Topic: white horse losing its shine ??

[Bob DeBilda]

get the inmates at erlestoke over to give it a good scrub up...im sure they would relish the open air and space for a few days... nice little field trip for them

Good idea, If they fall off and kill themselves - who cares!

[Old Codger]

I think we should keep the White Horse up together, its part of our local heritage and not for Johnie Foreigner to come and settle in the town for a year or two then try and dictate to us locals this can be done away with, that can be done away with, if they dont like what we have here clear off..

[Mike Hawkins]

I maybe Johnny Foreigner, although I have lived in the town 12 years, not two.

As such, surely I can ask the question, and also object to any more of my money being spent on another "professional" painting of the white horse?

Also, I do not fully understand how something less than 300 years old can be an "icon".

Also, to Bob, I did not suggest that as it is not "economically viable" get rid of it (as I am also not a Tory), but I see no reason to continually spend money on a 2-3 hundred year old act of vandalism. These people you have met and recognised where you were from when you mentioned the "White Horse" - how do you, and they, know you were referring to the same engraving?

Instead, support Westbury Pool, Prospect Square, the Mills, etc - they served, and continue to serve a purpose, and they are a genuine part of the history of Westbury!

[Bob DeBilda]

Also, I do not fully understand how something less than 300 years old can be an "icon".

I've got "icons" on my desktop that are only a few weeks old!

but I see no reason to continually spend money on a 2-3 hundred year old act of vandalism.

Quite happy to let the highways authority 'vandalise' the Wellhead valley with a by-pass though.

[Bob DeBilda]

people you have met and recognised where you were from when you mentioned the "White Horse" - how do you, and they, know you were referring to the same engraving?

Dosen't matter, they still know of the White Horse carvings in Wiltshire - they're famous. Turf them all over and in a 100years nobody would know they were ever there. Might as well bulldoze stonehenge as well!

[Mike Hawkins]

people you have met and recognised where you were from when you mentioned the "White Horse" - how do you, and they, know you were referring to the same engraving?

Dosen't matter, they still know of the White Horse carvings in Wiltshire - they're famous. Turf them all over and in a 100years nobody would know they were ever there. Might as well bulldoze stonehenge as well!

Good idea!!

[Mike Hawkins]

Also, I do not fully understand how something less than 300 years old can be an "icon".

I've got "icons" on my desktop that are only a few weeks old!

but I see no reason to continually spend money on a 2-3 hundred year old act of vandalism.

Quite happy to let the highways authority 'vandalise' the Wellhead valley with a by-pass though.

At least the bypass would have served the people of Westbury!! I suppose you also support BANES who want to divert all the HGV's from Bath through Westbury?

[Bob DeBilda]

At least the bypass would have served the people of Westbury!! I suppose you also support BANES who want to divert all the HGV's from Bath through Westbury?

But for how long? 50years, 100, 200? What then? left with a worse scar than any horse carving!
BANES are only trying to do the best for Bath. You are (were) only trying to do the best for Westbury. A Westbury by-pass would have had knock on affects elsewhere I'm sure.
P.S.
Love your red highlighter Mike. What do you think of my Teal one?

[Mike Hawkins]

At least the bypass would have served the people of Westbury!! I suppose you also support BANES who want to divert all the HGV's from Bath through Westbury?

But for how long? 50years, 100, 200? What then? left with a worse scar than any horse carving!
BANES are only trying to do the best for Bath. You are (were) only trying to do the best for Westbury. A Westbury by-pass would have had knock on affects elsewhere I'm sure.
P.S.
Love your red highlighter Mike. What do you think of my Teal one?

Bob,

I don't see how the Westbury Bypass could have had an adverse effect on other communities, unlike the BANES scheme, or maybe I am missing something!

PS: Every current road (inc. those you use in your worldwide travels, leaves a scar; every home built, inc. that which you live in, leaves a scar on the landscape: every factory or office you work in to produce a standard of living leaves a scar: every school you want your child educated in leaves a scar: every pylon that delivers electricity to your home leaves a scar: every mine and quarry that produces materials you want and need leaves a scar: every tree and hedgerow destroyed to make the fields to produce the food you eat leaves a scar. Sadly, that is progress, unless we want to retreat back to caves (natural only- not man-made) or trees (probably not enough left for one each) and eat berries and the wild animals we can catch but not cook (fire will burn the grass and leave a scar)!

PPS: The "Teal" highlighter - very posh! Never occurred to me to use that colour. May have to try experimenting with others.