THE late Mr John Watts and Viscount Bledisloe thought a lot of Lydney, indeed so much they poured money into a cause to make the town the envy of Gloucestershire.
The people of Lydney will always be grateful to both men for providing the town's greatest asset. After much hard work and money they handed over the first 40 acres of ground to Lydney Trust and by 1951 the boating lake, a cricket square, football, rugby and tennis had been established.
If that was not enough Mr Watts provided a bock of shares to the value of £75,000 and in June 1968 he handed over the deeds to the Trust and to the people of Lydney for the upkeep of the grounds.
If the two benefactors were alive today they would have the shock of their lives. The main worry is the lake. It is a disaster area. The sides are slipping into the lake at an alarming rate. Thanks to the good work of Lydney Angling Club some of the erosion has been stopped.
The worst area is the island in the middle of the lake. It is slowly being washed away. The Trust were informed about this 10 years ago and again more recently. But our voices have fallen on deaf ears and I believe that within five years, maybe less, the island will be washed away.
I think members of the Trust should take a good look at what is going on.
There are no facilities at all – no toilets, no cafe. There was once a cafe, a thriving one, until the Trust tried to get more money for it by leasing it to the highest bidder. That was the beginning of the end. If they had left it as it was the cafe would still be there.
Come on Trust members. Let the people of Lydney enjoy the benefits of the Trust grounds. Take the locks away and give us back the two areas which have been fenced off for some reason. – J. Herbert, Lakeside Drive, Lydney.