Don’t let Thame get too big!

DEAR Editor, From what I saw of it the Food Festival was a huge success as a family day out, blessed by the sunny weather and teeming with people of all generations, relaxing, happy.  This town looked at its best in the sun. I think the visitors must have come in their thousands – and what fun it was to see the jolly red Routemaster bus used for Park and Ride. No doubt that the disruption to local routine, parking restrictions and road diversions, were worth experiencing for a day.

I do wonder though whether the town planners might take note of the effect on the settled community of occasions like this, when considering future permanent increases in the numbers of residents of Thame.  Waitrose car park on Saturday afternoon was under huge pressure when I visited it about 4pm on Saturday (September 27), with a queue to drive in to it waiting for a stream of cars to  come out. And no room for anyone stuck in the incoming queue to turn and give up the attempt.

 In the car park I saw one example of an apparent complete lack of consideration by one driver who had parked sideways on by the disabled bays, obstructing any exit of three cars in the bays, while a full trolley was unloaded to the boot –perhaps the driver was disabled; I don’t know.  Meanwhile other cars inched past it amidst a throng of people on foot moving in all directions. Anyone parked further down from those three vehicles in the disabled bays had virtually no sight of what was trying to pass the obstructing car.

Someone could have been hurt.  While all this was going on I heard one or a two tentative beeps on car horns, though they may have come from some other place in the car park. That was all. Patience reigned.

The give-and-take and good manners of people in this town were put to the test. In some other places there would have been a nasty confrontation, maybe several, as people struggled with such conditions.

 So, town planners, if you want Thame to keep its character and charm and attraction for visitors, don’t let it get too big.

Norman Brand
Thame