Randy Lawford's Public Toilet Letter

Burgess Hill's Randy Lawford had another letter published in the local papers last week, this time in the Mid-Sussex Leader. Randy had written to complain about the condition of the Martlets' public toilets.



Randy Lawford emailed Burgess Hill Uncovered to tell us that the best part of his letter had been edited out.

The missing passage was:
....and it was a real case of pick your poison when deciding which cubicle to use - on one hand, you could chose the one which featured a door that was embarrasingly unlockable, or on the other you could attempt to navigate the small lake that had developed on the floor, although such was its spread that you would be unable to do so without the use of a boat

Evidently the editor of these letters has missed a trick here, robbing the readers of some humour.

We'll certainly be keeping an eye out for Randy's letters in the future.

Windmill Pub Landlord hits back over gas holder

The comical nature of Randy Lawford's letter to the Mid Sussex Times was obviously lost on some people, as in this weeks Middy Mailbag, Ray McCarthy, landlord of the Windmill pub on Leylands Road, chose to write in direct response to Randy's letter.
Here's what he wrote:

The gas holder in Leylands Road is the most hideous eyesore in West Sussex. I cannot believe that some local residents actually want to save this monstrosity and the appalling state of the surrounding land. Have they gone completely mad?

I own the Windmill pub next door to this eyesore and the sooner it is got rid of the better. No doubt the people calling for its preservation are not living within its sight and are totally out of touch with the views of a vast majority of local residents.

Strong words. I wonder just how long Mr McCarthy has been the landlord. I suspect that he took over the premesis after the gas holder was constructed. If he didn't like the gas holder, then why take on the pub? If 58 new homes are to be built on this land, who stands to benefit from this? Ah yes, that's right, the Windmill pub may gain many new regular drinkers. It all makes sense now.

Mr Mcarthy suggests that those wanting the gas holder preserved probably don't live in sight of it. Well, he should take a look at a map of Burgess Hill. The authors of the two letters from last weeks Mid Sussex Times live in Petworth Drive and Freaks Lane. You can't get more closer than that.

Ray's letter ends by claiming writers of previous letters are 'totally out of touch' with the views of others. It's called having an opinion Ray. If we all agreed on everything, then life would be rather boring.

Burgess Hill resident hits out over future of gas holder

A letter sent to the Mid Sussex Times by Burgess Hill resident Randy Lawford was the main feature in this weeks Middy Mailbag section. Randy was reacting to last weeks news that the gas holder on Leylands Road is to be removed to make room for up to 58 new homes. Randy's letter is full of passion and is one of the most enjoyable letters to be featured in recent times.

I am writing to express my sheer disgust at the possibility of Burgess Hill losing its gas tower. While many residents appear to be over the moon about this decision, I have deep-rooted concerns in what it will mean for the town

The new houses replacing it will add vehicles onto the already busy surrounding roads. There was public outcry over the decision to build the new doctors surgery at Sidney West due to the traffic it would add to Leylands Road, so one can only imagine what the construction of 58 houses is going to mean. The added houses will bring with them more families, which will put a strain on our already struggling local schools

Having grown up in the town, I have become accustomed, even favourable, to the gas tower. Yes, it may not be pretty, but it is a sample of the great past of our town. As the country steadily falls into decline, I feel it is vital that we do not lose these monuments to our past, but that they remain as a tribute and reminder that we were once a great nation. I can’t see London ever demolishing Big Ben or Trafalgar Square to make room for ‘urban cramming’, and as such I don’t see why we should be forced to get rid of one of our towns landmarks just because the government demands we build more homes

Randy Lawford, Petworth Drive, Burgess Hill

Burgess Hill Gas Holder To Be Exploded!

It must have been a very slow news week in Burgess Hill from November 14th-20th, as the front page of the Mid Sussex Times featured the news that the wonderful gas holder on Leylands Road is to be torn down to make way for new housing.


Sadly, the article was written from the ‘Hooray it’s going’ point of view. With a local resident pictured actually jumping for joy at the news.

However, we can just about forgive reporter Alex Christie-Miller for the direction that he took, as he did a fine job in exposing Lisa Smith as not being the sharpest knife in the draw. She makes what I would consider, many errors during her interview.

Here are just some of her fine quotes:

”I’ve lived in this house for three years and it’s an absolute nightmare, it blacks out so much light”

The gas holder has been in Burgess Hill for decades! So why move to a house if you didn’t like it blocking out the light?

”If it was up and working, then it has its uses but its got no purpose and it’s the ugliest thing to have next to your home, and it devalues the property”

Once again, the gas holder has been there longer than the time she has been living in her home, so how exactly has that devalued her property? And as for it being the ugliest thing to have next to your home, that is just a matter of opinion; we at Burgess Hill Uncovered think that it’s a beautiful structure; you could live next to far worse things, like a giant statue of Steve McClaren made out of marble.

Lisa’s best line was this effort:

”It’s very dangerous. When we first moved here my son was straight up it and I was terrified”

Way to go Lisa, make readers of the Mid-Sussex Times believe that you are unable to teach your child what’s right and wrong, and to be safety conscious, it’s not that hard to work out that climbing such a huge structure would be a tad dangerous, not to mention trespassing, which is of course breaking the law!

There is a lesson to be learnt here for all you potential media darlings, don’t say anything that can be used by a reporter to make you seem an idiot.

In closing, I’d like to congratulate Alex Christie-Miller on writing one of the most amusing Mid Sussex Times articles of this year.