A comedy gag alleging a village picnic area is a popular site for lewd night-time acts has fallen flat in Long Melford.
Popular comedian Rory McGrath – famed for his BBC show Three Men in a Boat –was in Sudbury on March 12 at the Quay Theatre.
During his sell-out performance, Mr McGrath is reported to have made several jokes about “dogging” and other sexual behaviour taking place at Long Melford Country Park, formerly known as Rodbridge picnic site.
The joke has sparked a debate in Long Melford about the bad publicity this brings for the village.
However, Babergh district councillor Richard Kemp has said while it had been a problem in the past he did not feel it was accurate to say this was the case anymore.
“I think Rory has got hold of a bit of history which has paled into oblivion, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
“Historically, it’s always been a site that’s had a reputation but I have to say in the past two or three years I’ve certainly received no complaints whatsoever.”
Parish councillors Richard and Carole Michette were contacted by a concerned resident. Mr Michette said: “A resident in Long Melford who had actually been at the show approached us as parish councillors and said he had been making comments about what’s been going on at Rodbridge, dogging and goodness knows what else, and saying ‘could the parish council do something about it, like locking the gates at night’?”
Mr and Mrs Michette contacted other parish councillors, questioning whether they should be looking at securing the area at night.
The East Anglian Daily Times received no response after contacting Mr McGrath’s agent.
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