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• RANT 3

• Its been some time since Maddy put a rant together but I guess its time for another go.

• A few words about the village first before BARCLAYS shuts its doors. Another nail in the coffin of the village ? The closing of this esteemed corporation will certainly affect the shops around it and the fears that potential customers will now have to trundle over to Codsall to bank will only add to the detriment. We can only hope that Barclays customers swop to LloydsTsb that famous natiionalised banking institution in the High Street. Is it just Maddy or isn't it a bit wierd that Lloyds in Shifnal cut down hours and looks like its closing while Barclays Shifnal does full hours and is definately continuing to trade. Vice versa in Albrighton. Is this happening on a National basis.? Lets hope a good old Spanish Bank moves in to the area and adds a bit of competition to keep the dinosaurs on their toes.

• Maddy attended the Albrighton Traders AGM last week. A bit disapointing really. 61 members on the register....well 62 now with old Mads having finally paid her subs but only around 12 businesses represented. Fairplay to Pat and Gaynor who have managed to found this organisation and have worked so hard to keep it going. Its so important now to have an organisation like this. I just hope theres enough enthusiasm to hold it all together. If anyone wants some info about this its all on www.albrighton.eu

• It makes a change to announce the opening of a new shop. Maddy has a neighbour in the form of Round a pound. As I write this its their first day. Maddy popped along to buy bog rolls, bleach and all the usuals. She donated a bottle of fine CAVA and toasted owners and staff. The dynamic duo, masters of enterprise and dedicated followers of high value merchandise, stalwarts of the community BIG DAVE (apparently a nick name not associated with his height) and Granville AKA Simon Cowell  AKA Stu from the 'Arp have done a stirling job. Maddy wishes them all the best for the future and when can she have some rent !

• Has anyone traveled north on the M6 lately. What a f*c*i* mess. Is there a stretch on this wretched road to hell that doesn't have cones. There's nothing going on though just cones and signs threatening 'Average speed checks' and of course camera after camera after camera. A culture of lets slow the country down to snails pace....make everyone frustrated with crawling queues... and then catch you out with sneaky technology just to grab a few quid off them. If they leave this motorway as it is for a few more months the'll pay for the planned works out of speeding fines.

• RANT 2

• Another shop closes in Station Road this week with a deafening squeak from the village. A village heading for Priorslea style accommodation and community. You know the type...leave at home at 8am back 5.30pm shut the doors, close the curtains and don't go out. A village of no shops save the convenience store, no pubs and no services.  Balfours have priced what used to be the knicker shop opposite Terrys butchers at a generous 9 grand per year. NO CHANCE, you'd have to have really lost your marbles to sign that lease. A flexible lease  is some start over 6 years with a rent revue and pull out opp after 3 years. Is this the reason there's so many shops shut in the village...over greedy landlords or is it over priced business rates, or the fact all the roads have been closed, or this Brown led recession.

• Whens the Shrew going to be open again. Its great to see some work going on there. A main gateway to the village. Fairplay, what you guys have done so far looks excellent. If the food is as good as the renovations I'll be there every night. Bottle of plonk and a bloody good rare chunk of fillet steak ! The old Freddies staggers along though. When are we going to get some action there. Lets see some cooking or better still taste some. Not sure about the name here though...sounds a bit like some Iraqi dictator who once could launch nuclear armageddon on the UK within 45 minutes. Yeah right what government genious came up with that one. Anyway looking forward to my first night invite to Sadafs on the house of course!

• Sorry about the rain this week. Did anyone else read that the Chinese had been shooting singing monks into the stratosphere to make it rain last week (something something iodine). Anyway it sure worked in Cockermouth (what can you say about that name). How do you start these conspiracy theories anyway ?

• Thats it for rant two look out for rant three after I've taken my useless Blackberry phone thingy back.

So what to start with ?

State of the roads in the village and the effect on businesses. 12 premises now shut. Another 'closing down' sale in Station Road. Who's digging up the road next...we've had drains, mains and gas strangle life out of almost 30% of traders.

Those bollards in Station Road. Pavements can't be mechanically cleaned, some are bent and don't get repaired, and some are on private land and could be removed following legal action. What a waste of money. A great place to cock a leg for our canine pals and most have leaving a nice unhygienic mess at the base of each.

Four crappy entrances to the village... at last some brave soul is having a go at the Shrew. Well done. Hat off to you. Station Road entrance - pretty village station in severe disrepair. Paint peeling off everywhere in a right mess. Rust all over the bridge. At over 150 years old you'd think it would get some love and attention. Tumble down blacksmiths in other entrance and overgrown duck pond on crossroads entrance.

NO

Todays RANT is about Talbot Road. With nowhere to live in the village young families are forced to loveable Telford. There's ten empty houses in Talbot Road which Maddy thinks is pretty disgusting. 10 houses for young families who want to remain here who can't. 10 houses for people who will spend money in the village and help keep the place alive.

Can someone tell me:

Who owns these houses?

Why are they empty when there's plenty of people to fill them?

Who currently pays the council tax for these houses?

How can we get people living in them?

What is our Parish Council doing about this?

Replies to Maddy at maddyshop@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks for reading.