The proposed pedestrianisation in the centre of town may have you ready to draw breath and launch into a myriad of vocal reaction.

However, before you do, consider the long-term effects.

Christmas Eve 2018, our first Christmas in Sidmouth and I always remember that we had to shut Antiques on High at 12.30pm in order get to our hotel on time.

And as we begrudgingly did so, I remember thinking we shouldn’t be doing this and I won’t forget watching crowds of people walking down the street in the middle of the road as the pavement was too busy and thinking wouldn’t it be better and more people-friendly without the traffic?

And a few years on, here we are!

So now maybe the opportunity that we didn’t know we had been waiting for, as the current proposals look set to progress, means we could see plenty of people taking the opportunity to stroll down the middle of the road without worrying about being the subject of a motorist’s anger as they try to negotiate numerous pedestrians meandering down the road towards the seafront.

Change is upon us and we should embrace it as much as we can, if the last two years have taught us anything it is that we as a nation and individuals, can adapt far quicker than we ever thought possible.

As every council around the country starts to feel the pressures of becoming more eco friendly and limiting the traffic within our towns and cities, with many of them having already started, those who resist the changes maybe frowned upon by central government and it does appear that this is an inevitable conclusion.

If you feel as though you should be reacting a little like Swampy did back in the 90’s, (real name Daniel Hooper) few could deny he become a notable character of the time with countless TV appearances from his various protest vantage points, usually down in a manmade tunnel or up a tree, his protests did not stop anything being built and realistically just served to provide him with a profile.