Hold the front page

I’m never quite sure whether I should rejoice, or not, in the fact that very little seems to happen in Axminster. On the one hand, I’m obviously glad that there aren’t any gangland shootings, but on the other, I’m convinced the local paper – the snappily titled Pulman’s View from Axminster – can find more newsworthy items to fill its front pages. Recently, we’ve had big headline, front page stories about a stolen plant pot (seriously), a cracked paving slab, and the other week another non-story – a former mayor (rather strangely) supporting Axminster Carpets’ hugely unpopular attempt to build 400 homes on a green field site to the North of the town.

Now, I'm not sure anyone would care what the current mayor thinks, no offence to whoever he is, let alone one from seven years' ago. Nonetheless, the paper reported: "Mervyn Symes, who served as mayor from 2001-2003, believes it would be a missed opportunity for the town if the development doesn’t go ahead."

Hmmm.

Personally, I'm struggling to see how simply building a new housing estate - bringing 1000-ish additional residents and (most importantly) very little in the way of any new infrastructure - represents a great bit of business for the town. Maybe it's similar to Tesco's (cough) 'regeneration' of Seaton?

Best of all, Symes also went on to say: “I accept that Axminster desperately needs a new relief road but sadly this will not happen for many years."

Nope, it probably won't with people like you - and the clowns at East Devon District Council - supporting a rival scheme to the one promising a new relief road.

Some people just really don't get it.