Oi! Where's our bollard?

Those of us who work in town have been taking our lives into our hands for the last couple of weeks because the bollard which rises and falls to block or allow entry to the Skinnergate pedestrianised area is broken, in the down position. All and sundry are driving into the pedestrian area where innocent shoppers continue to stroll around, trying to decide which charity or pound shop to go to, until they look up, startled, as a 4x4 zooms along towards them.

Apparently the bollards are maintained by a French company, so they'll have to finish lunch before they come over to fix it. In the meantime a temporary bollard has been used and slotted into a hole in the ground to block the road. The trouble is, in these days of high metal prices, someone's nicked it!

After the community carnival a couple of weeks ago, a large red plastic box was accidentally left on the road at that point. It'll probably still be there for next year's event. Unfortunately, it's full of sand and too heavy to move by hand, otherwise that would do the job until our French cousins get the bollard fixed.

I tried walking slowly pointedly down the middle of Skinnergate at lunchtime: unfortunately the next driver along bore a close resemblance in demeanour and attitude to a banned breed of dog, so, deciding that a contest between intellect and muscle invariably results in victory for the latter, I allowed him past.