YOUR VIEW: McDonald's, schooling and hunting

Confusion met the news that a 34-year-old man had been fined £200 after he explained to police he had travelled to Luton to Devizes for a McDonald’s.

Devizes does not have the yellow arches anywhere in town, a point quickly noticed by readers, some of whom speculated on the man’s real motives.

The man was stopped, and later fined by police, on Estcourt Street in Devizes last Thursday evening. You said:

Deb Samways: “From Luton ?? Going for a Mcdonalds in Devizes which apparently doesn’t have a Mcdonald’s .... think he needs to get his story straight.”

Amanda Jane: “All the hundreds of branches between here and Luton were obviously closed”

Aaron Hewer: “Devizes have a McDonald’s? Why are these places open if we’re not allowed to go them? You don’t want us eating fast food, shut them!”

Jan Robinson: “If you read the article, it states that there isn’t a McDonalds in Devizes. They were obviously travelling from Luton for very different reasons.”

Shane Minnis: “How long has Devizes had a McDonalds then. Or was he pretending to deliver a McDonalds.”

Nathan Lewis: “Making a certain kind of delivery or pick up then.”

Chris Callow: “What a muppet to attempt to give the McDonald’s excuse.”

Phil Newman: Smack capital of Wiltshire and he’s come for a McDonald’s? I think not.”

Our report that Wiltshire Council had urged key worker parents to have children learn from home, if possible, also garnered a lot of responses.

In an open letter to parents, director of education and skills Helean Hughes explained that if the children of key workers could learn at home, then they should do so.

It was also revealed that schools in Wiltshire are busier this lockdown round. You said:

Manda Petty: “Asks! Means there’s a choice no child should be at school unless absolutely no other option of care at home.”

Jess Brooking: “I already feel guilty enough for sending my children to school so I can work without this!!!”

Mariola Suchecka: “If you pay me wages while I can’t go to work while staying home with children then no problem.”

Hannah Jones: “Our school has said anyone in year 9 and over should be staying at home and as per last time anyone with one parent who’s not a key worker to stay home too.

“To be honest I think it should really be left to parents to decide if their child is mature enough to be left at home alone.”

Sally Henley: “There’s so many children at schools that shouldn’t be or don’t need to be... I’m a keyworker and I’ve kept my 11-year-old at home!!

Davina Norris: “My husband is a firefighter ( key worker) we have kept all but one at home. Others need those places more.”

Manda Petty: “Think they need to change how they say it, no children should go unless absolutely no other option.”

People reading the online version of last week’s article on hunting in Wiltshire also sparked some strong-willed comments.

The Wiltshire Hunt Sabs, a protest group, has called for an end to what they described as the smokescreen of trail hunting and tighter restrictions on hunting groups continuing their activities after lockdown is lifted in England.

Hunting in Lacock in 2019

Sarah Ladd: “It’s about time the hunting ban was reinforced!!

Simon James Chaplin: “It has never been enforced so can’t be reinforced. The so-called ban introduced by the Blair government was never more than a sham.

“Appearing to do something rather than actually doing something.”

Phil Newman: “It will never happen!! You are fighting the aristocracy, the hunting ban will never be reinforced because most of the people who should be doing it are riding the horses...”

Lucy Temp Peel: “Wouldn’t it make more sense to extend the relevant legislation regarding out of control dogs to packs of hounds?”

Lorraine Larden: “It’s always been a lie, disgusting hunters carried on as usual with impunity. Shameful.”