These solar farms are sheer madness

There is nothing good about solar farms built on fertile arable farmland, and no council should allow it.

We need food security before net zero.

During World War Two, my uncle was in the Merchant Navy, which, in convoys with ships, brought food to the UK as our country did not grow enough food to feed the nation, and it was far less populated than now.

It was a very dangerous operation. One day in the Bay of Aden, two of the convoy ships were bombed, but not the one my uncle was aboard.

His ship and the food ships had to pull away, and they watched whilst their fellow sailors in the bombed boats drowned. They were not allowed to try and save them.

He had survivor’s guilt all the rest of his life.

In this unsettled world, this country needs to grow as much of our own food as we can.

Use are own North Sea gas and oil until nuclear installations can be built.

Not shoot our own foot by destroying our food production at the same time as making China rich by buying their solar units built under dubious practices.

Land used for solar panels will be infertile for generations, even if these installations are removed.

Sheer madness.

Anne Woodward

vie email

Does nobody care about the cost any more?

More horror from Breckland District Council in that there has been a massive increase in the number of applications to cover yet more of our green and fertile Norfolk farmland and which are likely to be approved.

There is mention of some 16,800 acres in your article last week that could disappear if the Labour councils have their way.

The overtaxing of food-producing land, and covering it with toxic metals that include batteries that do not biodegrade, are examples of ideologically driven activities that the Labour Government, driven by Ed Miliband, are trying to introduce.

Not to mention the ever-increasing and disruptive onshore wind farms that are ruining our countryside.

Do people realise that in the UK, the cost to switch off wind farms when the electricity grid is congested has exceeded £1billion so far this year, with a similar amount spent in 2024.

This is known as ‘curtailment’ where wind farms are paid to turn off and alternative sources, often gas-fired plants, are paid to produce replacement power, with the total cost passed on to consumers.

Does nobody care anymore?

Richard English

Lynn

Remembering when village had four pubs

I read with interest your feature (in last week’s Lynn News) about public houses past and present.

I would like to mention the pubs in the village of Fincham.

I was born and bred in Fincham and lived there from the late 1930s to mid mid-1950s.

At one point, we had four pubs in the village: The Swan, The Crown and The Royal Oak, all of which were at one end of the village. They were within about 200 metres of each other, but all were well frequented. The church and school were in close proximity.

The fourth was at the other end of the village, but the name escapes me.

My biggest memory was the fact that the village football team used to train on a Sunday morning, but that was just to work up a thirst!

We then retired for refreshments. That was normally at The Swan as it was the closest to the playing field.

I am not sure we were all of drinking age but no one seemed too bothered in those days.

The Swan is now the only one still in business. The other three have been private homes for a very long time. We also used to go to one of the hostelries in the week. That was only to play darts and dominoes, of course.

I also recall we had three shops, a Post Office and a resident policeman, but that is another story.

Michael Stacey

vie email

New footpath will be early festive gift

As someone who walks to the Mintlyn Crematorium to attend funeral services, I have, for many years now, been saying that a proper tarmac footpath on the south side of Gayton Road, from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital roundabout to the crematorium, is badly needed.

The fast-moving traffic on that stretch of road, on the outskirts of Lynn, means walking is far from ideal and I have often been forced to jump onto the uneven grass verge in the face of speeding traffic, particularly heavy lorries.

So imagine my surprise and delight recently to discover that a new tarmac footpath was being laid.

On inquiry of Norfolk County Council’s contractor, I was told the new path is due to be fully completed by Christmas.

Not only will this path make it much safer and easier for people who choose to walk to the crematorium, in these ‘greener times’ it may encourage more people to leave their cars at home and walk when they have to attend a funeral service.

I am aware that there is an official Lynx bus stop on both sides of the road opposite the crematorium.

I thanked the contractor for the footpath work in progress and, for me personally, the new path will be a Christmas present worth waiting for.

Richard Parr

Gaywood

I left your town feeling so optmistic!

It was a huge pleasure to play the opening coffee concert of the King’s Lynn Festival Autumn Series in the Town Hall on October 10.

The audience in this beautiful venue was, as ever, warm,

welcoming and discerning.

Afterwards I went to give a workshop at Springwood High School, not really expecting anything remarkable, but what I had instead were three really excellent pianists whose playing was full of intelligence and deep feeling: one could hear that music really mattered to them.

I came away quite elated and optimistic about the future of classical music, if not the country as a whole!

Lynn is very fortunate to have such talent.

Thanks to the King’s Lynn Festival for arranging this visit.

Nicholas Walker

via email

Benefactor may be spinning in his grave

What an ignominious end for Lynn’s magnificent and iconic Carnegie Library.

How sad it is to watch two charities squabbling over the carcass of the beautiful building that was given to the people of Lynn.

How ironic to see this historic edifice discarded, unappreciated and now surplus to the requirements while another iconic historic asset gets identified as worth throwing £16million at in the forlorn hope that it brings in the punters in big enough numbers to recoup this gargantuan initial loan.

Let’s hope this undignified spat gets put to bed as soon as possible and we see at least some part of Andrew Carnegie’s generosity put to some sort of good use.

Although I imagine the gentleman might be spinning in his grave, knowing how little his gift is now valued.

Steve Mackinder

Denver

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