I was saddened to see yet another week s Journal filled with more fatuous arguments against the proposed Longboat development, countered only by the two superb letters by Janice Camp and Kevin Tyrrell.

I was saddened to see yet another week's Journal filled with more fatuous arguments against the proposed Longboat development, countered only by the two superb letters by Janice Camp and Kevin Tyrrell. I cannot understand the level to which some people seem to be going to negate Mr Hushon's plans for the cafe.

The comments, both in print and on the Journal forum, beggar belief. One writer this week "summed up" the level of "fatuousity" with great skill! "Concerned Budleigh Resident" wrote: "I fear the owners will be selling the business, once permission is granted", "Budleigh's best burgers on the beach", "overpowering smell of onions wafting over the town", etc etc. On the Journal forums, we have had such great quotes as "extra noise, rubbish, car door slamming and extra vandalism that will obviously come with it" and "a drop in property values for those who will be near it", to quote but a few.

One wonders what level of paranoid delusion some people exist under, when attempting to raise objections to this plan? By all means, raise factual argument, but argument based on total speculation is non argument at all, merely propagandist nonsense for the Anti-Brigade to froth over.

The current owner obviously has a licence to prepare and sell food, and, one would presume, also a licence to supply food to take away. Why should there be any change in the activity on the site, apart from longer opening hours and perhaps a "better class" of diner present later in the evening! Even then, does it really matter whether Mr Hushon is serving his diners chicken and chips in a basket, or baked portabella mushroom with crab meat and baby shrimp, as long as his diners are well-behaved and complying with the terms of his licence?

One thing which has struck me over the past few weeks this debate has raged, is the typical level of "Nimbyness" one often expects in Budleigh, strikingly purveyed by a majority of people who, it would seem, are quite happy to "throw their teddy out of the pram" over this subject, but are unwilling to put their names and addresses against their comments.

We are all entitled to our views and I would not wish to see these people silenced, but, perhaps, a greater cynic than myself (if one exists) might wonder if those who wish to remain anonymous are all residents of Marine Parade and, whilst happy to wear the cloak of anonymity while claiming to "know what's best for the town", are embarrassed to identify themselves.

I wish Mr Hushon all the best in his planning application. I would like to see some caveats put into place, to ensure there is no future change of use.

Ian Woolger,

16 Otter Court,

Budleigh Salterton.