REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY SHOULD BE RESPECTED, SAYS MARTIN (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY SHOULD BE RESPECTED, SAYS MARTIN

November 20, 2007 3:44 PM

Local MP, Martin Horwood, has today called for greater efforts to be made by the Borough Council to ensure that Remembrance Sunday in Cheltenham continues to be the solemn and important occasion that it is.

Martin has written to the Chief Executive of the Borough Council, following complaints about the disturbance caused by a number of retailers and their customers, in particular during the two minute silence.

In his letter he asks the Borough Council to consider:

• Erecting signs requesting quiet from shoppers for the duration of the service

• Contacting all the shops in that part of the Promenade to request that they do not open until after the service has concluded, which would have the additional benefit of allowing their staff to attend the service if they wished

Commenting Martin said:

"Remembrance Sunday is a very important occasion, and one which deserves to be treated with respect and solemnity. It is a chance for all of us to honour and reflect on those who have given their lives so that we can have the peace and freedom we enjoy today.

"It is also a period of grieving for those many people who have lost a loved one in service to our country.

"To have such an occasion disturbed by retailers' music is disrespectful and also upsetting for many people. As most shops open around 11am on a Sunday anyway, I can't see that it would be a great inconvenience for those shops to open five minutes later on Remembrance Sunday.

"A few simple steps may well be all that's needed to protect the occasion from such disturbances in future. And I would expect that most people would be happy to cooperate if the situation was explained and some action proposed."