RANT ON
Another week, another issue of the Stourbridge News and more 'publicity' for the local persona non grata that is........Wayne Etheridge. He is better for print copy than a dozen or so incidents involving Staffordshire Bull Terriers or the hordes of Vietnamese Skunk growers that now seem almost obligatory on every Black Country trading estate!
Wayne now feels 'this week' that he has siezed the moral high ground and has the lovely Margot James punching below her weight. A local 'source' (a gentleman that has put up with more than enough of The Etheridges and their activities over the years) informs me that his house has been leafleted with some 'Crossaganda' from Wayne or somebody that has ghost-written it for him implying that Margot has got it all wrong and that he is a much-maligned character and merely trying to ply his humble trade as a struggling local businessman - or words to that effect....Wayne has also invited any interested parties for an informal meeting at, wait for it, The Cross i.e. on his turf - will there be free beer and sarnies? To discuss their grievances etc etc.
Margot and 'the piece of paper'
Below - Margot meeting Wayne.
Above - Margot leaves holding the famous 'piece of paper' promising 'peace in our time'!
As usual the devil is in the detail........
Above - details of letter.
Yes, that's right, let's have a cosy little meeting with all your most intimidating customers loitering in the background Wayne. How does BOLLOCKS sound?
The meeting (below) was said to be 'lively'.
Wayne (right,) has one last whinge at the meeting.
To be fair Wayne does seem to have a bit of support in the immediate vicinity of his pub but that's about it - some of the punters have featured in this weeks' article (below).
Quote
LOYAL pub regulars have been backing an under fire Stourbridge landlord who accused the town’s MP of fuelling a vendetta against him.
Wayne Etheridge, who runs The Cross in Oldswinford, was left “gobsmacked” after recently-elected Stourbridge MP Margot James sent a letter to residents urging them to report noise and anti-social behaviour emanating from the pub to help build up an “evidence base” against the venue.
However regulars at the popular sports bar have been posting messages of support for Mr Etheridge on this site - with a number calling on Ms James to publicly apologise for her actions.
JamieMac, Stourbridge, says: “Ms James Hold your Head in Shame!
“Surely she must now either substantiate her allegation or withdraw and publicly apologise.”
While Rob, Oldswinford, says: “Guess this has been a steep learning curve for Margot next time maybe she will seek wider views on an issue like this, maybe even visit the pub, lets hope we see a front page apology, next week in the News!”
And pestobobber’s comment reads: “Margot James would do well to realise there are always two sides to an argument.”
Mr Etheridge, who met Ms James for the first time last week, says he feels the MP has been “more than reasonable since”.
He added: “Everybody makes mistakes, we all make them.”
But the battling pub boss says he would still like an apology.
Ms James’s response was: “With the benefit of hindsight I should have contacted Mr Etheridge before I sent the letter out as a courtesy, but I stand by my position that I did receive complaints and there are a lot of people who don’t know the best way of registering them - and that was what I was trying to inform people of.
“But I recognise there are two points of view.”
The publican and the MP are now set to hold a meeting at The Bird in Hand pub, off Hagley Road, at 1.30pm on Saturday July 24, so residents can raise issues of concern with both parties.
Unquote
Right - JamieMac and Rob...Below - the sort of 'gobsmacking' Waynes' neighbours would like to see him get!
Left, Wayne and right, disgruntled Swincross Road resident (you know who you are!)
The way that i see it is that Margot would not have sent a letter (it has to be on Commons notepaper, that is where she works) had not a number of constituents communicated with her, either at her surgery or via snail/email and almost certainly she would have liased with the Local Authority with regard to past history and current issues.
Below - Dudley MBC contractor 'leafleting' Oldswinford.
It is not a vendetta - people have a right to live in peace and complain in a democracy and they vote for an MP that they can address their grievances too.
People also have to earn a living but not at the expense of their neighbours 'rights', Wayne!
Below - Cleetus, neighbour, slack-jawed yokel and part-time glory hole says.......
"Trouble is, Waynes' well-meaning 'an all that, it's not his fault he's a trouble-causer 'cos it's heeret, uh heeredit, uh uh, he was borned with it - ah blame hiz daddy, if Ted hadda taken the money to engage with the governments 'eugenics' programme we woulda had nun of this probblem roun' these parts.
"I caint speak fo' everbody but personally i wissht he'd Ferk right off!"
A number of Waynes' other neighbours also feel as vexed over various issues but due to a fear of being intimidated, recognised and possibly offered a lift in Waynes tasteless car do not wish to be identified.
Naturally, feelings are running high at present, disgruntled 'locals' fed up with abiding by the rule of law are calling for more extreme measures to be taken such as calling for..........
Dudley Councils feared ECU (Etheridge Cleansing Unit) is only used as a last resort! Indeed the ECU is still licking its' wounds and refitting after it was last used, most recently in the campaign to re-take The Royal Oak PH during "Operation Get That Fucker Out Of Amblecote". The unit suffered a number of casualties whilst scaling razor wire on the flat roof and some members still have splinters lodged in their bodies from the numerous boobytrapped blackboards that littered the car park.(Below, archive pictures from this operation).
Above - a heavily armed Huey gunship lands on the roof to evacuate customers who can't take any more of the crap food and beer - Right, beleagured ECU troopers during a lull prior to regaining control of the Royal Oak.
Below - authorised use of Napalm was required to persuade The Etheridges to leave.
Finally, (right) the council regains control the Royal Oak.
"Use of Etheridge Cleansing Unit controversial"
Below - Arkan and 'the boys'.
Triumphant ECU 'shock' troops celebrate the re-taking of the Royal Oak!
Arkan (foreground) is a veteran of both The Prince of Wales and the The Royal Oak campaigns, he says "both times after taking control of the pubs we still found the left over beer in the cellars totally undrinkeable and had to go to 'The Bathams' in Enville St", he added, "the boys wanted to try this new pub The Duke William but it is far too expensive, we are only poorly-paid soldiers and the looting has been bad with the current recession!"
Left, Bathams - proper. Right, Duke - pricy.
I cannot go into detail about the rest of my conversation with 'Arkan' due to the very real danger of jeopardising ongoing operations but suffice to say, despite the current stance from Margot, that matters are in hand to mount a once-and-for-all 'Special' Op to eradicate the Etheridges from the borough!
Above - ariel view of The Cross before 'Ethradication', closer views will reveal marquees, burger vans, drunken boxing fans, noisy football supporters etc etc.
Above - artists impression of how the site will look post ,'Ethradication'.
Below - beneficiaries of 'Ethradication'.
Nesting Skylarks and Wildflowers.
Above - and the long-suffering residents of Oldswinford!
STOP PRESS!
I have just received video footage that a group of 'vigilantes' have released purporting to be Wayne and a group of his 'friends' (see JamieMac and Rob, above) attending a barbecue at an undisclosed location somewhere deep in the Black Country during the recent hot spell of weather. Information was passed to the 'vigilantes' (who are rumoured to be former disgruntled ECU members) who then organised a surprise for Wayne - the 'surprise' involved calling in a 'favour' from military contacts and a lot of noise and mess, the sort of thing that Waynes' customers (and neigbours) are used to during The Cross' opening hours.
WARNING - some viewers might find the sight of Wayne getting some payback hilarious.
This graphic footage shows initial smoke from the starting of the barbecue before the 'surprise'. In the background can be heard the vigilantes and in the foreground an elated Cleetus having captured the event on his new camcorder.
Waynes' 'surprise' package.
Unfortunately the celebrations were short-lived as no sign of Wayne was found in the remains of the building - he will still be at large somewhere. The public are asked to be vigiliant at all times and report any suspicious-looking characters but it is important to bear in mind that he is a master of disguise!
Recent possible sightings of Wayne...
Keep checking back for new postings and updates...ya hear!
Dont forget to check older posts....
RANT OVER
