A sign has appeared at the entrance of Rye Harbour asking people not to visit. Saying, “A day at the seaside is not essential travel. Please respect us, don’t infect us! Go home”, it follows instructions from the police and local authorities telling people not to travel unless it is essential.
Essential travel currently includes collecting shopping or to go for a daily bout of exercise.
During the week the police confirmed that members of the public could drive to the countryside and go for a walk provided that “far more time is spent walking than driving.”
But police advice goes on to say, “However, a very short period of ‘exercise’ to excuse a long period of inactivity may mean that the person is not engaged in ‘exercise’ but in fact something else.”
Image Credits: Kevin McCarthy .
“Please respect us, do not infect us, go home!” Say the people of Rye Harbour. I have some sympathy for them as it is easy to feel vulnerable these days and suspect that some are not taking the coronavirus restrictions seriously. It is more difficult to discern if the people moving around Rye are engaged in essential travel or not. However, one’s suspicion is excited by the peletons of bikers and cyclists along the main road by our house. The suspicion deepens when passers by are toting bulging rucksacks and Ordnance Survey maps. Recently, I have been asked by a passer by where the town centre was, and by another where the river was. Can these people really be locals going about legitimate business?
I am responsible for this sign, for the reasons Christopher had all mentioned. I questioned a few visitors that I passed on my way to our local shop. I asked where they were from the answers were Seaford, London, Eastbourne and Ashford. I don’t know if the sign worked (it’s been removed by someone) as we still have a number of visitors heading for the beach
Well done Willow
Such a shame it was removed
I live in Rye Harbour and it’s frustrating to see people still packing the harbour path. I have taken my family out for our exercise and have come across many camper parked up along the side of the road. I know it’s important that people get out and exercise for physical and mental health but I find it strange they drive all this way. I will often need to go back home because there are to many people out and about and my daughter has lung problems so I won’t risk her going near to anyone. our little village has a lot of older people and people that are vulnerable and that is why we are concerned about the amount of people that have been entering the village, we are just trying to keep these people and ourselves safe. We are a village that really tries to look out and support each other at all times and that’s what makes it such a wonderful place to live.
Living on the top of Battery Hill in Fairlight, I see a constant stream of traffic coming and going up and down the Hill, to and from Rye as much as – if not more than – ever before. Cars with out-of-area number plates, fitted with roof racks, or filled with families, etc. Definitely not locals! We are blessed with the countryside and beaches around here and I can see that people would like to visit it, maybe getting out of a pokey city flat. My sympathy is with them on that! Small, local food-shops are doing well with non-local business and it must be hard for them to refuse to serve any customer, but it is making essential supplies even more difficult for locals to source, those who are NOT going out of area and who have been loyal customers for decades, who cannot get to the supermarkets or get an online delivery slot, who are venturing out because they have no other option, or who walk to the nearest beauty spot for exercise, staying out no more than an hour, not the whole day! Willow’s sign needs replicating, not removing.
I totally sympathies with the residents of Rye Harbour. What are these people doing? Do they not watch TV with its constant warnings not to go out unless absolutely necessary? We all want this surreal situation to end but until everyone pays attention to the rules we will be in lockdown for the foreseeable future.
We live just off Rye Hill and the Rye Road this week has been as busy as in ‘normal’ times. I can’t believe all the traffic is locals picking up shopping from Jempsons! On my morning walk I chatted to a couple of people (at a safe distance) who both agreed the road has become very busy again.
When will these people get the message.
The sign was removed by a man in orange hi Viz trousers who took it into the Rastrum yard. I saw this around 11 a.m.Monday 20th. I challenged him, asking why he removed it, and he replied that it was ‘on private property’. Are grassy verges private? The sign was honest and appropriate. It should go back up.
Good on all you residents
We live up in Sissinghurst and are regulars to Rye and Rye Harbour in normal times.
We haven’t been since the lock down and won’t be as instructions state
We will look forward to coming back when allowed
It is not the day trippers who are flouting the directive to ‘Stay at Home’. From observation increasing numbers in Camber indicate second home owners are arriving and some who rent out their properties continue to do so. This is a viscous, highly contagious virus which kills. Travel and ignoring social distancing will add to its spread.
Diane Mueller I thank you for your support. I believe the land is owned by The highways agency, so they have probably removed it from their land. My question now is why do all the concrete blocks still remain? Surely they are in the way more than my sign?