THE council wish to move the doughnut stall from Havelock Square. That is their right and there is a legal process to be followed to achieve this aim. At present it appears that the council has used safety, litter and even anti terrorism legislation to support its attempts to forcibly remove the doughnut stall. If the reason for the wish to remove the stall is allied to the redevelopment process that is itself very clear and unambiguous and to be applauded, but the redevelopment is still some years off being started never mind completed. To gauge the speed of Swindon council's redevelopment one only has to look at the market site and consider whether it really was essential to evict tenants when they did, surely it was better to have the facility occupied as part of a vibrant economy rather than having it looking decidedly forlorn.
What does amaze me about this story is the comment from Sgt Palfreyman of Swindon police. His view is that if street traders were not there, very low anti social behaviour would not occur. On that basis he 'fully supports any actions the council wish to enforce'. Thankfully his view is of little value to anyone as the police are not the arbiters of what business should or should not be allowed to function in the town centre. If you take his statement to its illogical conclusion one would have no pubs or clubs as these are the main points for anti social behaviour, one would close all shops as these are magnets for shoplifters and one would remove all ATM's which attract thieves and muggers.
The role of the police is to apply and enforce the law, his view as to whether the doughnut stall is the cause for low anti social behaviour is unsubstantiated and I suggest plain wrong DES MORGAN Caraway Drive Swindon
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