Support for Welshpool veterans

28/10/2011 @ 11:05

Welshpool residents have come out in support of veterans who are threatening to boycott the Remembrance Sunday parade following a re-routing away from the town centre.

Due to the one-way system creating new health and safety issues, the parade of ex- servicemen and women on November 13 will not travel down Broad Street for the first time, and has been re-routed down the Back Road to the St Mary’s Service instead.

It has angered the town’s veterans who say they may boycott the parade in protest and they have received widespread support from residents since we broke the news yesterday.

The mywelshpool Facebook Wall received a number of complaints including:

“Just for a short time, close the bloody roads! There was no "Health and Safety Issues" when a lot of these guys were risking life and limb to defend this country!”

“They have EVERY right to march the way they always have done. WHERE’S YOUR RESPECT? It’s not like the streets are busy anymore since the one-way system has been built!”

Planners say they have consulted with the local British Legion in re-routing this year’s parade and were not aware of any problems until yesterday's story. Organisers are concerned that they cannot marshal the route safely should the police be called away on an emergency.