COMMENT
They’ve paved paradise*
You know us at Village Voice – we never like
confrontation. But I felt I must respond to a
recent letter in the Hampshire Chronicle,
“One more nail in my village’s coffin”, about
Bighton’s ‘decline’, highlighting the change
of use and renaming of The Three
Horseshoes, but also commenting on
development in the area (bigger, more
expensive houses) and the possible future
demise of the village hall and the church. I
have great respect for the writer, who used
to write a regular history column for us, and
whom I first met when I moved here over 30
years ago. But I would like to present
another point of view.
The shop – it closed over 20 years ago,
probably a victim of the spread of the big
supermarkets, but in the end, it was because
villagers chose to shop elsewhere. I blame
the motor car.
The pub – the success or otherwise of any
local establishment reflects the support of
locals. If a new pub / restaurant is what
locals prefer, then this will be a success. As
to the name, there is always the possibility
that in the future a plaque could be put up in
recognition of the Horseshoes’ history; in
fact, why don’t concerned villagers speak to
the owner and campaign for one? But as
that great creator of clichés Shakespeare
said, a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet.
Houses - we know there is a shortage of
affordable housing for local people. I tend to
agree with the writer’s comments. But for
every plot sold to incomers for development,
it was a local resident who sold it, and
therefore had a hand in the outcome.
Village hall - Bighton has an active village
hall committee running events, and
volunteers raising funds to keep the hall
going for the benefit of the village. Recent
expenditure has included a new heating
system, insulation, new windows and doors,
stage curtains and other improvements.
Volunteers regularly decorate the hall inside
and out to preserve it. Under threat? I don’t
think so.
Currently not one member of the committee
was born in the village, but most have lived
here for many years, and care passionately
about the hall’s (and the village’s) survival.
And any committee member will tell you that
the most difficult part of the job is getting
locals to support the events (that, and
getting people to stand for the committee). If
the village hall were ever to go, it would be
because of the lack of support by the people
it serves.
So dear readers - I know, we’re always
banging on in this vein - ask not what your
village can do for you, ask what you can do
for your village.**
Jill Buss
P.S. There has to be change in the name of
progress, but think about this: if nothing
changed, historians would have nothing to
write about. Whereas, build a car park over
the grave of a king, and the world sits up and
takes notice.
* With apologies to Joni Mitchell (“They’ve
paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with
a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging
hotspot”)
** With apologies to JFK
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