Originally Posted by gazaprop

The big difference between now and days gone by is this -

Now - get told not to be naughty boys by the Police on at least two occasions then, be brought before the Court and given a Referral Order. This involves sitting in front of a panel of three doddery old people and be told off again, ordered to write a letter of apology whilst signing up to some sessions of 'talking about your problems'. After that be brought before the Court again and be given a Community Punishment Order. This one is a killer - this involves lounging about with your chums in a hi-viz vest for several hours a week. After that be brought before the Court, again, and given more hours to lounge about in a hi-viz vest. I think the system then either - imposes a fine which will never bew paid or - just throws up it's collective hands and says sod it!

Then - told off once by the Police after which, be brought before the Court and given a hefty fine that had to be paid. After that - brought before the Court and given a custodial sentence in a Detention Centre for either three or six months - these were run with harsh military discipline and involved compulsory PT, work and education. If the lesson had still not been learnt then Borstal was the next stop. This was another custodial sentence of between nine months and two years - again run with military discipline involving work, PT and education.

The question is - present these two scenarios to the 'young rascals' and which do you suspect would have a deterrent effect and which would have them rolling in the aisles with laughter, hardly able to believe their luck?

Even if the short, sharp, shock treatment didn't work on a few - at least they were safely tucked up away from decent folk whilst being prepared for a career of recidivism.

Regardless of what the punishhment was 25 years ago vandals were rarely caught.

Originally Posted by MICK/GILLY

Ahh kids in the park climbing trees and flying kites in total safety and without a care in the world playing 9 hole putting golf at dusk while the old duffers and children seriously competed together on one of the towns finest kept crown green bowling pitches before it got too dark to see the way to the local bustling pub at the entrance that had the swings and slides where the parents would nip in for an hour leaving us children playing outside with crisps and lemonade.
With the park keepers hut and the workshop/storage area having that special smell of wooden sheds with petrol lawnmowers in them that still had fresh cut grass on the blades where you could buy a ticket to play tennis on any of the well maintained courts within the special netted area. Another entrance of the park boasted a park keepers house overlooking a fantastic busy nursery for new mums and toddlers all within the proud park that started out as sand dunes, I only have to close my eyes and look over my shoulder to see Big ears the parky frantically peddling after us on his sit up and beg bicycle chasing us kids off the hill shouting "I know who you all are, I know your parents", and he did, everyone knew everyone.

Anyway its all gone now.

Well, back in the 50s, I lived across the road from Bedford Park and I swear I played in there every day.
Climb trees? I was too terrified of the parky!
I remember one time, one of my friends acquired a kite and, via a relay of kids, we kept it up all day. Simple pleasures.
Back in the 50s there used to be traces of tennis courts near the Lyndhurst Rd entrance ( the one furthest from Guildford Rd).
In that same area there used to be some sort of weather station.
Also, back then, the Bedford Cinema was still going ( closed 1958?) and it backed on to the area where the swings and slides were located.
Set into the wall of the cinema were ventilation grills and by putting your ear up against them you could hear an "audio only" version of the film show.

Bedford Park this week, Southport Trinity last week... a trend perhaps???