Disabled Kettering army veteran and TT racer pleads with council for a garage for beloved motorbike

Former member of the Parachute Regiment Eddie Hammond, 77, who is already a council tenant, was helped by a neighbour to apply to rent one of the 50 North Northants Council-owned garages a short distance from his home.

After he was turned down, Eddie’s Gorse Road neighbours Lynn Wilson and David Rose found out via an FOI there were 14 empty garages.

Meanwhile, Eddie’s pride and joy Honda Goldwing trike remains chained to the handrail outside his home covered in a tarpaulin.

He said: “It’s my pride and joy. I’d like the council to let me have a garage locally to keep my bike out of the way – it’s a lot of money’s worth and I don’t want it to be rotted away or stolen.”

Eddie’s love of motorbikes began when he was a little boy. He served nearly a decade in the army, eight years in the Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery seeing action across the globe.

When he came out of the forces he worked as a lorry driver and mechanic, racing in the Isle of Mann TT in 1974, 1981 and 1991.

Lynn said: “Eddie bought himself a trike to enable him to go on ride outs and fundraiser events with his army buddies.

“I suggested he apply for a garage to keep it in during the winter months, as it is padlocked to his handrail outside his bungalow at present.

“He rang up to apply, only to be told none were currently available. I was pretty sure that they were not all let, so applied for one myself.”

Lynn was told the way garages were being let was changing and she would be notified when and if one became available at a later date.

Knowing the garages well and current tenants she put in a Freedom of Information request to find out how many were rented out by NNC.

She said: “Of the 50 garages, 36 are let and 14 are ‘void’. I wanted to get to the bottom of the 14 voids. Are these unfit to be let? “There are two which have been boarded up for some years now, but all the others look neat, tidy and sound.”

Investigations revealed the latest garage to be let was early in 2023 and was told a surveyor was needed to assess the garages.

An NNC staff member told Lynn they wouldn’t be ready to let until they were of ‘an acceptable standard’ and inspections carried out.

Lynn and Eddie’s NNC Windmill ward councillors – Anne Lee (Lab), Paul Marks (Con) and Robin Carter (Con) – have also put in queries to the council.

The councillors were told the garages ‘fell between two departments’ and the neighbourhood manager for the area had left causing some delays. They were then told they couldn’t be rented out because of a nearby gully on the area in front of the garage doors kept flooding.

They said: “We are working together on this to get an answer. The most recent response we got was there’s no money for repairs.

"No-one has categorically said there are no garages available.”

Cllr Carter said: “We want a straight answer, something needs to be done.”

Eddie said: "I think the council should get off their backsides, get out there and repair these garages so they can be used

“They say they cost about ten grand to fix, but if you look at the rate they charge for the garages that could pay for it. It’s ridiculous.

“They say that they flood, but they don’t flood in the garages, only in the middle.”

Cllr Lee said: “This is unacceptable because the garages are public property managed by the council, so I don't feel that the council has the right to withhold them from residents unless there would be a very good reason for that.

“The delay is unacceptable.”

Lynn added: “I truly hope that flooding isn't used as an excuse. The gully that runs the length of the garage area clearly needs sweeping to keep it clear - but that can easily be resolved.

“It seems so unfair that my neighbour who lives less than 100 yards away feels he has been fobbed off and doesn't know how to take it further.

“I feel the same. His trike is still standing outside, covered under a plastic sheet.”

NNC own garages across Kettering and Corby but none in the former Wellingborough Borough Council and East Northants District Council areas.

Garages in Kettering, for existing council tenants or leaseholders are £11.35 per week to rent. In Corby, the garages are £7.70 for the same period.

For non-council tenants rents in Kettering are £13.62 per week and in the Corby area are £9.24 per week.

Some larger garages may cost slightly more.