Saddle up and ride your donkey (From Southend Standard)

Saddle up and ride your donkey

5:40pm Tuesday 3rd March 2009

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A RAYLEIGH woman is bringing donkey rides back to the beach – but not in south Essex.

After months of trying to persuade Southend Council, Jayne Johns has given up and is taking her donkeys to Clacton.

Mrs Johns, 48, who lives in Daws Heath Road, said: “I desperately wanted to go to Southend and wrote letters about two years ago and had nothing back from them. Southend is missing out. It’s a real shame.”

She also contacted Rayleigh MP Mark Francois and he wrote to the council and received a letter stating problems with strict regulations relating to the working conditions and welfare of the donkeys.

Mrs Johns said: “I already had dealt with all this and provide shade and water for my donkeys. Their reasons were petty, but I persevered and had a meeting with the head of tourism and they seemed to be coming around to the idea.

“But that’s the last I heard from them since September and in the meantime Clacton was really positive. Southend could do with some tradition and the traders were all for it so I will keep trying.”

John Lamb, Southend councillor responsible for leisure and tourism, said: “We don’t have a problem with donkey rides and most of the problems of fouling on the beach can be overcome.

“But there can be a problem when the water comes up high and it reduces the beach in certain areas. All these things will have been taken into consideration.

“It’s a shame, because I’m sure there are some areas we could have looked at, although some areas have to be restricted.”

Tendring Council has issued a licence to Mrs Johns, who will be operating rides from the Clacton’s Martello Bay beach this year.

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