Gainsborough: MP backs campaign to reopen Slab Alley

Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh is in support of a campaign to reopen a town passageway, known as Slab Alley.
Rose and Pamela collecting signatures in Marshalls YardRose and Pamela collecting signatures in Marshalls Yard
Rose and Pamela collecting signatures in Marshalls Yard

Rose Kettleborough and Pamela Clark have more than 5,000 signatures on a petition to have the passageway between Nationwide and Burton and Dyson, both in Market Place, reopened as a public walk way.

The path, known as Slab Alley, has been gated off for the past five years.

Rose said: “We believe it belongs to the town.

“We don’t know why it has been closed.

“People have walked it for many years.

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“We have spoken to people who remember walking it back in the 1930’s and Pamela and I used to walk in the 1960’s.

“We think it’s part of the town’s heritage to be able to walk that passage.

“We wouldn’t mind it still being closed at night after the doctor’s surgery has shut.

“It will make it easier for families who need to be get through.”

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Rose and Pamela have collected more than 5,000 signatures on a petition.

And their campaign has been backed by the MP for Gainsborough, Sir Edward Leigh.

Sir Edward said: “It’d be a very wise idea to reopen Slab Alley, and I’m happy to support the residents who are campaigning for just that.

“This would be an important passageway for pedestrians as well as for those with disabilities and I hope it’d reopened at the nearest possible convenience.”

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Chris Miller, countryside access and definitive map manager, said: “This alleyway isn’t a recorded public right of way and because of this the county council hasn’t any remit to require the removal of any barriers.

“Members of the public have been advised that there is a process for claiming such routes as a right of way and the county has received an application to have the alley recorded as a public footpath, however because we have a backlog of several hundred similar applications the case will unfortunately have to take its turn.

“If at the end of that process, the route is found to be a right of way then the county council will of course ensure it is freely available for use.”

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