Archive
-
Date
Postwatch horse is too high
SIR - So once again Cam's version of Postwatch gets on his high horse. We all know Mr Yarde has an axe to grind with Royal Mail. In fact we seem to be his pet hate. However his letter needs a response. Yes, the Channel Four programme did show some horrifying
-
Date
BT blames service cuts on mobiles
A GROWTH in the number of mobile phones is one of the reasons blamed by operator BT for its proposal to remove 19 phone boxes from across the Stroud district. Phone boxes on the BT blacklist include kiosks in School Road, May Lane and Upper Poole Road
-
Date
Weekend Picture, May 14, 2004
Apple blossom in a Uley garden . . . this picture was taken a couple of weeks ago by Gazette reader Maurice Bullen, of South Steet. "There had been a run of bad weather and then, suddenly, we had a beautiful day and I was struck by the beauty of the blossom
-
Date
Remember the US military?
SIR - Next month will be the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy and I am trying to research Dursley's part in the lead-up to this turning point in the Second World War. I know that two American units, the 41st and 67th Evacuation Hospitals
-
Date
Transport past and present
A NEW display at Wotton Heritage Centre focuses on travelling in and around Wotton-under-Edge through different periods in the town's history. Called Getting About, the exhibition looks at modes of transport to and from Wotton since the 18th century.
-
Date
Warning pub could stay boarded up
THE OWNER of a now closed pub in Wotton-under-Edge has hit back at criticism of his decision to convert the premises. Barry Walker, of Dursley-based building contractors B Walker and Co Ltd, has defended a planning application for consent to change the
-
Date
Transport past and present
Philip Taubenheim, of Wotton Auction Rooms, displays lot 1234, a 1905 Pedersen cycle which is to be sold next Wednesday. This original Pedersen bicycle, made in Dursley between 1905 and 1914 and displaying the Lister badge, has probably never travelled
-
Date
Awards evening celebrates success in Hellenic League
SLIMBRIDGE chairman John Mack recounted the season's exploits prior to commencing the annual trophy awards at the club's presentation evening on Friday. Mack said: "The first team had finished a highly creditable fourth place in the Hellenic Premier Division
-
Date
Charities say cheers
CHARITABLE organisations have once again benefited from the proceeds of an annual fundraiser that has raised over £750,000 in its 24-year history. The sell-out Frocester Beer Festival is the largest fundraiser on the Dursley Lions Club calendar and this
-
Date
Big night for skittles stars
TICKETS are now available for the Berkeley Skittles League presentation night, which will be held at the Nuclear Sports and Social Club next month. The tickets are only available from one outlet this year so winning captains will be required to contact
-
Date
Alive and well in Amsterdam
GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC kicked their season into life last week as the team defeated Holland in Amsterdam for a place in the third round of the C&G Trophy. Mark Alleyne's side, the holders of the cup, have endured an indifferent start to the 2004 campaign
-
Date
Revamp the Swan building
SIR - With reference to your story (Gazette, April 30), Jacqui aims to bring choice, Mungo's is yet another example of a new, quality venture setting up in Wotton-under-Edge, along with nine others during the past few months. I agree wholeheartedly with
-
Date
Group pledges to get Concorde airborne
A CAMPAIGN to save the 'Queen of the Skies' has taken a step in the right direction. The Save Concorde Group, set up after Concorde 216 made its final flight to Filton in November, has stepped up pressure to keep the super-fast jet in the air. At a meeting
-
Date
Funeral grant
SIR - A colleague has given me some information and I am wondering if it is only me that is unaware of the fact that, if a man during his working life has paid his National Health stamp for 25 years (or more) on the event of his death, his widow (or dependant
-
Date
Council ignoring us, say residents
A COUNCIL has come in for heavy criticism after claims "dictatorial attitudes" of members led them to ignore the opinions of people they represent. The claim has been made as opposition to plans to install a skate park in a Berkeley play area grows increasingly
-
Date
Stars of the future shine
LAST weekend Everside YFC staged their annual six-a-side football tournament at the Jubilee Fields. Despite the poor weather there was a record number of entries, with some 74 teams taking part over the two days. Everside have thanked sponsors Millwood
-
Date
Swansong for hotel
SIR - Having traded in Wotton and Dursley for 25 years and a current resident of Wotton, it is sad to see that The Swan Hotel has finally closed its doors to the public after many years. This is, perhaps, due to high rent and rates and bad management.
-
Date
Bishop's special weekend
A WEEKEND of celebrations is planned to mark the enthronement of Gloucester's new bishop, the Right Rev Michael Perham, on Saturday, May 29 (2pm). Bishop Michael, who was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in St Paul's Cathedral at the beginning
-
Date
No respite in council feud
POLITICAL back-biting made a rare appearance at Cam Parish Council in the aftermath of Dursley district councillor Hilary Fowles (Lab) being reported to the Standards Board of England. A joint Conservative and Liberal Democrat motion had claimed Cllr
-
Date
Happy to show they are the write stuff
A BAND of budding writers were so enthused by a creative writing course they were encouraged to form a club to expand their hobby. Now Wotton Writers' Group is in its eighth year with a membership boasting award-winning pensmanship. Gazette feature writer
-
Date
Yate and Sodbury Comment
SHOPS in Chipping Sodbury desperately need more customers and have warned of closure if they do not get them. It is not disputed that visiting the nearest supermarket is far faster and more convenient for today's increasingly busy society of business
-
Date
Thornbury comment
THIS Moonwalk thing has caught on in a big way. We can't remember a time when so many busy Thornburians were prepared to give up a precious weekend to hoof 26 miles around the streets of London - at night, too, when the shops are closed. Not that we ought
-
Date
Lead by example and use town post office
SIR - I was interested to read Clare Fardell's comment (Gazette, May 7) regarding the town Post Office. It seems Clare has the situation sorted - she goes somewhere else! I would counsel you Clare, as a TOWN councillor, support your electorate - many
-
Date
In a prickle over plastic
Yvonne Cox, from Yate-based Hedgehog Rescue, took six young visitors and a 500-name petition to Northavon MP Steve Webb last Friday. Yvonne is attempting to have the four ring plastic can holders banned because they can be harmful to wildlife GJA430V04
-
Date
Thornbury diary
Friday, May 14 10.30am-8pm, Thornbury, St Mary's Church, Art Exhibition. 2pm, Thornbury, Methodist Church Hall, U3A Travel and Tourism Group meeting. Talk on the Scilly Isles by Jean and John Rendall. 4.40pm-5.30, Thornbury, Chantry Community Centre,
-
Date
Parking fines go up to £50
FALLING foul of parking laws in South Gloucestershire will now cost more. The charge for violating off-street parking regulations has been increased to £50, although offenders will only have to pay £30 if payment is made within seven days. The decision
-
Date
Butcher bailed to face crown court
THORNBURY butcher Malcolm Longman is to go before a judge at Bristol Crown Court to be punished for serious hygiene offences which jeopardised public health. The 57-year-old shopkeeper - proprietor of DW Pearce, butchers, on The Plain - was caught selling
-
Date
Resolve conflicts by peaceful means
SIR - Between April 26-30 at a unique Bristol Crown Court hearing, several Thornbury and many Bristol Quakers joined others to support the Fairford Five. The five felt that the Iraq war was illegal and wanted this tested in the courts. They committed
-
Date
Golf gala
A MAJOR charity golf tournament is heading to Chipping Sodbury in September and it has already attracted a large field of players. The Arthritis Research Campaign (arc) Charity Golf Day will feature teams of four golfers all attempting to win three top
-
Date
Women are told - breast is best
MUMS and mums-to-be in South Gloucestershire are being urged to give breastfeeding a go. As part of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, several special events have been organised to encourage mums to make that special connection with their baby and
-
Date
Alive and well in Amsterdam
GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC kicked their season into life last week as the team defeated Holland in Amsterdam for a place in the third round of the C&G Trophy. Mark Alleyne's side, the holders of the cup, have endured an indifferent start to the 2004 campaign
-
Date
Farce will keep you entertained
SODBURY Players are to bring one of the most famous British farces of all time to the stage of Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Tons of Money, by Will Evans and Valentine, was originally produced in 1922 and has been adapted and revised by Alan Aychbourn.
-
Date
Award for fit group
KEEP FIT enthusiasts from Thornbury and Hengrove have been recognised as ambassadors for active over-60s in a national award scheme. The 75-strong group, which has a membership age ranging from 60 to 83 years, has received a Stay Active Award - a contribution
-
Date
With the Pirates
THE NEW regime is here as Bristol Rovers on Tuesday confirmed details of which players will and will not be retained by manager Ian Atkins for next season. Outof-contract players to be released are Danny Boxall, Wayne Carlisle, Neil Arndale, Bo Henriksen
-
Date
Waste service slammed
A WOMAN has expressed her anger at enforced changes to her rubbish collection that she claims were introduced without consulation and could lead to more rubbish being dumped across South Gloucestershire. Lynn Clarke, of Longs View, Charfield, said she
-
Date
With the Reds
Although City overcame Blackpool 2-1 last Saturday, it was not enough to grant them automatic promotion to Division One. Two first-half goals in two minutes from Welsh striker Christian Roberts counted for nothing as QPR's 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday
-
Date
Team congratulated for education work
A SPECIAL educational needs team working within a South Gloucestershire prison has been presented with an award for the work it does with young offenders. The team at young offenders' institution Ashfield, in Pucklechuch, was praised in this year's Butler
-
Date
Night of drama for Town as final goes to the wire
Stroud Charity Cup Final Taverners 2 Thornbury Town 2 (aet) Thornbury win 5-3 on penalties Thornbury finished their season in style on Friday night as they twice came from behind to deservedly win the Stroud Charity Cup at Shortwood United's Meadowbank
-
Date
Surf's up for silver fraternity
THE OVER 50s can re-live their school days thanks to a special event aimed at teaching older people technology skills. Specialist school for technology, The Ridings in Winterbourne, is staging Silver Surfers' Day on Friday, May 21 (8am-8pm), when 24 computers
-
Date
Events around the region
Berkeley, Cam, Dursley and Wotton-under-Edge and district diary Friday, May 14 8.45-10.30am, Wotton, The Chipping Club Room. Friday market. 10-11.30am, Slimbridge, Village Hall. Slimbridge Toddler Club. 1.30-3.30pm, Cam, Memorial Hall. Tea dance. 8pm,
-
Date
Rosebuds bloom again
FIFTY years ago the Dursley Rosebuds were an important part of the town's annual carnival and gala day. Now Dursley Town Festival is hoping to revive the Rosebuds for this year's carnival procession on Saturday, July 10. Three girls between the ages of
-
Date
Payphones may go
THREE of Dursley's public payphones could be lost under proposals given to Dursley Town Council by BT. In a letter BT project liaison officer Rick Thompson explained that the cuts were part of a national cull of unprofitable payphones. Residents and the
-
Date
Bogus caller fails to frighten 78-year-old
A PENSIONER from Cam is warning other members of the public to be on their guard after she was threatened by a bogus telephone caller. Alison Ham, 78, was called around 7.20pm on Wednesday, April 28, by a man claiming to be from Stroud District Council
-
Date
Plans may come to fruition
PLANS TO extend Stone with Woodford Primary School could still become a reality. Proposals for a 20-home development, new access road and school extension have been resubmitted to Stroud District Council by land-owner the diocese of Gloucester. The original
-
Date
Lazy owners under fire
FOOTPATHS worst affected by lazy dog-owners have been named and shamed by in an unusual step aimed at encouraging owners to clear up after their pets. Stroud District Council has highlighted areas in the district that are badly affected by dog fouling
-
Date
Notices confirm closure
ENFORCED closure of a Berkeley sixth form will become a reality for pupils and staff arriving this morning as formal notices of the closure are put up outside the school. The Gloucestershire County Council notices will inform parents of pupils at Vale
-
Date
Bulldogs miss out on title but win Division One place
Newent Town 0 Cam Bulldogs 1 CAM Bulldogs' hopes of taking the Northern Senior League Division Two title were dashed despite their final day win at Newent. Bourton Rovers' 2-1 victory at Bishops Cleeve Reserves meant that the Cotswolds side remained two
-
Date
Purr-fectly nice place for Samantha's bed
Hydegate Pet Hotel supervisor Vicki Carpenter with Sam, the Siamese cat with strange sleeping habits GJA428H04 THE UNUSUAL habits of a guest in an Uley cattery are causing much amusement for staff. Samantha, a Siamese, checked into Hydegate Pet Hotel
-
Date
Parents should set a good example
SIR - I would like to thank the organisers of the Everside six-a-side tournament held in Cam on Saturday and Sunday. It must have taken considerable commitment from a lot of parents to get such a well organised event up and running. As parents, we value
-
Date
Waste service slammed
A WOMAN has expressed her anger at enforced changes to her rubbish collection that she claims were introduced without consulation and could lead to more rubbish being dumped across South Gloucestershire. Lynn Clarke, of Longs View, Charfield, said she
-
Date
New HQ is on the way
CHIEF Constable Dr Timothy Brain led project partners in a ceremony yesterday to mark the start of construction of the new county police HQ at Waterwells Business Park in Quedgeley. He was joined by Tom Riall, managing director of Reliance Secure Task
-
Date
Computers held porn images
A 55-YEAR-OLD man with more than 16,000 child porn pictures on home computers escaped a jail sentence at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday Police discovered former sailor Russell Harding's disturbing collection of indecent images after tracing visits to
-
Date
'I'm sorry I started the green parties squabbling'
SIR - It is unseemly for the two environmentalist parties to squabble and I am sorry I started it but I was only trying to help Dudley George and his like make a choice. Abstention would be a cop out for anyone in a democracy. Obviously Martin Whiteside
-
Date
Weather ruins the day
Thornbury v Taunton AFTER Thornbury's opening fixture against defending champions Bath was washed out last weekend, the same black clouds seemed destined to put paid to the side's first venture at The Ship ground. Taunton CC were the opposition and upon
-
Date
Bigger water bills are in the pipeline
HOUSEHOLDERS in South Gloucestershire can expect a hefty rise in the price of water. Wessex Water and Bristol Water, which both serve the region's homes and businesses, plan to increase bills by 32 percent. Wessex Water wants to increase household water
-
Date
Parking close is a problem
SIR - Please allow me to correct your otherwise accurate account Town Service is Safe (Gazette, May 7). I actually said: "You can never find a parking space in the town CENTRE NEAR THE HIGH STREET POST OFFICE". The seven words you missed out are important
-
Date
Crime figures show a drop
POLICE covering the Frome Vale area are winning their fight against crime. Figures for 2003-04 for the area, which covers Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Westerleigh and Cotswold Edge, show offences have been dramatically reduced and detection rates are higher
-
Date
A quiet approach to worship of God
THIS year will see Quakers in Bristol and surrounding areas mark 350 years since the religious movement was brought to the city. Celebrations will include historical walks and talks, exhibitions and workshops involving the seven meetings, including Frenchay
-
Date
Thanks to all Macmillan nurses for their hard work
SIR - Wednesday was International Nurses Day, and Macmillan Cancer Relief would like to take the opportunity to say a big thank you to all our Macmillan nurses who are supporting patients, family and friends living with cancer. There are around 2,200
-
Date
Thornbury diary
Friday, May 14 10.30am-8pm, Thornbury, St Mary's Church, Art Exhibition. 2pm, Thornbury, Methodist Church Hall, U3A Travel and Tourism Group meeting. Talk on the Scilly Isles by Jean and John Rendall. 4.40pm-5.30, Thornbury, Chantry Community Centre,
-
Date
Leos help baby unit
A GROUP of youngsters in Thornbury were so inspired by the plight of a new born baby that they decided to help in any way possible. Thornbury Leos, the youth division of the Lions' Club, has donated £500 to Southmead Hospital's Neo-natal Intensive Care
-
Date
Group pledges to get Concorde airborne
A CAMPAIGN to save the 'Queen of the Skies' has taken a step in the right direction. The Save Concorde Group, set up after Concorde 216 made its final flight to Filton in November, has stepped up pressure to keep the super-fast jet in the air. At a meeting
-
Date
An insight into your council's duties
THESE notes, prepared by Thornbury Town Council, are intended to provide a more detailed insight into the work the council does for the town. With co-operation from the Gazette, councillors are submitting the column on a regular basis after each cycle
-
Date
Bishop's special weekend
A WEEKEND of celebrations is planned to mark the enthronement of Gloucester's new bishop, the Right Rev Michael Perham, on Saturday, May 29 (2pm). Bishop Michael, who was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in St Paul's Cathedral at the beginning
-
Date
Questions not answered
ANGRY Westerleigh parish councillors have condemned a public exhibition held last week by Network Rail and have agreed to organise a public meeting of their own. At Monday's parish council meeting, councillors said that Network Rail had failed to answer
-
Date
'We'll tell truth about plant'
NUCLEAR industry chiefs planning the shut down of Oldbury atomic power station in four years time have vowed to be open and honest with the community about the dramatic changes at the Severnside plant. Oldbury's two 1960s Magnox nuclear reactors will
-
Date
Yate, Chipping Sodbury and district diary
Friday, May 14 10am, Chipping Sodbury Church Centre. Tubbie Tots. 11am-noon, Chipping Sodbury Library. Yate Voluntary Link outreach project. 2pm, Dyrham Park, Digging the Dirt - stories from the borders, join a member of the garden team for a potted history
