OPINION: Letters to the editor of the Newbury Weekly News
Be careful what you wish for with Old Town
Isn’t it amazing how quickly Lochailort developers came out with this new plan just a week after the Eagle Quarter was hopefully kicked into touch for the final time.
Does the Kennet Centre need a revamp? Yes it does, but what we don’t need is a full scale demolition and rebuild of the centre of the town.
Have people really stopped to think what this will mean? Newbury will be a building site for at least two years and people won’t want to go down there because of the awful disruption it will cause.
It won’t do a lot for existing businesses in the town, many of whom are probably struggling as it is.
People shouldn’t be hoodwinked or cajoled in thinking that Lochailort want to do this as a wonderful thing for Newbury.
Lochailort, who are apparently an American company, want to do this mainly for the benefit of Lochailort, who are going to make a lot of money out of it. I’ve heard several times a figure of allegedly around £18m.
I’m sure the Kennet Centre can be successfully revamped without having to create mayhem in the town.
People should be careful what they wish for.
Dave Shields
Wash Common
Old Town won’t be a real part of Newbury
Having been to the Friday presentation re the Old Town scheme, I remain unconvinced that this development will do anything for Newbury.
Though plausible and well-presented, it is an artificial concept that cannot be ‘shoehorned’ into an ordinary old market town.
It will not integrate and become part of Newbury life but will remain an enclave of the rich, that is, if anyone can be persuaded to buy or let any part of the expensive accommodation – roughly £1,000-£1,200 for a one-bedroom flat, the least costly.
Three-and-a-half years of disruption while they flatten the Kennet Centre and erect this complex to follow, if they get planning permission. Do Newbury people really want this?
I asked Mr Haig’s assistant why the present Kennet Centre could not be renovated – apparently there is ‘structural damage’, leaks etc.
There’s been nothing in the press about this before – if there were such faults why weren’t they rectified?
No, it’s better to let the place deteriorate until it’s past help.
Lastly, if it does go ahead surely the developer should be compelled to provide a reasonable amount of social housing since he claims to have Newbury’s interests at heart, even if not in the complex.
You quoted several favourable comments in your last issue – surely there were adverse ones too.
Several letters have appeared in recent issues.
Joy Nelson
Hampton Road, Newbury
Newbury Society view on Old Town scheme
Initial response from The Newbury Society to new proposals from Lochailort to redevelop the Kennet Centre, Newbury, entitled ‘Old Town’.
We support the change in character of these proposals, and the designs of the internal parts of this “Old Town” scheme, which we think will be an asset to Newbury and to the town centre conservation area.
Much thought has clearly gone into the preparation, the resulting internal views and into the building facades.
We were very impressed by the exhibition display.
We have no objection to the substantial reduction in the amount of retail space, nor to the loss of much of the north-south street from the previous ‘Eagle Quarter’ schemes.
We welcome the new elevation for the Bartholomew Street street-frontage as a whole, which is a significant improvement on the previous scheme.
We do retain concerns about some of the external elements of this ‘Old Town’ scheme.
In particular, we would need to see the thin six-storey building in Cheap Street (between the former Save the Children shop and the cinema) reduced in height.
In terms of the whole scheme, this is a relatively small-scale change, but important.
We would accept the addition of the lost residential units at a suitable location inside the development, to compensate.
We welcome the integration of trees and shrubs in this scheme, and think it should be possible, at certain key points within the development, for the trees/ landscaping to be established in the ground, rather than for the landscaping to be entirely planter- and pot-based.
There are other changes which we would prefer.
We have reservations about the Market Street facades, now shown as rising in places to seven storeys, double the height of the facing three- and four-storeys of the Weavers Yard street-frontage.
Reducing these even by one storey would make a real difference.
Once again, this proposal contains no affordable housing at all.
We understand there are financial issues involved, but we would like to see at least an element of this, even if it fails to reach West Berkshire Council’s policy target of 95.
How much would it cost Lochailort to include a small number of affordable units, say 10 or 12?
As far as parking is concerned, with 557 spaces (including an extended multi-storey) for 317 flats and houses, we can see that this is a significant improvement on the ‘Eagle Quarter’ plans, although we would need to review the figures in detail.
In spite of our reservations, it is clear that this is a massive improvement over the previous proposals, and we whole-heartedly welcome the character of the scheme.
The Newbury Society
Services at Phoenix Centre are my lifeline
My husband of 84 has dementia, I am his carer in my 84th year, he is non-verbal, and I suffer from osteoarthritis in my neck and spine, and currently not driving.
I am totally dependent on the Phoenix Centre; we cannot survive without these services.
I am taking my husband out of residential care (two weeks respite) because it is so bad (food terrible). Residents often remain in bed until nearly lunchtime, then ready for bed around seven, then up all night, no activities at all at weekends, little in the week.
The Phoenix Centre is my lifeline.
They are very caring, and it is too easy to say it’s ‘expensive’.
WBC have a duty to provide services to carers and those with disabilities.
I am also concerned with ‘Shared Lives’ services that operate from the Phoenix Centre; those subject to Section 117 of the Mental Health Act often receive Support Funding as part of their CARE Package. This is ‘mandatory’.
There must be other services that are provided in different areas around Newbury.
Why not relocate them to the Phoenix Centre, where there appears to be available space?
I have seen many ‘coffee shops’ operated by those with disabilities, within a day care setting, including second-hand clothing.
This could be set up as a charity that offers advocacy support, and welfare benefit advice. I am sure the Greenham Trust would support this financially.
There would need to be some configuration within the building, like the dining room could become the coffee shop.
I think there is a door leading to the side garden. The outside space could be accessed from the car park, and the garden would need a makeover for outside eating and drinking.
The car park would be great for car boots.
There is huge potential at the Phoenix Centre, causing no disruption for those who attend, making it a hub for carers whose relatives attend, or indeed others.
My husband was a West Berkshire councilor for many years, and the mayor of Newbury, and worked very hard with groups to make a difference.
I hope my suggestions are given careful consideration.
Pearl Baker
Charles Street, Newbury
Glad Dr Bradley-Moore has been recognised
It is good to have Dr Bradley-Moore recognised as an early pioneer of the health service in Thatcham and the picture of her house, next to the surgery, which I recall visiting (Newbury Weekly News, February 6).
Some appointments were held in the house.
I remember a talk on her experiences of working in India.
A well-known quote, was that “Thatcham was saturated with old people’s homes”.
Readers may recall that her house, The Poplars, was renowned for the splendid, well-attended garden parties, with many attractive sideshows, held on behalf of St Mary’s Church.
Dr Young will be enlightening us on the reputation of this fine-looking residence as a sad loss for Thatcham.
Graeme Panting
Thatcham
Shocked police station has been scaled back
My wife and I recently returned to Newbury after an absence of 34 years and found to our utter surprise that Newbury Police Station is only open from 8am to 4pm and closed at weekends.
This was a building from which I worked for 19 years as a detective constable from 1971 to 1990.
Newbury Police station was Divisional HQ and covered such towns as Thatcham, Hungerford and Lambourn.
It required three shifts of uniform officers, eight detectives, two det/sgts and a detective inspector.
We were constantly busy and indeed gave much of our lives to the job.
Every call that came into the control room was answered and each morning, as the overnight break-ins were discovered, so we were dispatched to investigate the occurrence.
Nothing was left to the next day, it was our duty to attend any premises and file a report.
Such was our enthusiasm for the job that our detection rate for ‘F’ Division as it was then known, was 70 per cent, and heaven help us if it fell below that figure.
We didn’t have access to computers, but had regular briefings.
A good 95 per cent of us lived in the town.
We socialised with those less law-abiding characters, our children went to school with their children, thus we built up a good local knowledge of who was up to what.
Many of us were ex-servicemen and women, self disciplined and led by senior officers who had in many cases seen war service.
The team spirit was strong.
I understand that policing as such has been centralised, and all calls go to Reading.
I do appreciate that methods of detection have changed dramatically with forensic science now solving many crimes.
Not by any means the 70 per cent that was expected of us.
I wonder just how streetwise officers are these days?
A walk up Northbrook Street a couple of times a week often proved fruitful as we were in mufti and approachable.
I wonder what the response time is nowadays to an on going incident in Newbury with help being at least 18 miles away in Reading?
I am sad that the good people of an ever expanding West Berkshire don’t have the benefit of the service we were able to supply.
CID was not a 9 to 5 job.
We gave ourselves to the job at the cost of families in many cases.
Call me old fashion, but it seems to me that things are going backwards in the world of policing.
Dave Parsons
Ret det constable, Garmouth, Fochabers, Moray
When will Tim Hortons outlet be opening?
What is happening with the proposed Tim Hortons on Newbury Retail Park?
The site appears to have been abandoned for months now.
Roy Picken
Thatcham
Not a very welcoming sign for our town
Do we need to improve our image?
As you drive into Newbury from Andover on the A343, I wonder how many people notice a scruffy sign, resting at an angle and covered in brambles on the side of the road?
This is the sign which should be saying ‘Welcome to Newbury’.
Instead, if it continues to be neglected, it will disappear into the undergrowth when spring arrives, and the surrounding vegetation starts growing again.
Brian Burgess
Andover Road, Newbury
Send in your pictures for charity cat calendar
We are yet again running a cat competition on behalf of Basingstoke Cat Protection.
Last year we raised over £300 for them along with our 2025 calendars.
We use some of the photos sent in for the next year’s edition.
The public get the chance to judge the competition at The Basingstoke Cat Protection Spring Fair at Ambrose Allen Hall, Tadley, on March 29.
We pick the overall one we think is best for the cover of the 2026 calendar.
Photos can be sent in on line (not Facebook or social media platforms) or hard copy.
Email or phone to find out how.
To raise funds we ask a donation of at least £1 per photograph entered.
We will tell you how to pay when you enquire or send your photos.
There will be certificates and a copy of the 2026 calendar when ready for the winners.
We fund all expenses such as printing the photographs for display and providing certificates, we do not take back any expenses.
Send your photos to davidandmarioncanning@gmail.com or call (0118) 981 5678; if no answer, try later.
Photos needed by the second week of March latest but the sooner the better so we can do the work printing etc.
David and Marion Canning
Aldermaston
