YOUR SAY

New from this issue we will be bringing you a National topic and asking you to let us have your opinions on how it effects you or how you would solve it.

TOPIC:

The idea of having a 'Great Britain Day'.  Or should we have St Georges Day as a holiday?

TOPIC RESPONSE:

For once the government has had the germ of a reasonable idea. Far too much time and effort, is wasted in duplicated effort, searches, land registry, checks and local planning by buyers' solicitors and more or less detailed inspection surveyors, all of which could be done once and for all by the vendor, the job of whose solicitor it would be to ensure that all information was accurate, to protect inter alia the interests of mortgagees such as building societies. Energy efficiency details could be optional extra and a potential selling point. But the proposed cost of the paperwork is excessive, if the solicitors 'and surveyors' fees are to be borne by the vendor; in any case these costs would vary from firm to firm. The fuss about government inspectors is rubbish; suitable qualified professionals have been available, and indeed have been employed ever since people have been buying and selling houses. Nor would be it necessary to increase asking prices to allow for these costs, as a vendor would recover the costs through not having to incur them several times over in the search for his next domicile.

Sheringham Little Theatre

Sheringham Little Theatre's 11th annual summer repertory season will kick off with the classic Willy Russell one-hander Shirley Valentine. In a role made famous by Olivier award-winning actress Pauline Collins, Loraine Metcalfe plays Shirley Valentine, a bored housewife who attempts to recapture her dreams by jetting off to Greece and embarking on a holiday romance with a handsome local. Directed by Little Theatre patron Desmond Barritt, who last year attracted rave reviews at Sheringham for Educating Rita and the musical Dames at Sea, the play marks the start of a 10-week, 5 play season. Also featured are the psychological thriller The Business of Murder, the Alan Ayckbourn comedy How the Other Half Loves and There Goes the Bride, a farce by Ray Cooney and John Chapman. Returning for the second year running are well known TV actor Roger Bingham and former Emmerdale star Jean Rogers, who will play the lead role in Noel Coward's Star Quality. Auditions for the 12-strong company begin in London this week, with the theatre also recruiting a team of local youngsters to play stage hands in Star Quality.

"After enjoying our most successful season ever last year, we are really excited as again this year we have a fantastic mix of comedy, a farce, a thriller and, of course an Ayckbourn," said Little Theatre artistic director and summer theatre producer Debbie Thompson. Changes made to the summer season formula last year had been very successful, added Mrs Thompson, with a new, midweek changeover allowing holidaymakers to enjoy two plays in one week. "Because last year was the first time we had produced the season completely "in house", we really were on a steep learning curve," Mrs Thompson said. "But it was a great hit and we are hoping that by drawing on our experience from last year, we can make this season even more successful."  The Sheringham Little Theatre summer repertory season runs from July 9 to September 15. For more information, phone the box office on 01263 822347.