Once upon a time there was a very, very large notice stuck on a traffic island between Rye railway station and the public conveniences.
It detailed charges and regulations relating to the station car park behind it, but most of it was in a very small typeface, and the only way to read it was to get out of your vehicle and stand in the road very close to the notice.
However it faced (as you can see above) into Station Approach, an “A” road which carries all the traffic coming into Rye from the Udimore direction – and others wanting to avoid the South Undercliff.
It is now harder than ever for drivers to see round the corner because of the extension to Jempsons supermarket.
However, as a member of the town’s Planning Committee, I get a weekly report from Rother District Council (RDC) on planning enforcement complaints – and this notice recently cropped up on the list.
That list includes lots of complaints – and frequent ones include building work done without planning permission, or annoyances caused by the people next door (high fences, untidy sites etc), or work done on ancient listed buildings (such as TV aerials).
Buildings being used as holiday lets seem to crop up a lot too, possibly because of the holidaymakers’ behaviour. And the noticeboard featured as well in the list of complaints.
It has now disappeared. Whether Rother enforced its departure, or whether RDC’s enquiries simply led to a growing awareness that this was possibly the most stupid place to put the notice is not known – but it has gone!
Photo: Rye News Library