PICTURE SPECIAL: FARMERS BALL AT PETWOOD HOTEL SEE PAGE 4

Horncastle News
WWW.horncastleneWs.co.UK est 1885 tel: 01507 526868 Wednesday, January 25 , 2012

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DESTRUCTION OF HERITAGE ALL WONG

By Alison Sandilands
alison.sandilands@jpress.co.uk

THERE was uproar after heavy plant machinery was seen ripping into an important part of Horncastles heritage on Monday morning.

East Lindsey District Council unexpectedly gave the go-ahead for the old cattle pens in The Wong - once used for the towns bustling livestock market - to be demolished. But shortly after the work began, workmen were told to pause due to a backlash from people confused over what was happening. There were concerns the heavy machinery could damage Roman and Ango-Saxon remains located here. But ELDC said the earth would not be disturbed and that the work on the disused pens was urgently required because they were unsafe. Damaged and rusting railings, timber and corrugated iron sheds and the disused former toilet block were all earmarked for demolition. The 1950s weighing scales at the site are due to be repositioned near the former sheep pens off South Street. However some people are scepti-

cal about ELDCs interests because this work comes a week after the Stanhope Hall Company (SHC) announced plans to work towards taking over The Wong from the council, along with the nostalgic cattle pens, in order to revitalise and preserve it for the town. Leader of the SHC and town and county councillor, Bill Aron, said: I am very concerned that ELDC has not had the workmen stand down nor had a meeting with us as town councillors. It would appear the workmen are still using this heavy equipment, when we were assured just some of the pens were being removed and nothing else. This weeks actions by ELDC have shown a complete disregard of the three district councillors and the local town councillors as well as the civic society. Financially it has also been a disaster as whatever money that has been spent on this exercise has been wasted as it could well have levered in thousands of extra pounds of grant funding. Surely in these times of austerity a lot more thought and consultation should have been instigated. Robert Bell of Robert Bell & Com-

pany in Horncastle, whose family used to hold auctions at the livestock markets, said it was inevitable the council was going to remove the pens at some point. But, like many others, he is unhappy about the councils apparent lack of consultation with the community. He said: They dont care about the local population. It seems unfortunate that they do this now just before the Stanhope Hall Companys first meeting about The Wong, when they have been sitting on it now for 12 years. The cattle market took place in The Wong until the 1990s.

YOUR VIeW
Do you think the cattle pens in The Wong should be kept or removed? Write to the editor at: horncastle news, church lane, horncastle, ln9 5hW, email horncastle.news@jpress.co.uk, or text your thoughts to 61500, starting your message hnP neWs. texts costs 25p plus standard network charge. terms and conditions on page 2

DeMolIsheD: the cattle pens in the Wong after work had begun to clear the area on Monday.

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