Goole’s Gay and Autism Pride has taken place today. The Goole version seems to be formed essentially of market stalls supplemented by some local interest groups, with a music concert and other acts thrown in.

The event has certainly drawn people into the town, and brought colour and vibrance to brighten things up. It shows what a potential asset the pedestrianised part of town could be, drawing people together and creating a much stronger sense of a cohesive community. That though needs people to lead it and make it happen, and it costs money. There would be a return on the investment, but so far there doesn’t seem to be a willingness to make it happen…

Events are a lot of hard work, so congratulations to those who put so much effort into Pride, and Old Goole Gala, making this a busy weekend for Goole.

In other developments, a resident posted in a FB group that they had written to MP David Davis expressing concern about the delays to the leisure centre project. The new MP in turn wrote to East Riding Council. This is definitely progress from rushing into the pages of The Goole Times to dismiss anyone who does not offer unquestioning support and adulation as “moaners” and “haters”. The response from East Riding seems to have been conventional PR speak, but it is a sign that local people are unhappy with things as they are, and may be willing to join forces to do something about it.

Comments out and about in town reveal there are those who believe East Riding Council want people to get used to there not being a proper leisure centre with pool so they can effect permanent closure and leave provision purely to commercial operations. The Town Deal is after all all about business, not community.

Further signs of this come from announcements about people making representations, and a council meeting open to public debate. That takes some believing, but you never know. Might we even start to have meaningful agenda and informative minutes of meetings posted in a timely manner? That really would be revolution on a large scale…

Meanwhile, the Victoria Pleasure Grounds has had a football match today, with the very unwelcome return of the screamers and stand bangers. This has further antagonised residents who live around the ground, with relations between Goole AFC and residents already at rock bottom because of the Town Deal VPG plans with no direct consultation of local residents about what the likely impact would be on them. Today’s goings on will have done nothing to placate those who would like to see Goole AFC evicted from VPG, and the councillors responsible for the plans thrown out of office at the next election…

Interesting times. Well done to all those who have put so much effort into Pride and the Old Goole Gala.