In poll position
POLITICALLY, despite sustained activity in my younger days, I would now put myself on the cusp of being a floating voter/or apolitical.
In my opinion, there is good work done on all sides.
The youth work undertaken in this town by Lib Dem duo Hazel Thorpe and David Potter, and the continuing efforts of Tory leader Paul Yallop and his colleague, Paul High, are testament to this.
But with a general election on the horizon I can already say which way I will be voting.
It's got nothing to do with political parties or their specific leaders, I will be voting for Peter Bottomley regardless of the colour of his rosette.
I do this because despite initial misgivings when he exited the Eltham seat in 1997 to take on the relatively safe Worthing West constituency, he has, in my opinion, proved to be an excellent constituency MP, looking out for all his electorate, regardless of whether he received their vote at the ballot box.
I do not want to sound like the opening titles of 'The A Team' but if you have a problem, contact your MP, because, in my experience, and that of many local people I have spoken to, he won't fob you off and will always try to find a solution.
Therefore, it probably came as no surprise last week when the MP expenses findings were published and it was revealed that Mr Bottomley had not claimed any more than he was entitled to
Big employer
WITH the opening of the new store at Durrington and plethora of Express stores in and around the town, there is probably a very good argument to suggest that Tesco is one of the town's biggest employers.
In fact, it has been reported that there were
more than 2,000 applicants for the 251 new jobs at the new Tesco Extra store.
When I advertised in the Herald before Christmas for a new receptionist, I had 62 replies, the overwhelming majority of whom were quality applicants, many of whom would have been ideal.
So the Tesco figures, given the current climate, should not be that earth-shattering.
Looking back over Worthing's recent history, it could be said that Tesco's decision to pull out of Montague Street in 1982 had a big impact on the town centre.
Clearly, you cannot ignore the impact on trade of the ongoing parking farce.
But we are possibly still counting the cost of Tesco's decision 28 years ago to pull out of the main shopping area.
I wonder how many other shops and businesses decided to shut up shop as a result of Tesco pulling out?
Ian Hart's comment is published in the Herald series every Thursday
-------------------------------------
Click here to go back to Harty on the news.
Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.
Email the Herald: letters@worthingherald.co.uk
Click here for the Herald staff directory.
Want to read this page in French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu or 48 other languages? click here for Google translate.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Worthing
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
