Published: Wednesday, 27th August, 2008 8:30am
Loud and Proud of Galashiels
by Ally McGilvrayROYAL British Legion (Scotland) bosses are the latest to join the Border Telegraph"s Loud and Proud campaign to stop the bells on the war memorial in Galashiels from being silenced.
David Babington, chairman of the local branch, said controversial plans to slap a curfew on the chimes at the peel tower adjoining the Burgh Chambers, between 1 a.m. and 7.15 a.m., was 'political correctness gone daft'.
He believes all our public buildings and war memorials should be exempt from the laws governing noise nuisance. It follows a complaint from a nearby bed and breakfast owner that the bells are keeping her guests awake a night.
Speaking in the shadow of the clock tower this week, Mr Babington said: 'It should carry on the way it is. It would be a travesty for justice if it didn"t.
'The more voices that are heard, the better.' And he added: 'The Border Telegraph campaign can only help.'
Hundreds of readers have already written to the Environment Minister Richard Lochhead using the form printed in this paper, as well as signing our online petition http://www.bordertelegraph.com/petition.php?pid=7, in an effort to force a rethink.
And, all four local councillors – Sandy Aitchison, Fiona Lackenby, Jim Hume and John Mitchell, who represent Galashiels and District on Scottish Borders Council – have added their support.
The council, which insisted it would be committing a criminal offence under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 if it failed to act on the complaint, has also written to the Scottish Government asking for a law change.
On a visit to the Borders last week, Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: 'I"m sure that letter will be given due consideration. But it sounds to me like a local issue which is best resolved locally. And I"m sure it will be resolved to everybody"s satisfaction.'
The peel tower clock was built to honour the local men who died in World War I and has sounded every hour since 1928.
We reported that the controversial plans to silence the bells have been put on hold amid overwhelming opposition while the council employs an outside sound technician to investigate whether the decibel level produced by the chimes could be reduced before any action is taken.
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