Yesterday evening Faversham Town Council threw down the gauntlet/avoided its responsibilities (take your pick) to the people of Faversham: “Tell us where you want us to put benches.”
Cllr Wilcox claimed the “problem” (there’s always a “problem”) is that whenever a bench is proposed, the shop it’s outside of complains about the anti-social impact it will have.
Cllr Simmons cleverly suggested the solution might be to propose 6 benches, thereby spreading the pain. Not a bad idea – but how about 60? Or 160?
Cllr Martin offered an imaginative proposal to avoid painting Yellow Lines around the Guildhall: encircle it with benches instead! I think this is an idea worthy of further investigation.
Perhaps only one or two judiciously placed benches could solve the “problem” of people parking on the west side of the Guildhall. These might be heavy, moveable benches that can be wheeled away on market days and in an emergency. Other towns do this so why can’t Faversham?
Tim Stonor for Faversham 
Its simple really you just put the benches back where they were before and tell the complainants to call the police if there is anti-social behaviour! What happened to the old benches? Were they put in storage or did the contractor who removed them sell them at a profit??
As for parking again a simple solution Swale BC introduce a properly formulated an signed Controlled Parking Zone! CPZ’s are designed to be used in areas where the painting of yellow line would detract from the historic character of an area and have been used in other historic towns in Kent and Sussex visit Rye and find out.
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If you look at my contribution to this Stephen you’ll perhaps see the problem we’re faced with. Shop keepers always whine and always will, they’re never satisfied. We need a permanent police patrol, and all the exsisting rules and regs which are continually ignored, should be enforced. There are as you say, options as in the towns you mention. What we really need of course is a local council who is working for the town and NOT for Swale!
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Yet again Tim hits the nail on the head!
We need open thinking, constructive ideas, true eccentricity so that no ideas are rejected without proper thinking through.
Cllr Wilcox said he would welcome suggestions from the public about where benches should go. So here’s an opportunity!
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Benches? As many as possible! West street could cope with at least three more. The square – as many as poss – court st and Abbey St – one every hundred yards.I’m not sure about Preston St, especially has there has been an application for the currently boarded up property next ,the Tattoo shop, to be an off licence which will be open until 1.30am! I cannot think that this will benefit the town one iota ! JV the guy who runs the paper shop/off licence is going suffer as a result.It’s an appalling idea! We have enough alcohol in this town, and this proposal ought to be rejected pronto! Why should we accomodate those who want anti social drinking hours ? A kicked in shop window can put businesses out of business, as the shop keeper will be looking at a rise in his rent in order to cover the additional Insurance which will be levied upon the landlord caused by vandalism! The bench which was removed from outside the pet shop in the square, was outrageous! Some of the locals were kicking up a fuss, because they were over the limit. ( I think the ‘no drink’ zone was created after this incident!) The shop keeper called the police as he said it was harming his business. The police came and moved them on The police left – they came back again! The next thing was that overnight the bench vanished! It wasn’t the benches fault, it was those sitting on the bench! But everybody was made to suffer because of a couple of drunks! The idea is that we look at the cause and not just treat the effect, which, in this instance was moving the bench! We DEAL with the PROBLEM – NOT sweep it under the carpet! If we’re going to accept non policing in this town then we’re in trouble! The elderly, infirm,pregnant women etc should not have to sacrifce a break to sit down in order to accomodate drunks who are effing and blinding and upsetting people! Having said that, the anti social drinkers have to go somewhere – they live here also, so it’s tricky. They can be moved from one spot and they’ll find another! But If we’re daft enough to allow this application for another off licence opening to 1.30 am in the morning then we’ll get what we deserve, unless the police are on duty half the night – but how do we bring about that? One thing’s for sure, in my mind, and that is, the town should not be expected to revolve around the behaviour of the few at the expense of the many! It’s about time Swale and our local council WOKE UP got off of their lazy arses and, gave us a bit of democracy, and ASKED US, before they dump on us yet again! We should be telling them what we want, NOT what they, through expediency decide we’ll have to put up with!
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When’s the next meeting regarding these issues ?- I thought I was attending one last night at the Guildhall, but found it was a general Council meeting, complete with gowns chains of office and all the rest of the parafinalia, so I didn’t stay. Apparently Mike Henderson got up and walked out -good for him!
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Ok so you want ideas for bench locations replace the one that was removed from outside the pets shop put one outside the Guildhall near the VC memorial, one down on the wide pavement bejond the Shelter shop and as already said a couple in West Street. ANd just for good measure no Off Sales after 11:30 or over Hop Festival Weekend {dont think Tesco would like that}
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How about using the highly talented skills of our young designers and crafts people and instead of calling them benches we rename them art installations with comfy areas. I’m sure it would provide a great platform for propelling their careers whilst supporting the weight of those in their twilight years.
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