Visiting, the gents (alone), after an excellent lunch with David Jackman of Everything Epping Forest fame, in the Crusader Pub in Roydon yesterday, my eyes alighted on an excellent poster on the wall. As you can see, the poster highlights the unfairness of beer tax, which now accounts for a third of every pint. What is interesting, is that this picture, would not have appeared a few years ago, as most people thought that paying a bit of extra tax, was worth it, if public services were going to improve.
Now the opposite is happening. People ask again and again "we have paid all the taxes, so where has the money gone?".
As they see public services, - for the most part getting worse - and taxes higher, no wonder so many people are upset. It explains why The Taxpayers Alliance (which campaigns for taxpayer value), has more than 20,000 members. The anger about high taxes has increased, as the economy has gone down the plug-hole, unemployment has reached over two million with the Government drowning us in debt. And its not just taxes on beer. Tax on Bingo, Tax on fuel, tax on tobacco, tax on motorists, tax on business, tax on savings, tax on pensions, tax for selling houses, tax for buying houses, stealth taxes and much more tax besides. Our tax burden just rises and rises, at a time when we all have less income because of the credit crunch.
As the picture shows, the climate has changed, and everyone is fed up with waste and bad government. They want lower taxes. Expect a lot more pictures like this to pop up - in the most unlikely of places - over the coming months.
P.S. I Just found out that the Crusader Pub, earnt its name as Knights Templar from the Crusades, were given the Manor of Roydon.
Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com
Temple Farm also takes its name from the Knights of the Templar, as does Temple Roydon, one of Roydon's medieval manor houses, named after the Order who were granted the manor in 1205.
ReplyDeleteRoydon also has a famous historic connection with Sir Thomas Moore, who came courting at Nether Hall some 450 years ago, the ruins of the hall are still in the parish.
Sir Thomas fell in love with the younger granddaughter of Thomas Colte, owner of Nether Hall and Privy Councillor of Edward IV - he and his wife Joan are buried in Roydon's church under a lovely memorial brass which shows Thomas Colte in his armour.
Thomas's Colte's son, John, had a number of sons and daughters - see their portraits on a brass in what was the sanctuary before a certain vandalising vicar became the incumbent at Roydon. It was one, or rather two, of the daughters portrayed in that brass whom Sir Thomas Moore courted. Although Sir Thomas wanted to marry the younger girl, tradition has it that knowing that it would bring shame on her unmarried elder sister if he did so, he switched his affections to the older girl, Jane, whom he married 4 years before Henry VIII became King.
If you are interested in the history of Roydon's pubs, my friend Kevan Wilding has a stunning Essex pub history website which features Roydon's pubs. Link Below.
http://pubcensus.co.uk/essexpubs/Roydon/roydon.aspx