Alright friends FESTIVAL SEASON starts TOMORROW with Manchester Folk Festival, but we've got so many more to come:
New Forest Folk Festival, UK
Bristol Harbour Festival, UK
Castlefest, NL
FolkEast, UK,
Found Festival, UK
Festival Mediaval, DE
https://www.thelongestjohns.com/live
See you there!
Track has now had a formal prohibition notice from #WestSuffolk #Council and is closed until #investigations are completed
#Suffolk #Motocross #safety #coroner
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-03-20/motocross-track-closed-after-two-deaths-in-six-months
The 15th century south doorway of St. Mary Magdalene Church at Debenham in Suffolk. 
I was in this area myself just last week, I'm more surprised the driver found anywhere that didn't have parked cars both sides of the road and space that would even permit driving >30mph
Not sure if turning the #A14 into the #M14 would be a miracle cure (a Northern bypass for #Ipswich does make more sense, but won't happen overnight) - either would only provide fairly short term gains, they would soon fill up with traffic!
A wider problem is bad #driving during the time pressures of the rush hour - more businesses should adopt flexible working to alleviate this (the lorry drivers are already working 24/7)
The way the article read I'd thought it was a surreal combination of a Chinese takeway *and* a car wash (operating as one business), but the reality is #immigration enforcement have been busy across the whole of #Suffolk and #Norfolk (I wonder if these business have been grassed up by their own customers?)
Fore! #Suffolk #Constabulary are investigating a different kind of bad #driving in #Felixstowe - someone has been yeeting #golf balls at the #Landguard #Fort causing damage (its a listed / protected ancient building)
Although the #bridge closure would have been inconvenient, I had a look at what this #forge / #blacksmith makes and its not that large/heavy items (vehicles over 7 500 kg are forbidden from the bridge anyway) - I do wonder if it was a coincidence his business had trade decline and the real reason is even relatively middle class folk are skint, and simply can't afford artisan forged garden ornaments? #Suffolk #roads #transport
Two #fatalities in 6 months at this #Suffolk #motocross circuit (although before that apparently none for 24 years).
Probably a combination of a male-dominated macho culture plus overcrowding on the track (I wonder if the owners are struggling with costs, and allowing more riders on the track than there should be for safety?)
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-03-10/second-death-in-six-months-at-motocross-circuit
Bizzare #vandalism - someone has taken the effort to climb a light column on #pedestrian refuge in middle of the village and obscure keep left #sign with grey paint (they have also done the same to smaller sign on the #bollard, can't be seen in photo due to darkness). Seems more sociopathic than normal #graffiti (maybe someone pissed off the refuge is there in first place, it discourages speeding through the village, or angry that the local Speedwatch have put up a camera nearby?) #Suffolk
Some gammon is claiming logistics/warehouse businesses in *Mid #Suffolk * (a good 15-20km from #Ipswich) are not employing locals but staffed by "hordes of #Chinese citizens from the mainland".
If any of that were in the slightest true, I would have noticed this - I'm always driving around the area and I'm near enough only #ESEA person there other than my own relatives and a few local healthcare workers, (many of whom work at same place as me!)
Main street of village where I work was half closed off with #police and recovery truck - someone had managed to crash just outside the village shop! Slowed down in case of risk from debris/oncoming traffic, an officer beckoned me across using the old style hand signals.
Not the first time there has been an #RTC in that area either, folk are just too impatient/sociopathic these days #RoadSafety #Driving #Suffolk
The main impact of the #farmers #protests to me is when I encounter a #tractor on #A14 / #A12 driving at normal speed (which is by necessity and law much slower than a motor car), I am now suspicious even when 90% of the time its very likely to be on the road for genuine #farming purposes around #Suffolk and #Essex (before that I just accepted them as part of the traffic, given I live and work in a semi rural area)
Another shot of the same Goldcrest, it didn’t stop hopping in the tree until it eventually flew away.
