SUPPORT has been flooding in for pensioner John Waller’s campaign to have toilets installed at Berkhamsted Castle.
South West Herts MP David Gauke, also a Treasury minister, last week said as far as he is aware, Mr Waller is the only one concerned about it.
But the Gazette has now received many letters of support for the 69-year-old’s campaign.
Berkhamsted man Harry Boulter said Mr Gauke was talking ‘absolute rubbish’ and the castle is ‘one of our most treasured and historic sites’.
He said: “Berkhamsted Castle has been crying out for investment with regards to amenities for visitors for years.”
Pearl Bowler described David Gauke as ‘a total waste of space’, too busy aiming for promotion within the Treasury to focus on issues his constituents widely support.
She said: “You should be supporting your constituents and their attempts to improve local facilities, not fighting against them.”
There was some opposition to Mr Waller’s campaign on www.berkhamstedtoday.co.uk by people who said the toilets would be an costly eyesore.
Berkhamsted Town Council opposed the plan in 2010, saying new loos would not fit in with their historic landscape.
Mr Gauke this week said his ‘first job’ is South West Herts MP, but says he can do that and his Treasury job as well.
He said: “I am not ignoring or downplaying it, but saying there are different views on it in Berkhamsted and as far as my constituency postbag is concerned, it has been John Waller who has been pushing the toilets issue.
“If there was a full consensus on this in Berkhamsted, including the town council, then together we would have a good point to take to English Heritage.”
See readers’ letters on pages 12 and 13