"Just to let you know that we are pressing for Redhead's Landing to be cleaned up, prior to the start of the ships race.
The area is in desperate need of clearing (especially just behind the gate) - we can't promise it will happen, but we are hoping."

On my visit an hour ago I found the pedestrian access gate to be locked with a heavy brass padlock, so I decided to make enquiries at the office of Tyne Slipway Engineering Ltd., the adjacent land owners. I spoke to the office manager who told me that the Council came along and locked the gate permanently yesterday because of health and safety issues. "It has nothing to do with us" he told me. He further went on to state that "someone had been down there the other day with a bulldozer and pushed piles of shit onto our slipway, so that we can't get boats up and down there" (verbatim). "I can't promise that the gates will be open for tomorrow, it's got nothing to do with us, you'll have to ring the Council to find out what's going on".
"I'm expecting loads of people knocking on this door tomorrow with the Tall Ships Race going on complaining that it's us who are locking the gate, well it's not us, it's the Council".

I am not happy with this explanation and I am now about to get in touch with some of our Councillors, and the Council's Chief Executive, to try and have this gate opened by tomorrow morning.

# posted by Curly : 11:20 am