The Basford Footpath

I have looked into the question of the Basford footpath, to which reference was made in this column last week, and I hope that on Monday the Wolstanton Council will reject the notice of motion to rescind the closing of the footpath, and will confirm the closing. It will then rest with Quarter Sessions to give a final decision.

The footpath takes off from the gateway near the top of Basford bank, and runs behind Alms Grove and Oxford-road towards the laundry. Years ago, it was " the only way " from Basford bank across the top of the hill to Wolstanston, but now there is the wide thoroughfare of Oxford-road a few yards further. away, and the footpath is really not needed, and is out of date and in some respects undesirable. As a matter of fact, the footpath has almost fallen into disuse, since the public have made another path of their own closer to the back of Alma Grove, though that is not desirable or necessary either. Oxford-road itself is the most sensible and best routs to take.

The matter has been brought to a head by the present ground of the Basford Tennis Club having been sold for business purposes, though the new owner is kindly allowing the Club to remain next season, if desired. The club has bought a site overlooking Etruria, in the rear of Alma Grove (a rough description), but the old footpath runs through it, and the purchase is subject to the footpath being closed. The residents of Alma Grove are also deprived of the full use of their land by the footpath crossing it. The desirability of the Tennis Club being continued, in this growing suburb, does not need to be argued, and this is the only site available.

In a general way, there is of course much to be said in favour of preserving old footpaths; hut where they are no longer necessary, and there is a better alternative by a well-paved road, and where they stand in the way of modern progress, compromise dictates that a change may reasonably be made. I fully agree, that the Wolstanton Council would be thoroughly justified in proceeding with the arrangements for closing the footpath.

Staffordshire Sentinel, 22 November 1924
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media