Your letters - August 27

That's cricket!

CRICKET, I thought to myself. Do I really want to attend a week long cricket festival? It filled me with dread! Eleven players, two coaches and a much-welcomed mum who served tea and eight hours of watching swinging bats and fast hitting balls - not for me I thought!

However, I would like to thank Bexhill Cricket Club under 14s for a thoroughly entertaining week.

The behaviour from the boys was impeccable, the work put in by the coaches endless and Catherine, our wonderful maker of tea, fantastic.

The boys reached the final of the festival after beating more than 25 teams across the county.

We travelled to Crawley for the final, the sun shone and our bags were packed with lunch. The boys played really well but unfortunately were beaten by a better side.

In times when many people are quick to criticise the youngsters of Bexhill I would like to congratulate them on their achievements both on and off the field.

I feel that Bexhill Cricket Club offers wonderful opportunities to both girls and boys within the community.

TONI LOPEZ

Eversley Road

Bexhill-on-Sea

Our survey says...

Back in 2003, the book Crap Towns listed Bexhill-on-Sea as the eighth worst place to live in the UK. Fast forward seven years and according to a Halifax Survey, Bexhill is the 'best place to be beside the seaside'. Quite a contrast - who on earth has been running this town for the last seven years? Congratulations to them! Let's not get carried away mind, ever the pessimist I am, an extra few hours of sunshine per week on houses which are priced far above the national average doesn't convince me to buy into this.

For anybody out there who likes nightlife or an urban buzz, unfortunately the runners-up in the survey wouldn't suit you either. The likes of Bridlington, Withernsea and Hornsea occupy the places behind Bexhill. "Bridlington is a smaller town than Scarborough, and although it is still very popular in the summer, does tend to have a quieter, more relaxed feel" is a description taken from a tourist information website. Although a welcome thumbs up for Bexhill courtesy of fixed rate mortgage advisors Halifax, but I propose a new survey: Bexhill or Newquay? You decide!

Nick Coughlan

Gordon Place

Bexhill

Museum replies

AFTER hundreds of compliments from the specialist media and the general public on Bexhill's re-developed museum, out of the blue appears a letter from Jill Hallet criticising our costume displays.

Not entirely surprising, as her views, repeated in the letter: "I could never muster much enthusiasm for the merger with Bexhill Museum" are well known and were indeed repeated often enough by the majority of her fellow volunteers at the Bexhill Costume Museum.

Firstly, her statement regarding the relative areas of the new costume gallery and the old costume museum is totally incorrect and not worth further comment.

It is unfortunate that because of their views on the merger much invaluable knowledge of the costume collection has not been passed on to the present volunteers.

They would certainly have appreciated the help for as Ms Hallet states, "it holds many treasures."

Just two ex-costume museum volunteers did not agree with these sentiments and now, along with others, are responsible for the costume and social history displays.

They are very successful, according to the majority of visitors.

Ms Hallet appears not to understand that the costume gallery displays must cater for all interests and cannot simply be an exhibition of Victorian crinolines as she wishes.

Visitors young and old are now able to see a range of exhibits, both costume and social history items, dating from the Regency period through to the present. All displayed in ideal atmospheric and physical conditions. Unlike, I am sorry to say, the old Manor Gardens stable block, where conditions were so inadequate that it was only open to the public during the spring and summer months.

I feel sorry that Ms Hallet was saddened by her visit to our museum. All I can say is that she should be there on the many days when the galleries are full of happy, smiling children with their parents and grandparents. Or when the education room is overflowing with eager students. Then she will experience an atmosphere of excitement and fun, with everyone finding things to interest them.

I trust that this letter puts into perspective the views expressed by Ms Hallet. It also gives me the opportunity to thank all volunteers and supporters of Bexhill Museum for their contribution to its current success. Not only as a fine museum but as a valuable resource in the regeneration and future prosperity of Bexhill.

JOHN BETTS

Chairman

Society of Bexhill Museums Ltd

Exhibits change

I WOULD like to reply to Jill Hallet's letter, Costumes Disappoint (Bexhill Observer, August 20). I was a frequent visitor to the Costume Museum when it was in Bexhill Old Town and I am a frequent visitor now that it is housed in Bexhill Museum.

If the lady had visited the museum a few weeks ago she would have seen an entirely different selection of dresses of all decades to those on view at the moment.

Also, she would have seen a different exhibition of students' designs for modern outfits to those currently on show. The present display is of designs specifically made to show how any material can be re-used or recycled.

In addition, the present toys and childhood exhibition replaces an earlier one about the Suffragettes.

As most people will know, museums all have a great many more artefacts in store than they are ever able to display at any one time.

And surely most people know that if articles are handled by many people they will not last and will be lost forever.

There is a great deal of interest to be seen in Bexhill Museum and this is changed frequently, so that many artefacts are displayed over time.

The museum is now able to store and conserve its artefacts, including costumes, so that they will be available to people to study and enjoy in the future. The museum is always worth a visit these days.

MRS M R COOKE

Park Avenue

Bexhill-on-Sea

... though I agree

I AM writing to say that I entirely and wholeheartedly agree with what Jill Hallet has to say about the Bexhill Costume Museum (Letters, Bexhill Observer, August 20).

I, too, was a volunteer custodian and guide at the old Costume Museum and I am aware of the vast and valuable collection of costumes and artefacts that the museum has, and which are now hidden away. We didn't have enough room to show them all at the same time then, but now there is even less, much less room and the current displays are very poor, lifeless and dull, with none of the excitement, interest and information that the former costume museum had (I'm not referring to the modern outfits, which are certainly colourful but are an intrusion). As I was so disappointed, I wrote to the person whose name was given as being responsible for the layout and displays at the new museum, but did not receive the courtesy of a reply. This merger of the two museums should never have taken place. I have cancelled my membership.

LILY AVERY

Willow Drive

Little Common

Good old-fashioned cash

IN response to J Camden Field's letter, Debit Card Question, (Bexhill Observer, August 20), can I say that as an independent retailer in Bexhill we have been asked if we accept payment by card. Our average transaction is 4.21, the cost of accepting a card is approximately 13p per transaction and rental of the card machine can be up to 20 per month.

We have even been asked to take a card for a 32p transaction, so do we then add on a further 20p in an attempt to cover our costs? This would not seem very competitive.

In order to compete with the "big boys" we have to keep our margins low. We sell a pint of milk for 41p, which is much cheaper than the supermarkets. Compare other products between supermarkets and some independents and this picture is replicated over and over again. The supermarkets make higher margins on the things we buy every day, so can afford to take the cards. At the end of the day it is you, the customer, who foots the bill. We believe that we are at the high end, not the low end of the market, maybe not in terms of turnover but certainly in terms of service and value for money. When the payment processing companies offer a competitive service we may review our policy and we may re-consider. But until then, it's good old-fashioned cash.

MICHELE STOCKER

Newsmart

Western Road

Bexhill-on-Sea

Best of luck, Barby

I WAS so pleased to see how well the Barby Keel animal sanctuary open day went. It certainly deserves every penny. There is something for everybody and it's a pleasure to go there, as they seem to have thought of every need. There are concrete paths for prams and wheelchairs, and the stalls are all laid out to perfection. There's a large selection of food, all home-made - cakes, etc - and they have even allowed for vegans, which you don't get at many places. You can also enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in a cup and saucer, or a mug -- not those beastly plastic cups. There's so much effort goes into the day that they certainly deserve to do well. The animals all look happy and contented -- it's lovely to see so many of them out loose running around. What a life! I know if I was an animal I would love to live there.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and will make sure we attend every year. Talking to visitors and helpers it's clear to see the well-deserved affection everyone has for Barby. All I can add is to wish Barby a speedy recovery to carry on her wonderful sanctuary. Best of luck to them all.

MR and Mrs V POTTER

Cooden Drive

Bexhill-on-Sea