Readers tackle litter, sheep theft and more, plus a 1959 cinema discovery

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Foreman Bill Blower holds a rather unusual relic discovered during building work at Wolverhampton’s Pavilion Picture Palace in March 1959. The cinema, which opened between Castle Street and Tower Street in 1909, once had a gas chandelier hanging from the auditorium ceiling, with gaslight jets fitted to its spokes. The long-forgotten fixture was uncovered as alterations were being carried out, just three years before the Pavilion closed as a cinema. Have you got memories of the Pavilion? | Express & Star archive

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Foreman Bill Blower holds a rather unusual relic discovered during building work at Wolverhampton’s Pavilion Picture Palace in March 1959. The cinema, which opened between Castle Street and Tower Street in 1909, once had a gas chandelier hanging from the auditorium ceiling, with gaslight jets fitted to its spokes. The long-forgotten fixture was uncovered as alterations were being carried out, just three years before the Pavilion closed as a cinema. Have you got memories of the Pavilion? | Express & Star archive

Readers tackle littering, share park memories, react to sheep theft and criticise the latest Range Rover and Reform UK

Punish litter bugs properly

Walsall's street cameras have apparently resulted in an average of 95 litterbugs per month being issued with fixed penalty notices or offenders facing court.

The punishments available to the courts are quite impressive: fines up to £50,000 or even six months in prison.

Then the bleeding heart stories are used in court resulting in tiny fines or even community work. Application of appropriate penalties might just deter some potential offenders and maybe bring in enough revenue to pay for the camera system.

Trevor Howard, Wolverhampton

Happy memories of the parks

Recollections of a Parks and Recreation Operative (recalled in retirement):

All the way from Huntingtree Park

To The Delph at Brierley Hill

In the morning’s winter dark

That would open up to a bright day’s chill

From the depth of Leasowes woods

To the Bricks of Colley Gate

In all kinds, and shades of mood

From the low up to the great

Amongst the song birds and the trees

For miles and miles we roamed

In blazing sun and restless breeze

Sometimes frozen to the bone

But beneath that endless sky

We were happy in our youth

To watch the seasons rolling by

Something old that holds the truth

And we were privileged, yes we were

Though it may not have always felt that way!

To be spending our working lives ‘out there’

A daily part of the scenery

Like those ancient hunter gatherers

We chose the open spaces

Feeling, just like our forefathers

The sun and the wind upon our faces

But it wasn’t always plain sailing

And I often wrestled with the thought

That somehow I was failing

And not doing as well as I ought!

But looking back now from my armchair

It all seems like magic to me

All of those memories of ‘out there’

Recalled in tranquillity.

Alan Jones, Halesowen

Farm’s sheep theft a new low

How low can people go? Jeremy Clarkson has had 11 sheep stolen. Hope the culprits are found soon and the sheep found unharmed. Jeremy, when reporting it to the police said it sounded like he was from 1856 - it certainly does.

Jean Greenhall, Kingswinford

A monstrosity on our roads

Re. the headline announcement of the new Range Rover on the front of the Star, September 1.

Oh, what joy! Yet another big, bluff and ugly electric car, the size of a minibus, carving up our roads – and pavements in some streets.

Taking up too much space in our car parks, and often going over the midline on our country roads, getting in the way of other traffic.

Not even very nice to look at, the design is bland, like most electric cars.

Yes, we should be glad of the success of a local company, which is important, and be happy for the workers in the West Midlands.

But do they really have to produce yet another monstrosity for our roads?

You may accuse me of envy, but you would be wrong. I am quite happy with my Honda Jazz.

Derrick Forster, Rugeley

Double standards of Reform UK

When Nigel Farage was struck on his shoulder by a milk shake carton in 2019 the perpetrator was found guilty of assault and criminal damage. At the time he was fuming at his security personnel for not stopping Victoria Bowen from launching the container.

Fast forward to 5 September, at this year’s Reform conference; a female protester calling out Reform’s denial of climate change and its catastrophic effects on humanity gets brought to the floor and beaten up. Farage and his mates claim there’s ‘nothing to see here’, and for some unknown reason he claims it’s “double standards”. Well, strictly speaking, it would only be double standards if the men and women that beat her around her head and dragged her by her hair weren’t prosecuted. I’m sure, to be fair, he’ll be helping the police with their enquiries to that end.

Patrick McCarthy, Telford Green Party

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