Dunster in Somerset is a picturesque and historic village whose castle and cobbled streets attract thousands of tourists every year.

Image: Drury Art
But guess what, children? Yes, that’s right, the local councils have now decreed that the cobbles have to go, all in the name of the gods Elf and Shafty. They allege that several people have already been whisked away by ambulance this year having fallen on the cobbles. So they are proposing to replace the cobbles with “smooth surfaced roads”.

It isn’t just me that thinks this is a load of old cobbles either. The news item at Small World has several vox pop defending the cobbles and pointing out that they are a key part of Dunster’s history and most people manage pretty well on the cobbles.

What I want to know is, why are (fairly flat) cobbles at Dunster not OK when other places appear not to have a problem? In all the time I’ve spent in Rye I have never seen anyone fall or be majorly incommoded by the cobbles – and Rye’s cobbles are made of very round, and often widely spaced stones; they aren’t nice and flat and certainly not suitable for “fuck me” shoes.

Pathetic is about the kindest thing I can say about this.