Letter from Les Lawrence

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Ron Watt’s ‘Memories of the winter of 1947’ in the March Issue and his reference to the living conditions prevailing at that time. Fortunately we have moved on from there.

However if people have moved on over the years where does that leave our local villages? Have they, moved on? I don’t think they have. In fact the opposite has to be the case. I often wonder just where our villages will be in years to come and will anyone care?

We are all aware that the very heart has been ripped out of our villages; shops closing, pubs, primary schools, chapels sold off to the domestic market, a fate that is now happening to Methwold Methodist Chapel. Of course it’s our own fault! Who wants village shops, for example, as we get in to our cars and head off to the nearest Tesco’s?

Today of course we have the money to do, with-in reason, just what we want to do. Years ago we had to stop in our own village and make our own entertainment; we couldn’t afford to do anything else! Our villages became prosperous and the people didn’t. Now the opposite applies; most people have never had it so good.

So where does that leave our villages, now, and more importantly, in the future? I haven’t a clue! But then, at my age it doesn’t matter. But for others younger than me, it does.

I hope someone has a village plan for the future, because I certainly haven’t.

Les Lawrence, Methwold