Hinckley Post Office

Our first intimation of the plan was an email from Bob Gibson at the end of last week saying:

"I note from a feature in one of today's broadsheets that Hinckley GPO is one of seventy such Crown post offices likely to be transferred to W.H.Smith operation."

My feelings are summed up thus. For as long as I have lived in the area, Hinckley General Post Office along with the other buildings on both sides of the road that run up to the Market Place have been part of what I regarded as part of the historical heritage of Hinckley.

Cllr. David Bill put it a little more eloquently:

"Having been involved in opposing this move on about 4 previous occasions I would very much welcome the Society taking a stand on this. Station Road is an under-appreciated gem from the HSBC building all along to the Post Office on one side and St Marys School and the old library and Council offices on the other. We should be calling for the whole street to be given special status."

Hugh Beavin comments on the architectural contribution of the building to Hinckley:

"Hinckley Post Office is a magnificent example of the early Edwardian architecture which is a feature of this part of Station Road and should clearly be preserved as a part of that area as a whole. It is also important that it continues to function as a Post Office as it has done for over a century. The Post Office is an iconic part of Hinckley's communication heritage."

All this leaves aside the inconvenience to the general public that will be caused by moving the Post Office to halfway up Castle Street. My mother was 97 when she died last year, and was confined to a wheelchair. Could I suggest that anybody who thinks that moving the Post Office is a good idea, try pushing a wheelchair and occupant from the existing Post Office to W H Smiths' premises. Or try another scenario - you are of advanced years with a double hip replacement and walk with a stick and a limp - compare the effort of walking from the Bus Station to the Post Office with the effort of walking from the Bus Station to W H Smiths - need I say more.

Howard Wilkins on behalf of the Trustees of the Hinckley Civic Society

Humphry Repton and Argents Mead

I found the following objections from Humphry Repton, the famous 18th Century landscape gardener, regarding "modern gardening" in his collected writings that might refer to Argents Mead.

"Objection No.1

There is no error more prevalent in modern gardening, or more frequently carried to excess, than taking away hedges to unite many small fields into one extensive and naked lawn, before plantations are made to give it the appearance of a park; and where ground is subdivided by sunk fences, imaginary freedom is dearly purchased at the expense of actual confinement.

No.2

The baldness and nakedness round the house is part of the same mistaken system, of concealing fences to gain extent. A palace, or even an elegant villa, in a grass field appears to me incongruous; yet I have seldom had sufficient influence to correct this common error"

(John Claudius Loudon 1840 edition)