviour, CCTV cameras and the possibility of bringing in designated alcohol zones.
She said the town's image had suffered adversely in recent months and it had been affected by an increase in crime.
Phil Brereton, of Crag Path, is campaigning for Aldeburgh to improve its appearance and he said he had been making his own effort by growing plants outside his bed and breakfast business.
