Pendle Council's Colne and District Committee heard from High Street residents last month and from Red Lion Hotel licensee Joanne Parkinson last week about the problems caused by last year's fun fair and unanimously decided there should be no repetition this time around.

They should be congratulated for taking into account the level of public disquiet about the fair in reaching their decision – but shouldn't officers also be questioned about why they felt there was a need for an all-weekend fair sited well away from any of the festival stages?

If there had to be a fair, why couldn't Alkincoats Park, the all-weather pitch at the sports centre, or some other Leisure Trust-run facility have been used instead?

Why wasn't more asked of the owners of the disused Kwik Save supermarket over their fears the building – next to Colne Police Station – might be vandalised if the fair were held there, despite the fact it has stood empty for more than two years without a single instance of vandalism taking place?

Did they expect the High Street residents, Mrs Parkinson and other town centre traders to sit back and do nothing while the fair took over the town centre for a weekend?

Were any letters sent out to residents asking for their views on the matter, or was it left for them to find out about the fair proposals for themselves?

Lots of questions, lots of reasons why the Dockray Street car park was an unsuitable site – and thankfully, councillors have supported the interests of local people instead of those of once-a-year visitors.


DID anyone else share Mr Pendle's disgust the other week on hearing of the luxury lifestyle of prisoner Ian Huntley, jailed for life for the murder of the two schoolgirls in Cambridgeshire?

A private room, designer clothes, two-to-one attention from prison guards who have to call him by his first name in case his human rights are infringed – Huntley enjoys all these perks as part of the "punishment" he was handed down for his crimes. The whole justice system is a joke.

Huntley didn't give a damn about the human rights of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman when he murdered them in 2004, yet we have to pander to this vile monster in case the civil libertarians complain he is being ill-treated.

When will some political party stand up and declare that when somebody is sent to prison for a serious offence, they will be made to suffer the consequences, not treated as though they are staying in a five-star hotel?