Passers-by on Back Street, South Hill, may have observed that there is now an unobstructed view of the scenic Road Bay (with its population strip attractively nestled between the sea and pond and the shipping and boating activities in the harbour).
All the obstructing overgrowth is basically gone and some floral plants now line part of the area once covered by bush. The clean-up work was done by Lavelle Richardson alias “Big Dread” or “Fatty”, a bulky young man, who owns a coveted area of land overlooking Road Bay.
“My father, Amos Richardson, now deceased, gave me this property,” he stated. “Even when I was small I always thought about putting a business here. I am now trying to bring back the view, keep it clean and I planted some flamboyant and other trees; and I intend to construct a wooden structure for a restaurant. Right now, I am waiting on the Planning Committee to come and have a little meeting – and then we will see what happens after that.”
The prospective businessman said that many persons had been telling him that the area would be a good site for a restaurant. “It would be providing local food and local drinks; a lot of barbecued fish, chicken, ribs, ital and whatever,” he promised. “It will be my sisters and nieces who will be doing all the cooking. My sister, Laurel Gumbs, is a great cook – as well as my other sister Gracelyn Lake. I will be catering for big and small, the rich and the poor. There will also be opportunities for private parties and other such events.”
Asked about the reason for going into his service venture at this time, he replied: “In my view, I would say that now is the best time for me because I can now find a bit of cash for certain things and I have two children to care for; so I am setting up something in the future for them. The girl is three years and the boy is two years. I am now catering for them more than myself.”
“Fatty” loves his land, and the beautiful view, so much that he says he will ensure that his children will not sell it, but keep it within the family for generations to come.
