OUR CHANGING WORLD

Les takes a dispassionate look ar recent decisions to close local Post offices

I can't understand all of the fuss being made because some of our Post Offices are being closed if we look back over the years in our part of the world look at the changes that have taken place. With violins at the ready I remember Post Offices years ago at Boughton, Wretton, and West Dereham, and when they closed I can't remember seeing the barricades been manned, in fact I'm not sure if anyone noticed. Years ago we had Cinema's at such places as Downham Market, Feltwell, Brandon, and Thetford, and eventually all of these closed.

I can recall, how nice it is to be musically minded, when Barclays Bank came to places like Stoke Ferry twice a week, but eventually Mr Barclays decided enough was enough and that was the end of that. Goodness knows how many Methodists Chapels have closed, where do you start, well lets try Northwold, Stoke Ferry, Boughton, West Dereham, Methwold, Methwold Hythe, I think there are others but I'm sure you get my drift.

Primary Schools, yes it's the same formula, there were Schools at Boughton, Wereham, Wretton, and West Dereham, none of these escaped the chop, and don't whatever you do ask me to name all of the Shops and Pubs that have fallen by the wayside in a number of our villages.

As I sit writing this it's raining, well I'm not surprised, with all this gloom and despondency about you don't expect the sun to shine do you. However the story doesn't end yet, there is more to come, how well I recall the days when every village had it's own football and cricket teams, but not today, I think it was Tony Blair who put a stop to all of that, well he's taken the blame for most things so why not blame him for that.

The thing is we live in an ever changing world, not just that but an even smaller one, how well I remember, I'm not boring you am I? stay with me I shall soon be done, when the high light of the year was a trip to the seaside at Hunstanton, today we have the means, transport and cash, to go there seven days a week if we want, but we don't do that do we it's off to the Costa Del Sol, or if you are like me and don't like travelling, Sheringham.

Today of course we live in a Computerised world it's all about surfing the internet, sending emails, online banking, you name it, but of course don't mention all of that to most people of my age, we are still trying to come to terms with all these places closing which I have referred to. And if all of that is not enough to be going on with what's all this I hear about our Government spending millions of pounds on Adult Education, who on earth wants to learn anything when you are my age.

But hang you on, there is learning and learning, now if we are really talking about going to our local Post Office, a place it seems where we can not just buy stamps but have a natter with all and sundry, no doubt mainly about other peoples business, now that's different. So yes I've changed my mind, let's fight to keep places like our Post Offices open, by doing so we can learn so much even if none of it does us any darn good.

Les Lawrence. Methwold