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Happy memories

Alan Shrive’s letter on Feb 27th about Garrards evoked happy memories for me too.

I started work there as an office girl when I left school and stayed until May 1960 when I left to have my first baby. Both my brothers Colin and Geoff Turner did apprenticeships there and my father Tom Turner was in charge of their Okus factory. It was a lovely place to work and we had a very good social life with the Garrards sports ground then in Oxford Road. Happy days!!

Jean Beale, Highclere Avenue, Lawn

Stiffer sentences

I am fed up with ridiculous sentences handed out to criminals by our so-called justice system.

Almost every day there are numerous drink drivers in the paper walking away with bans and fines. Cars are lethal weapons that can easily cause death and to be caught drunk in charge of one should carry a minimum sentence of two years in prison. The same applies to all the people caught with drugs, whether using or supplying, the sentences should start at 3 years imprisonment.

Then there is the amount of burglaries in Swindon, this is one of the most horrific crimes and the perpetrators have no conscience of the pain they inflict on the victims, some people never get over this. The sentence should be 10 years per burglary. Only these deterrents will put off criminals.

Ian Cuspoll, Queens Drive, Swindon

Lydiard adventures

Lovely to see your article about the hostel at Lydiard Park. We were there in 1962 with a group from Relay Ex social club. What a good time and a laugh we all had. Ladies slept upstairs, men down. I have visited the park since 1944 and boy have I seen lots of changes.

Clive Bright, Spur Way, Upper Stratton

Glasses needed

Motorist Helen Harrold turned left from Rodbourne Road into Penzance Drive and onto the bus lane which leads into the car park opposite the main entrance of the Designer Outlet.

In her statement to Adver journalist Aled Thomas she said “There was sign for buses only, but no ‘no entry’ sign.”

Mrs Harrold says that if there had been a ‘no entry’ sign, it would have helped. To which I would ask her, in what way would it have helped?

First, she acknowledges there is a sign which clearly states ‘buses only’.

That should have been enough to warn her not to turn left.

Secondly, there is a ‘no left turn’ sign in clear view on the traffic lights before the turn into the bus lane, and thirdly there is clear signage showing the route to the car park on the sign positioned on the left hand side of the road.

All of these are visible on the photograph used in the article. Perhaps this is a case of drivers need to visit a national firm of opticians!

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon