My musings about Stanhope definitely evoked some pretty strong emotions in you all.

Firstly, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for getting in touch via the show, texts, email, the website or good old-fashioned letter writing.

In case you missed it, I was bigging up the place in my rose-tinted Stanhope glasses and my own personal memories on my time there.

As I said, the feedback was phenomenal and out of all the reaction, I’d say about 90 per cent was positive.

There was a wide and varied range of opinion, from people who have been there from the beginning (1967 I believe), or have just moved on to the estate from out of town, window cleaners who work there and the doctors’ surgery who said how great the community spirit was – and that particular lady doesn’t even live on Stanhope.

But let me concentrate on the 10 per cent that wasn’t quite so pro-Stanhope. Some of the response was actually quite harrowing and frankly turned my stomach.

Nobody likes to hear stories of anti-social behaviour or just downright bullying that goes on and the culprits that cause this kind of stress and mindless hooliganism on others do not deserve their liberty.

I’d lock them up and throw away the key! And if you are one of those suffering at the hands of these people then harangue your council and the police until you are blue in the face and get them to react.

I feel for you and hate the fact that a mindless few can damage the reputation of so many. It doesn’t matter where you are, there will always be idiots and that doesn’t help eradicate the stigma that still exists about the estate.

Let me finish with an amusing story that shows that the “law of karma” does exist. A rather naughty boy who will remain nameless was up to no good over Stanhope square many moons ago.

He thought it would be funny to remove the outer casing from a lamppost and destroy it. After pulling out several wires, his mission was unsuccessful as the light was still working, so he decided to urinate on it and try to blow a fuse.

What he didn’t bargain for, was a short sharp shock that travelled back and zapped him in the unmentionables. There is justice.

See Webbo's previous column below

A couple of friends of mine have inspired this column without their knowledge. They’re from outside of the “gated community” and have decided to buy in the area.

They don’t know Ashford at all, so have been looking at houses blind as to where they are geographically.

So I was quite surprised and rather put out when they told me they had turned down a house because it was too near to Stanhope.

Now, for me, that was like a red rag to a bull because, if you didn’t know already, I’m a Stanhope boy through and through. Okay, I don’t live there now but you can take the boy out of Stanhope but you can’t take Stanhope out of the boy.

I still have mates from 40 years ago that are proud Stanhopeians. I also have mates who still live there or have moved back there. And of course my dear old Muvver has never moved away and never will.

That for me is a complete bonus because not only do I get to visit my Mum but I also get to visit my childhood.

Now I know I can’t completely wrap Stanhope up in cotton wool and drown myself in wonderful childhood memories and nostalgia. Of course it’s had its fair share of problems but every large council estate does.

When Mrs Thatcher decided to give everyone “the right to buy” most people at the time, or since, took the option, got a massive discount, sold up and moved on.

But they weren’t selling on to other families, generally it was to fat cat property tycoons who bought them and rented them out again, which for me leads to “ghettoisation”.

How things are changing now! The regeneration is taking shape and Stanhope is becoming a beautiful phoenix rising from the ashes and a new community and community spirit is being forged.

Perhaps its old reputation will always precede it but it’s the people who will make it work. I wouldn’t think twice about moving back there, as I informed my ex-friends at the time.

So Stanhope I salute you, I doff my cap to you and rejoice in you and as Chas n Dave once sang (artistic licence warning) “Give me a Stanhope girl every time”.