Sunday Trading

   For the duration of the eight week period covering the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sunday trading laws have been relaxed allowing large shops to open for much longer. Now there are rumblings within government wanting to make this permanent. Whilst I realise that some occupations require Sunday working such as the emergency services and transport workers, Sunday for many people, religious or not, is still a special day of the week when they can spend time at home with their families or enjoy leisure activities.

   For me the relaxation of Sunday trading laws would be the thin end of the wedge and before too long I can see office and factory workers being required to turn up for work on any of the seven days of the week. Already many sporting events traditionally held on a Saturday have spread over into Sunday but taking it to its logical conclusion, if Sunday were to become just another day in the week, I could see major football matches for example being arranged on a Tuesday or a Thursday afternoon so that the Sunday workers could see them on their alternative day off - if they were still entitled to one. No enough is enough, the legislation was altered to accommodate the Olympics and when the games are finished the law should return to its previous state - and stay there. Or is it going to be yet another broken government promise?

A Seven Year "Hitch"

It's been a great two weeks for Britain's athletes at the Olympic Games - the culmination of seven years' planning from when the games were awarded to London and a lifetime of hard work for many of the competitors. As the Olympics were coming towards the end of a fantastic celebration of sporting achievements, my god-daughter Sharon was also celebrating seven years since she met James and on the anniversary of their meeting last Saturday, they became man and wife together. If their marriage is only half as good as the achievements of Britain's athletes then they will enjoy a long and happy marriage together.

   A seven year itch usually means the point where relationships start to cool but in Sharon and James' case, the anniversary would better be called the seven year "hitch" as they tied the knot. Every bride is beautiful but it has to be said that Sharon looked a picture and here's another picture that proves it.

Regeneration. Are You Serious?

There was dancing in the streets last Saturday as music sounded out across the Market Place. It was the music of my youth with some good old rock'n'roll tunes well-known by anyone of my age. Dancers in fifties dress showed how to jive and a large American car with a picture on the dashboard of Elvis was parked nearby. What was it all in aid of? Well nobody, not even the market traders, seemed to know but the general consensus was that it was an attraction to bring custom into the town.

   There were large gaps in the market with several regular traders missing. They could have been on holiday or taken heed of the mistaken weather forecast that predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms, none of which occurred or they may even have taken their wares elsewhere. But it becomes more and more obvious as time goes by that something drastic needs to be done to regenerate the town centre. The proposal to move students into the town centre and build a supermarket on the existing college site defies belief in its logic and common sense. Another supermarket on the edge of the town centre will drive another nail into the coffin of existing small businesses.

    Here's an idea. Car parking charges in Ilkeston deter many people and lead to illegal parking on double yellow lines and pedestrian crossings. In neighbouring Broxtowe, the first 30 minutes on council car parks is free, thus encouraging shoppers. In Long Eaton, Erewash's other big town, there are free car parks at Asda, Tesco and Aldi all in the town centre. In Ilkeston the free supermarket car parks are away from the town centre with those in the middle of town being fee paying.

   If the council is serious about regeneration, then the time is right to review their charging policy. Invest by sacrificing some parking revenue, even if it is only on market days but don't kill town centre trade altogether by being blind to the effect of planning decisions. Those who take the decisions should learn from the success of Team GB in the Olympics. Investment in the right place is what is needed - it will provide its own rewards. Austerity has not worked, is not working and will not work.

Reds & Rams

    As the build up to the Olympics continues, sports bulletins on radio and television locally have focussed on Nottingham Forest and the appointment of a new manager. Meanwhile Derby County have stayed mainly under the radar and gone about their business quietly. With Ilkeston lying midway between Nottingham and Derby and the grounds being only fifteen miles apart, it is only too apparent that the town will have supporters of both teams.

   Since being a young teenager in 1959 when my Uncle took me to several league games during the season when Forest won the FA Cup, I have always followed their fortunes and if I had to nail my colours to the mast then they would be red and white. That is not to say however that I wish any ill on Derby. Nothing could be further from the truth as I want them to be successful as well. In fact I want all the local teams to be successful, as to have them compete against each other only adds to the interest.

   It is right to enjoy the rivalry, partake of the witty banter and brag about your team's achievements but when a player is transferred from one team to another, to be openly hostile to him and his new team is totally wrong. How can someone idolised when playing for one team suddenly do nothing right when playing for another. It's the same person with the same skills which should be admired wherever they ply their trade. I've often seen references in the internet forums where members say they "hate" another team and that is something I cannot subscribe to. Yes I follow Forest but equally want Derby to succeed. I often listen to the radio broadcasts on Forest games but what I cannot abide is when the commentator expresses delight if Derby are on the wrong end of a score line in another match being played at the same time. Wouldn't it be great next season to see them both vying for promotion at the top of the league? I think so.

Cancelled Again

Ilkeston's Carnival was cancelled a few weeks ago due to the bad weather in what became the wettest June since records began. Early last week news filtered through that the proposed Steam Rally at Elvaston scheduled for this weekend also became a victim of the weather as did Awsworth's "Party on the Rec." On Friday a torrential downpour when it was forecast that a month's rainfall would drop on the East Midlands in one day caused Derbyshire's evening T20 cricket match against local rivals Nottinghamshire to be called off before lunch. Add to that Ilkeston FC's pre-season friendly at home to Skegness together with their Family Fun Day plus the Ashfield Festival in Nottinghamshire.

I'm expecting a government announcement any time now that summer is cancelled for 2012. We can only hope it improves by the start of the Olympics otherwise the only events possible will be water sports - at all the venues!

Choices

As I have written before, some weeks it's a problem finding somewhere different to go for the Latest Images page at Ilkeston Cam and other weeks are just the opposite with a multitude of events from which to choose. This last week fell into the latter category. I could have gone to Nottingham on Thursday for the Olympic Torch Relay or Derby on Friday for the next stage in the relay. Both those events would have meant an early morning or late evening outing so we opted for a daytime trip to see the torch in Matlock instead.

At any other time I would probably have chosen the "Swing Back to the Forties" event at the Erewash Museum again for the latest images which was advertised as part of the ongoing Ilkeston Festival. The Forties event coincided with Armed Forces Day which has also been observed in Wollaton Park over the weekend. At a push I might have featured some scenes from the horrendous weather and storms that swept across the East Midlands during the week. So I really was spoilt for choice - but next week, now that's a different story but I'm sure something will turn up.

Second Best

So Chelsea are the Champions of Europe then but by all accounts they were second best for most of the match. Blackpool too had the better chances in their play-off final against West Ham but ended up on the wrong side of the score line. And all this at the end of the week when Roy Hodgson, the new England manager, announced his squad for the Euro Championships to a less than enthusiastic response. With only four strikers in the twenty-three man squad and one of them banned for the first two matches, plus a virtual unknown who has never represented his country before at senior level, it does not take a genius to predict the team's tactics. Full of expectancy England's fans again will probably be treated to some dour struggles but if the results this weekend are anything to go by, the omens look good for a second best team to triumph and it might as well be England - but don't hold your breath as it could all end in heartbreak again!

With a summer of sport ahead, the Euros, Olympics and Test Matches to mention but three, I shall be keeping a close eye on the Derbyshire Falcons cricketers who have made a winning start to the season and currently stand top of County Championship's second division. It's been a long time since the Falcons enjoyed any real success but IF the year of the underdog continues it will be a refreshing change to see them flying high and ending the season on top.