Whispering Smith column published in the Littlehampton Gazette November 10th. 2016

Snaring, Christopher Robin and bums on seats…

 I was extremely disappointed by Cllr Dendle’s comments in last week’s Gazette about the continued and cruel practice of snaring animals on Norfolk Estate. I suggest the good councillor log onto the NASCs (National Anti Snaring Campaign) web site and see some of the horrific results of this barbaric practice for himself, not pretty viewing but an experience that may lead to a change of heart but, in truth, I doubt that it will. It pains me greatly the way many landowners or land managers nationally treat our sacred wildlife wiping out any animal they see as a supposed threat under the catch all guise of ‘conservation’ or ‘land management’ (the usual euphemisms for the right to kill animals or predatory birds). To destroy our wildlife in order to continue the very weird and archaic practise of raising game birds that they may be shot in the single minded pursuit of profit is not something we Brits should be proud of. 2000 local people have demanded this barbaric practice be halted but again I doubt that it will be, money doesn’t talk in the countryside, it shouts. If they raised pheasants, partridge or so called ‘game fish’ in the Hundred Acre Wood even Pooh Bear would be in trouble then what would have happened to my namesake?

 I was a stalwart supporter of the Windmill Cinema but now not so much. I waited for The Magnificent Seven, I Saw the Light, The Bone Tomahawk and Hell or High Water but they failed to appear instead it is seemingly endless showings The Beatles, the J.K.Rowling spin-off Magnificent Beasts and  Bridget Jones’ Baby with its one pony big knicker joke! I had hoped, foolishly I suppose, that the Windmill would be for all even ‘my kind’ of moviegoer but I am told by a member of staff there that such movies are not popular in Littlehampton so it’s Chichester for me or wait for the DVDs.

NOTE: of course I am still a stalwart supporter of The Windmill and will march again if called upon, just a little miffed by some of the movies they show and those they choose not to. Can’t believe I would have been sitting alone had they screened The Magnificent Seven for instance… just saying is all.