I’VE signed the petition to keep Oswestry Tourist Information firmly in town. Have you?

There’s a risk it could shift to Mile End or even further afield to the Ironworks at Aston. Now who on earth, wanting tourist information or details of a bed for the night, searches out of town for it?

I am a proliferate user of tourist centres, mainly on the continent, and, if I was heading for Bernkastel would hardly seek tourist info in neighbouring Kues. Or if wanting accommodation in Padstow, why ask for help across the water at Rock? So if it’s information about Oswestry you want – well, the natural place to look for it is at our Heritage Centre, even if the signing could be better!

Hospital needs A&E

OWEN PATERSON MP reckons we need an Urgent Care Centre. I’ll go further. With all the infrastructure in place, including a helicopter landing pad, we need to press for an A&E unit at our Orthopaedic Hospital. And it’s not as fanciful as you think as we daily feel more isolated in north Shropshire with our particularly wobbly Minor Injuries Unit and even shakier maternity facility. Our NHS has just experienced the second busiest month in its history, with A&E units working flat out. So why on earth is Shropshire not bolstering these facilities, instead of planning to shut one?

Utilise free parking

Mr ‘Meat MAN’ blasted the traffic warden who last month slapped a ticket on one of his vans left at the rear of his premises, covered by a single yellow line. That signifies no parking during normal working hours. As the van had been loaded and left, as the driver went back inside to complete the paperwork, there’s an obvious solution. Park up front in the free parking part of Willow Street to complete the paperwork, then load the van at the rear!

Plans steaming ahead!

WHAT welcome news for Gobowen’s most attractive Italianate-style 1880 railway station, where useful buildings on the Chester platform have been vacant for years. Oswestry Station Building Trust is poised to make alterations to the Grade Two listed building, which could include shops. We’ll hear how successful or otherwise they are on March 12.

Justice must be served

HOW come Ruabon – exactly 10 miles from Oswestry – has kept its magistrates’ court, while Oswestry’s offenders have to travel all the way to Telford? Even admin at Telford may soon shift to Stafford. Ruabon had a mere 4,277 souls at the 2011 census, while Oswestry was home to 17,106.

Makes your eyes water

I WENT into a big store off Willow Street and asked where I could find ‘contact glue’ I was asked if it was for my eyes. Afraid not – it’s a world away from contact lens!