Overgrown Rye

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2901

Dear Editor,
Following a couple of very brief walks in Rye I would like to encourage residents to take their visitors to the “Belvedere” in Hilder’s Cliff to admire the luxuriant growth of a laurel-like shrub which, happily, completely obscures the really boring view of Romney Marsh and the distant hills behind Folkestone!
Close by, another interesting visit would be to the historic Turkeycock Lane, where a couple of year’s growth of grass and weeds lines the verges, now so redolent with the scent of canine urine that no monkish ghosts will be seen there.
Alternatively, they might care to wait for spring when the, otherwise pleasant, path between the fishing boats and the Salts will surely have an ankle-deep deposit of rotting leaves as it did last April – a mere six months after they were blown there by the autumn gales.
Rye is rapidly becoming a town of private wealth and public squalor – even if they can’t (or won’t?) do something about the appalling traffic and parking conditions the Council should at least be prevailed upon by the tax-payers to keep their town clean.
Fortunately there are still a lot of tourists here to keep commerce afloat but has anyone asked how many come more than once?
Christopher Melchers – (Native)

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Compared to Hastings and Bexhill, Rye has very little in the way of flower beds or borders to brighten the town. The wall beside the town car park opposite the police station used to be planted out regularly, but now it is just a green hedge, with unfortunately hidden underneath flowering fuschia plants that can’t even be seen.
    No care is being taken of our town, regardless of the council tax and business rates increasing.

    • I totally agree with Tina Szabo-davie. Bexhill has some wonderful planting and a gem of a park in the Old Town. By comparison we have nothing. I cannot understand why when we are a popular tourist town.

  2. Rye Town Hall informed me that a weed spraying is due shortly – but this appears to be an annual event. Perhaps we should follow the continental practice of making owners responsible for keeping the street outside their property tidy, or develop (if permitted!) some town working parties and do the job ourselves. This of course won’t solve the problem of overgrown trees in places where land ownership is unclear.

  3. I find it sad there is not a level playing field for all areas of Rye, I asked highways agency why the unkempt overgrown verges in New Winchelsea road were not being cut this year, and was told The town council had taken over these duties, we all pay our rates in this town, and should be treated accordingly.

  4. I have now noticed that the view over the salts from Hilders Cliff is obstructed by laurel which has grown up. The area around the bus stand looks scruffy. The idea of a working party of local residents is all very well but we do pay towards the upkeep of this town and it feels as if Bexhill is given priority treatment. This is such a shame as we live in a delightful town which deserves better.

  5. Just wandering around the town it’s quite alarming how shabby some parts of the town has become, despite the good work of the town steward, shame on East Sussex county Council, allowing their old depot in Winchelsea road, becoming so overgrown, not a pretty sight, for visitors entering the town,or going to the harbour road,just along by the strand, we have the derelict grist mill, and adjacent environment land overgrown, at the other end of the strand, where the area is cobbled around Southern waters plant, one car has been there so long, the tree growing behind it will have to be removed to get the car out.Surely it’s time for our Councillors to get the town clerk to write to these people, who are responsible for making this town shabby,and tell them to get their act together.
    [Note :one minor edit to comply with our guidelines]

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