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Not everything
we've ever printed but a good cross section never the less.
Click on the relevant title to go to the individual monthly page.
Scroll down for July 2002 and beyond. |
| April
2002 |
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May
2002
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June
2002 |
Is
Gordon a Moron?
When checking out the budget results, Max Jones’ gaze automatically
strays towards the booze and tobacco duties.
Grafitti
Bridge
Alicia Colson, a former Symonds’ student, returned to the college
recently to talk to students and staff about the research she is
undertaking at McGill University in Canada.
HdV
declares a new vintage
From James Martin to the best of the new breed, Hotel du Vin have
a habit of finding future stars.
Faith Hope &
Clarity
Max Jones joined Hundreds of people of all faiths who attended the
United Church in Jewry Street on Saturday.
Swing
For Your Supper
Four Freeloading Freddies from the Winchester & Bishop’s
Waltham Observer descended upon the Westgate Hotel, Winchester on
Monday night.
Downs Your Way
Just on our doorstep is
one of the most famous walks in the world, but as the hangover of
Foot and Mouth still lingers, can the South Downs survive?
Artists Hoping to Light
Up City
A giant steel mirror on St Giles Hill or a multi-coloured Westgate
controlled by text messages?
Mum's The Word
What did the death of the Queen Mother mean to the people of Winchester?
From The Cobb to The
Tower
Born in 1907, in Tomaszow, Poland, Zdzislaw Ruszkowski was a man
with a mission. |
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Mast-erpiece
Councillors, members of the public and lecturers
packed into King Alfred’s College’s Herbert Jarman building
on Saturday May 25.
Tiger
Ragging
Thousands of protestors up and down the country were
joined by their compatriots in Romsey in lobbying Esso garages last
week.
Good
Will Bunting
The stunning coloured flags which flutter in Winchester
City centre during Hat Fair are under threat.
The
find of a lifetime
Winchester archaeologists Dave Norcott and Niels
Daglass unearthed the find of a lifetime last week.
Development
appeal threatens flora and fauna
Whether you know it as The Ridge or The Triangle,
an area of beauty just to the North of Romsey is under threat.
Lovely Jub’lee
Cheers! The Hampshire Brewery in Romsey, celebrates
the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the arrival.
Paris, Nevada
Rich Williams reports exclusively from Vegas for
the Winchester & Bishop’s Waltham Observer.
Voices
of the future
It’s not just businesses looking to make a profit
that benefit from the independent advice and guidance and management
expertise and training offered by Business Link Wessex.
Stepped
On
Walking through North Walls park the other day,
imagine Mak Jones’ surprise when he saw a woman stepping
back and repulsing a monkey.
Red
Air Dare
The first time I rode in a helicopter was last November
making the crossing from Malta to Gozo.
Are
Orange having a laugh?
Sheila Wilson of Byron Avenue, Winchester nearly
had a heart attack when she looked out of her bedroom window on
Tuesday 30 April. There, before her eyes, was a thirty-nine foot
phone mast.
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Farewell
Sir Peter Blake has been described as the greatest yachtsman who
ever lived.
The Show Must Go On
Members of Bishops Waltham Rotary Club put on a brave face...
Postal Disorder
Hundreds of postal workers in the area are set to lose their jobs.
I was a teenage Volunteer
Holly Drayton joined the 22 million adults whovolunteer each year.
Bike Spoketacular
Pedal-power comes to the city this weekend with the
launch of Winchester Bike Week.
Jubilee
Borneo
A special outdoor Jubilee Concert in Otterbourne
will be the highlight of months of fundraising by Peter Symonds
College student Rob West (18) of Chandlers Ford.
Winchester
cracks safe shopping
Winchester has become the first place in Hampshire
to receive a Safer Shopping Award at a presentation on Wednesday
Travellers
Quest
Observer fans will remember Jerry Middleton from
last March, when he won the ‘touch a truck’ competition.
Monkey
See
Amy
Jankowicz reviews the Fine Art Painting Degree Show at the Winchester
School of Art.
Henging
Around
For the second year running Wiltshire County Council, English
Heritage and the police were letting people go to Stonehenge last
Thursday night
Rumpus
Winchester & Mid-Hampshire Observer Society as compiled by
Maximillian Upton-Jones
Three Chairs for Val
During my time working at the Winchester and Mid-Hampshire Observer,
probably the hardest thing I have had to do is to interview my
own mother.
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| July
2002 |
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August
2002 |
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September
2002 |
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Romsey
Round-up
Guitars
stolen, the Peter Blake murderers and the closure of the Job Centre
Glastonbury!
It’s the Mother of all festivals, an event of gigantic
proportions, a place for those who live the big life. Max Jones
went along to make some sense of it all.
Kidthedral
Max Jones joined hundreds of children from church schools
all over Hampshire and Dorset at Winchester Cathedral last week.
Up
Balloon Up
A Stockbridge adventurer is planning to go all the way up to the
edge of space in a helium balloon.
Rumpus
at The Big Chill
Even the great and good of the Winchester and Mid Hants social
scene can get tired sometimes.
Princes
Trust Success
Chris Robinson is no stranger to hard work, but two and a half
years ago he was forced to switch his profession from carpentry
to something altogether different.
Winchester
by Wheelchair
Winchester
Tourism is ensuring accessibility for all in England’s ancient
capital.
Dope
Vox Pop
The Home Secretary, Dave Blunkett, has unveiled controversial
plans to downgrade cannabis to a Class C drug.
Winchester decides...
Caught
on Camera
Have
you ever wanted to look back on past events in the same cinematic
way?
Granny
Camps It Up
Winchester grandmother Karen Barratt will camping out on the site
threatened by a phone mast application.
Ireland Hopping
Winchester is now a short hop away from the south-west of Ireland
due to a new route between Southampton Airport and Cork.
Emergency
Service Required
Paramedics are threatening to strike in Hampshire in protest over
poorly maintained ambulances.
Symonds
VP Calls it a Day
John
Morgan, Vice Principal of Peter Symonds College retires this week
after 29 years service to the college.
Stroke
of Julia-ness
Compton teenager Julia Becket has just returned from the European
Junior Swimming Championships in Austria.
Access
All Areas
Many people do not know about the Winchester Shopmobility Scheme.
Speaking
with two tounges
The Hampshire Bilingual Support Services recently celebrated its
tenth birthday in Winchesters’ Great Hall.
Splodgeness
Resounds
A
group of young artists from the ‘Winchester set’ have
stepped into the breach at the Guildhall, saving us from the horror
of an empty room there.
Cooper
Tin-Cup Cause
Friday the 26th of July saw the South Winchester golf club playing
host to a number of celebrities involved in a charity golf game
raising money for the charity SPARKS
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Dome
Base
The new Intech science and technology visitor centre on Morn Hill
opened to the public on Thursday (1/8/02).
St.
Swithun's Robot
St
Swithun’s School Robot ‘Retiari’ has won second place
in Rex’s Robot Challenge 2002 which was held recently at Adastral
Park, Ipswich.
Big
Screen
This coming weekend, a local movie production company will start
filming their brand new feature right here on the streets of Winchester.
In
The Cannes
Winchester based film company Trip Films began principal photography
on their new motion picture last weekend.
Micro Chips Off the
Old Block
The residents of General Johnson Court, in Waynefleet Close, Stanmore
were celebrating the success of their computer literacy project
this week.
A Fine Boddy of Work
Probation Officer, Pat Boddy, lives in Winchester and works in Alton,
but all her leisure time at the moment is centred around far off
South Africa.
Police and Thieves
Winchester Crown Court has been resembling a war zone recently.
Armed guards are patrolling the gates, a helicopter and a spotter
plane fly overhead, and visitors are frisked for weapons.
Cab Fares on the Rise
Taxi fares in Winchester are set to rise at the beginning of next
month.
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Eleanor Kirk’s painting ‘a festival day 2002’
is being exhibited at the Palace Ruins, Bishop’s Waltham, throughout
August.
Butterfly Collector
A government green farming scheme has helped butterflies to flourish
up on Magdalen Hill in Winchester.
MP demands pensions
justice for Women
Winchester MP Mark Oaten is backing a nationwide campaign to urgently
address women’s pension poverty. He invites constituents to
log onto his website to register their support.
Rumpus in the Valleys
Society is a funny thing. Whereas a few year ago I would find myself
in Mustique, San Tropez or Monaco, carousing on the beach with Jerry
and Mick or Princess Stephanie, nowadays it is all about getting
back to basics. |
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Low
Hitsville in the UK
A campaign has begun to enable those areas served
by the Bishop's Waltham telephone exchange to get high speed internet
access using broadband (ADSL) technology.
Notting
Hill Rumpus
What better way to spend a sunny bank holiday than
swigging gallons of Red Stripe, jiggling around foolishly and washing
it all down with a goat curry and a rum punch?
Silver
Surfers
Big hearted Winchester Shop ‘Computer Solutions’
has come to the rescue of the ‘silver surfers’ at General
Johnson Court in Stanmore by donating a much needed computer to
their pioneering internet project.
On
The Buses
Winchester
MP Mark Oaten spent a couple of hours ‘On the buses’ on
Friday (6/9/02) as a guest of Stagecoach South East. Pete Harvey
got a ticket for the journey and brought back these words and pictures.
Pollen Counts
Winchester
City Council has been running its annual gardening competition for
tenants across the district, and the aptly named Parks & Recreation
Officer Nigel Trowell has had his work cut out judging the competition
staged by the Health & Housing department.
The Soft Boys Return
Seminal and highly influential post punk psychedelic storytellers
the Soft Boys are set to play The Railway.
City
Council must define reserve MDA Site
Winchester City Council, is in the process of deciding which area
of land to the north of Winchester should be allocated for the 2000
new dwellings.
Welly Vision Highlights
Out of the approximately 400 000 people who descended on London
for the countryside rally on Sunday, it was reckoned at least 10
000 were from Hampshire.
If You Go Down To The
Woods Today
Abook about caring for Hampshire woodland was launched in the North
Plantation near Overton (18/9/02).
Pray Silence
Last Wednesday, as I am sure you realised, was the anniversary of
the attacks on America by Osama Bin Laden and his cronies.
Less Is More
The Fine Art and Design MA Degree show has kicked off at the Winchester
School of Art (it is on display at the Winchester Campus until Friday
20th September) Pete Harvey was there for the Private View.
Driving Miss Crazy
A Winchester man is being tried for dangerous driving and assault
causing actual bodily harm.
Show Jumping
The 160th Romsey Show took place at Broadlands on Saturday (14/09/02).
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| October
2002 |
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November
2002 |
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December
2002 |
Apocalypse
No!
Last Saturday I headed up to London to take part in a march which
was to protest against the idea of a war in Iraq.
Iguana Done
Keen readers of our letters pages will have seen that there is a
feeling amongst the youth of Winchester that they are poorly served
as far as evening activities go.
Tubular Hell
Once again commuters from Hampshire have been affected by the 24
hour tube strike in London.
Unfair
Grounds
Last
Thursday, in St. Lawrence in the Square church there was a meeting
about the Trade Justice Movement.
Alfred
the Freight
Virgin Trains welcomed King Alfred
aboard for a trip to Birmingham to launch the new trains on their
cross-country route (30/09/02).
Stadium
of Write
Hampshire
County Council held a literacy fun day at the Friends Provident
St.Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on National Poetry Day.
Winchester
Girl Survives Bali Bomb Terror
A
Winchester girl was amongst those who survived Saturday’s horrific
bomb attack on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Visual
Art ‘Passage’ at The Guildhall
Cleave
is a group of professionally trained visual artists who work in
a variety of disciplines including painting, printmaking, photography,
embroidery, sculpture and installation.
Going
Back To The Country
Over
here, Ryan Adams is being hailed as the future of down-home Rock
and Roll, but in the States they’re talking about someone
else. His name is Peter Bruntnell, and he’s from South London.
Rhi-nosh-eros
Appleton’s Restaurant at Colden Common have adopted a white
Rhino at Marwell Zoological Park.
Dad to be Gay?
The Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott – Joynt has been
at the forefront of a move preventing unmarried couples and homosexual
people from adopting children.
Winchester victim of
Bali Bombing
Winchester has not been spared any grief in the latest terror
atrocity.
The Soft Parade
I wake up a worried man.
Meet
The Firm
Three friends from Winchester have decided to bite
the bullet and follow their dreams by setting up a documentary
and film company.
Meet the Archaeologist
Dr Julian Richards, archaeologist, and presenter
of a number of BBC programmes, will be visiting Winchester on
November 14.
Thai
Miss Money
A Winchester girl has come fourth in the Miss Thailand
competition.
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Global
Warming
A group of protesters gathered outside the Esso garage
on Winchester Road in Romsey on Saturday (2/11/02).
Gender Agenda for Romsey MP
Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey, Sandra Gidley, has
been promoted in the party. She is now the representative for women
in the Liberal Democrats, and as such has entered their ‘shadow’
cabinet.
Reasonable Doubt
The four day Public Hearing into Orange’s appeal
ran out of time on Friday evening and was adjourned until the New
Year.
Rumpus in Chesterfield
The great and good of Winchester society headed north
last weekend for the final hurrah of the season, the setting was
Chesterfield, the occasion was marriage and the happy couple were
Sarah Hotham and Gary Darst.
Loudchester
Loudersounds.co.uk, the definitive on line guide to the Winchester
music scene is launching at the Guildhall on Friday night (15/11/02)
Sophie's World
Last Monday King Alfred's College at the was visited by the Earl
and Countess of Wessex.
Sport for all
Kickers sports centre in Eastleigh was the venue for the first ever
indoor football tournament for adults with learning disabilities
last week.
Rowling’s Tome Gathers
More Dosh
Adapting films from books is notoriously difficult and intruding
into the imaginations of millions of Harry Potter fans throughout
the world will always cause some disappointments - but Harry Potter
and the Chamber of Secrets is far from disappointing.
As
featured on Radio 4...
Recently, Jeremy Hardy read out the following on Radio 4's News
Quiz. The letter from Mr Duncan was in reply to an article by Max
Jones detailing the Bishop of Winchester's opposition to same-sex
adoption.
Rumpus Goes to Loudersounds
Society duties took me out, once again, in Winchester’s
historic city last week. Some chaps calling themselves ‘Louder
Sounds’ were having a launch party at no less an auspicious
venue than The Winchester Guildhall.
Stables added to Bruntnell bill
Winchester based singer-songwriter Kate Stables has
been confirmed as the suprise guest at this weekends Peter Bruntnell
show at The Railway.
Man Coshed
Stopping off at the quaint village stores in Twyford
last Tuesday night to buy some milk, I walked straight into a crime
scene. |
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Foul
Play
It would appear that
someone has been shooting Swans around Winchester.
Blast From The Past
A new audio guide to the display of Iron Age jewellery at the City
Museum, Winchester, was launched on Wednesday 27 November.
Firefighters Vox Pop
So, the firefighters have just finished their second strike, and
it looks like it will not be the last one.
Ragged Glory
Sat 30th Nov, The Railway Inn: Peter Bruntnell, The Southampton
Automatics & Kate Stables.
Party
For The Fight To Write
On
Wednesday 4th December, an estimated 23,000 students took to the
streets in London to protest about the proposed top-up fees which
the government are planning to introduce.
Lord Of The Dance
Anyone of a clubbing bent must have noticed the posters in town
talking about a night in the Guildhall starring those two heavyweights
of the dance scene, Judge Jules and Norman Jay.
Cartography Of Death
Winchester-based provider of TV and video production services Cine
Wessex were responsible for editing Channel Five’s crime series
‘Mapping Murder’
Ho
Ho Ho
Although he is obviously magic, sometimes
even Santa needs a little help, and he often sub contracts his work
out over the Christmas period.
One
Hundred Not Out
Winchester & Mid Hampshire Observer contributors
list their top eleven things of 2002.
Docu Dope
Five King
Alfred’s College students are to have their documentary about
drug abuse shown in schools and drug clinics throughout West London.
A Wolf in Thief’s Clothing
For Tim
Barron, playing the wolf in the Theatre Royal's Christmas musical
‘Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf" is something of
a homecoming. |
| January
2003 |
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February
2003 |
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March
2003 |
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Paper
Buoy
It happened two years ago, and they said that it
was a ‘once in a century’ occurrence.
Flash at the Mash
On my birthday I like to drink my body weight in
Stella, bore my friends stupid and eat a lot of cheese.
Post Office Closures
It looks as though the Post Office in Kingsgate
Street, opposite the Wykeham Arms, will be closing later this
year.
Joe Strummer 1952 - 2002
A couple of days before Christmas, Joe Strummer,
frontman of The Clash, died at his home following a heart attack.
He was only 50.
Poached
Salmon
A man has been caught poaching Salmon in Winchester
City Centre
The Call Up
It looks as though people from Winchester and Romsey
will be joining ‘our boys’ in the Gulf when they head
off.
AIDS Awareness
Students at Peter Symonds College held a range
of events to highlight World AIDS Day.
Orange Mast Trial Resumes
Now that the Christmas trees have been taken down
for another year, Byron Avenue mast protesters are preparing for
the resumption of the Public Hearing of the Orange appeal against
Winchester City Council on 15 January.
Mark
Your Man
MP Mark Oaten trained with Winchester City Football
Club as they prepared to beat Newcastle Town 1-0 and reach the
last sixteen of the FA Vase competition.
Phone Mast Cancer Probe
Orange claimed that the telephone mast protesters
were being ‘irrational’ now a study proves that the
government are worried too.
New Guide Launched
This year visitors to Winchester can enjoy the
ancient and modern appeal of the city, as new attractions open
and old favourites are brought up to date.
Water Garden
Sandra Gidley MP visits flood defences in Romsey.
Raising Dough-Nuts
Reeves the Bakers are giving 10 pence for every
doughnut sold next week to Naomi House Children’s Hospice.
The Children of Chernoby
Children from the radio-active region of Belarus
in Russia are coming to Winchester again this year for a holiday
of a lifetime.
Elected Landlady land
Louise Akers of the Slug and Lettuce has been appointed
the new chairman of Winchester Pubwatch.
Rural Economy
Rural areas in the South are demonstrating a healthy
economy, even after the ravages of foot and mouth in 2001.
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Green
Peace Not War
International pressure group Greenpeace blocked the
harbour entrance at Marchwood, near Southampton last week.
Peace Talk at King Alfred’s
King Alfred’s College was the venue for a discussion
on ‘dialogue or death’ on Monday 27th Jan
War, huh, What is it good for?
Max Jones posed the question to you, the people of
Winchester
Holocaust Day
People in Winchester were amongst those around the
country who remembered the six million who died in the Holocaust.
Tony
Benn Talks To Observer
As part of the Mid Hampshire Observer’s ongoing
investigation into the ‘build up to war’ Max Jones spoke
to Tony Benn on Friday (7.02.03)
Paint The Whole World...
The Greenpeace flagship was moored at Southampton
docks last week Max Jones went to see about his speed-boat ride.
Sharp's Return
In the eighties there was a band called The Alarm.
They were apparently very good, according to the more senior members
of the editorial staff at the Observer.
Oaten Opens Wide
Winchester MP Mark Oaten attended the opening of
the Oliver’s Battery Dentist Surgery on Friday 7th February
Max was there too.
Love
Story
It was a Valentine’s Day to remember for Leslie
and Joan Powell from Bishop’s Waltham.
Balance Your Bones
Max went along to Romsey to try Kinesiology...
Bangers Are Smash
In the time he has lived in Winchester he has always
been lucky enough to live near good butchers who specialise in them.
Bish
Bashes Bush
The Bishop of Winchester said “Tell Bush we
want no war with Iraq”.Mayor
Steel's Painting
The Mayor of Winchester, Cllr John Steel unveiled his Choice Exhibition
of paintings and photographs at the Guildhall Gallery on 21st February.
If the cap fits
Richard Williams asks ‘Can the Hollywood Blockbuster
save our Cities From Crime?”
Government Still Not Listening
Local phone mast campaigners have reacted angrily
to the latest results of the Radiocommunications Agency survey of
mobile phone base stations.
I would walk 72,000 miles
I like walking says Max Jones I am a firm believer
that it is the best exercise for both mind and body...
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Scamchester!
Watch out for two different scams which are being
perpetrated in the city. Report Max Jones
Gone Fishing
Ever keen for an excuse to wear his country garb,
Max Jones went fishing in Barton Stacey last Thursday.
A New Eden
Winchester City Council has appointed Simon Eden
(42) as its new Chief Executive.
Mass Mast Protest in London
Winchester phone mast protesters will be heading
for London on Saturday 8 March to take part in a rally organised
by Mast Sanity, the national organisation for mast protest groups.
Carry
On Camping
14 families may have to leave their homes after Test Valley Borough
Council received six complaints about them.
We, the people...
As the media continue to discuss and dissect the finer points of
the forthcoming war with Iraq, one official voice remains strangely
unheard...
Luminescence Makes The
Art Stay Longer
Peter Freeman's sculpture Luminous Motion in Winchester Cathedral
Close has proved so popular since it was installed in November last
year that local traders, residents and visitors have asked for it
to stay in the Close for longer than planned.
Tory,
Tory, Tory
Bernard Jenkin, the Shadow Minister for Defence, was in Winchester
last Thursday. Lucky old Bernard was giving a talk at the Gurkha
Museum to the Winchester Conservative Association.
Cold Play Acting
Pupils from Swanmore Technology College devised and performed
‘Three Cold Plays’ at the Theatre Royal Winchester last
week.
Is
it all over for Tony?
Has the Prime Minister wrecked his career with his pro-war stance?
Max Jones went out and asked the people of Mid Hampshire
Tippett-Cooper gets
Voted In
Peter Symonds Upper Sixth student John Tippett-Cooper, from Romsey,
has recently been elected onto the UK Youth Parliament as a representative
for young people in Hampshire.
First Aid Appeal for
Alresford
Charity fundraisers have launched an ambitious campaign for the
very latest first aid equipment.
What
a Waste
Test Valley Friends of the Earth claim that ‘Test Valley
Borough Council has reached a new low with its composting policy’.
War on want
A couple of the army’s elite have been taking time out from
learning the noble art of war to raise some money for a good cause.
By Max Jones
Bump’n’Fined
A heavily pregnant Winchester Woman has been fined £60 because
she couldn’t find a parking space in Upper Brook Street.
Downtown,
Lights’ll be Bright when you’re...
Downtown, everything’s right when you’re Downtown, things
are much better there (?) you can forget all your troubles forget
all your cares. Max Jones with news of the City Centre Redevelopment
Scheme
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| April
2003 |
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May
2003 |
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June
2003 |
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On
My Radio
Local boy made good Mervyn Stutter returns to Winchester over
the next two Sundays to record his brand new Radio 4 comedy series.
American Stars and Bars
If drums and wires rather than milk and honey in the Elysian fields
is your idea of Heaven, then the South By South West music festival
in Austin Texas is the place for you. Oliver Gray reports exclusively
for the lil’ ol’ Mid Hants Observer
This Monk, he’s gone to heaven
A case is being heard at Winchester Crown Court at the moment
which is bizarre and violent to say the least.
Gardening is the
new rock and roll
Winchester-based Cine Wessex has helped Channel 4’s new primetime
gardening show to blossom.
Town
Called Mallets
The forthcoming Croquet Tournament at the Winchester Tennis and
Squash Club prompted Max and Aimee Jones
The
prettiest place
The Winterbourne Hotel on the Isle of Wight described by Charles
Dickens and Sam Leyden
Oignon,
Oignon, Oignon!
With the Easter holiday approaching, thoughts traditionally turn
to spring breaks in the sunshine.
Oaten
warns of Iraq crisis
Mark Oaten, Winchester MP, is warning of a humanitarian crisis
in Iraq.
Past
Master
Winchester College has been expelled from the private sector’s
most prestigious club after the resignation of headmaster Nicholas
Tate.
South
Park the Move
There is a move afoot to turn the South Downs into a national
park.
Do
You Know What Time It Is?
Dust off your sackbut and siphon your serpent its time for Early
Music Now!
Now
He Has Tasted Postman...
My dog bit the postwoman the other day.
Look
Who’s Porking
Eco-friendly Winchester musician and editor of listings pamphlet
‘The Hog’ Teej Osborne introduced Aimee Jones to his
new piglets on Wednesday.
Clowning
Around
It was with great excitement that I took myself down to Jay Miller’s
Circus last week.
Bandstand
bounces back
The first entertainment of 2003 on the Romsey Bandstand will be
on Sunday April 27th when Acoustic Jazz will be presenting a programme
of Traditional and New Orleans jazz music.
London
Mamathon!
I quite like watching the London marathon on telly.
Homelands
Homeboy
By Observer Go Go Girl Lady J
Top
of the World
When I lived in London I never went to any of the galleries or
museums, and now when I go up there I visit them all the time.
Fair Town Attraction
There is a move afoot to try and make Winchester a ‘Fair
Trade City.’
Breaking News
Whilst browsing in a bookshop in Wales over Easter I came across
a small paperback book that unlocks the secrets of the noble art
of breakdancing.
Tower plays host
to Original Mother!
The brilliant Zappa ‘tribute’ act The Muffin Men return
to The Tower Arts Centre on May 3rd - bringing with them none
other than Jimmy Carl Black, the original drummer of the Mothers
Of Invention.
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Shirt
Giver
Mick Little, resident of Duttons Road, Romsey, was the lucky winner
of our ‘Oh When The Saints!’ competition.
We Love Homelands (and talking a lot)
The Percy Hobbs Pub Nr Winchester is more famous for its fine
ales and food than being a hot spot for London Promoters and DJ’s.
Fine Local Fayre
There was delicious food and wine from Hampshire, plus a new cook-book,
chairman and name for the group.
You’ve got the
Right for your Bike to Party
The Winchester bike week is coming to town again next month.
Out
Of Africa
A Congolese man, who has made his home in Romsey, is being sent
back to the war torn land that he thought he had escaped.
Come on down and
meet the folk
The Winchester Folk Festival returns to the streets of the City
this weekend, with a packed programme of music, dance and workshops.
Poet
Laureate heads for Winchester
Poet Laureate Andrew Motion arrives in Winchester next Tuesday
for a special appearance at The Tower Arts Centre.
Eastleigh Rocks!
Tickets are now on sale for the Eastleigh Summer Music Festival,
the biggest live music event being held in Hampshire this year.
Oh
Beehive
The Hampshire Country Show takes place at the Broadlands
Estate near Romsey this Spring Bank Holiday Weekend.
Feeding
the 3,000
I was strolling through town on Monday (12/5/03)
when some worthy fellow offered me a free barbecue.
Are Badgers All Bad?
After reading recent newspaper headlines about
Boris the Badger and his wild rampage through the Worcestershire
countryside Elizabeth Wombell wondered what badgers were really
like.
Adapting to life in Basra
The war in Iraq is over, but for many British Servicemen
& women the job has only just begun.
Salad Daze
Jo Guest visited Alresford, the ‘Home of British
Watercress Farming’ on Friday (23/05/03).
Don’t Send Them Home to Die
A couple of weeks ago we ran the story of Sylvain
Anzim, the man from the Democratic Republic of Congo who is living
in Romsey and working in the region.
Otter Miss Belief
Who can forget the sensational badger fact-file
from in the last issue, this week Lizzie Wombell reveals that
the otters are returning to the land from which they were driven..
Argentina, Spain, Winchester
The Theatre Royal Winchester are hosting two fine
evenings of World Music in the coming week, there’s the tango
inferno that is ZUM, and also the fiery flamenco stylings of Jaleo!
|
|
Heart
of Texas
When Observer correspondent Oliver Gray went to Austin, Texas
for the SXSW Music Festival, all he was planning to bring back
home was a souvenir T-shirt and some happy memories.
The bells are ringing
After mine and Tom’s trip up the Cathedral tower the other
week, I was contacted by one of the bell ringers to see if I wanted
to go and have a look at them in action.
Tons of sculpture
in Stockbridge
George Hoffman used to restore furniture and deal in antiques,
but now he makes sculptures and fixes things!
Sipping on gin and
juice
Reporting from the festival front-line isn’t all hard work.
Max Jones let his hair down and said a sunny ‘hello’
to Homelands.
Steady Freddie
The BBC’s Freddie Rostand is to ride around Winchester on
an electric bike on Saturday 14 June to help draw attention to
a week-long series of cycling events during Winchester BikeWeek.
Up, up and away
Keen readers will remember last year that we reported on Colin
Prescot and Andy Elson, who are planning to go all the way up
to space in a hot air balloon!
Identity crisis
So, it would appear that although he repelled the Vikings, burnt
the cakes and all the rest of it, poor old King Alfred is simply
not ‘groovy’ enough for Winchester.
Tales from the riverbank
So, it looks as if the water vole could be in danger in Hampshire.
Evans Above
The 29th Hat Fair was launched on Thursday (12/6/03). Britain’s
most established Festival of Street Theatre will take place in
Winchester between Wednesday July 2nd and Sunday July 6th.
Korea Opportunities
King Alfred's, Winchester is currently playing host to two Korean
lecturers, Professors Byong-Eun Cho and Ki-Hyun Tak.
Nursery.. Cool
Workers at the Royal Hampshire Hospital will no longer have to
worry about child care with the opening of a new nursery at the
site. Max Jones reports.
Get down on your
knees and pray
King Alfred’s College, Winchester has officially opened a
Muslim Prayer Room on its main campus in response to requests
from its Muslim students.
The Killing Fields
Winchester people congregated on the Water Meadows at Bar End
on Sunday 22nd June to demonstrate against the building of a carpark.
Two by Two
Wessex Trains is not doing very much to help the environmentally
minded cyclists in our midst.
Gay Rights and Wrongs
The Bishop of Winchester has been sticking his neck out again,
joining in the clamour to condemn the newly appointed Bishop of
Reading.
A Winning Formula
It would certainly seem as though going out for a curry has evolved
since the ‘17 pints of lager, 48 poppadoms and the hottest
thing on the menu cheers John’ days.
|
| July
2003 |
|
August
2003 |
|
September
2003 |
|
Paved
paradise
Winchester youngsters protesting at the Bar End Car Park site
claim that they have been intimidated, threatened and had their
property damaged by security guards there.
Desperately Seeking
Reason
The country seems to be very jittery about ‘Asylum Seekers’,
worrying stories are beginning to pepper the tabloids and the
TV news is getting all ‘investigative’.
Daylight Robbery
There was all sorts of fun and games at Jeremy France Jewellers,
at the top of town last week.
Vodka and Cabbage
Camels were being fed contraband cabbages at Marwell Zoo last
week (25/6/03). Pete and Max watched
Meadow
Murder
This month’s ‘Observer Nature Watch’ is dedicated
to all the living thigs that have been destroyed by Winchester
City Council during their pointless vandalism of the Bar End Wild
Flower Meadows in favour of an additional car park which is neither
wanted nor required.
Flybe to the Choons
Now you can fly to Ibiza from Southampton International Airport..
Max Jones did..
How was Glastonbury?
There were three things that Oliver Gray expected never to do
in 2003.
Cache and Carry
The world’s first geocaching tournament will take place up
at Farley Mount on the 19th of this month. Max Jones gets technological.
Green
Anger
A group of protesters from the Bar End Meadow site came into town
last Friday to publicise their cause.
Water Wonderful World
The water watchdog, the Drinking Water Inspectorate held a press
conference in the Penguin Pool at Marwell Zoo near Winchester
on Wednesday (9/7/03) to announce that the standard of tap water
in England and Wales is at an all-time high.
Stabbing in Winchester
Some playing fields in normally placid Winchester took on the
dimensions of a horror film in the early hours of Sunday morning
(6th July).
All along the watch
tower..
Over the weekend I mounted a 24-hour vigil on the site of the
proposed Byron Avenue Orange phone mast.
Good Moos Week
A cow in Cheriton near Winchester gave birth to triplets last
week.
Keeping An Eye On
The Future
A local inventor has come up with a mobile eye scanner that will
cut doctor’s waiting lists and prevent people from going
blind prematurely.
Northern Exposure
A Trip to the Faroe Islands is not one to be forgotten, as Sam
Leyden reports.
Different Strokes
Observer fans will remember that we featured Winchester masseuse
Suzannna Rowson a few weeks ago.
Swinging In The Rain
A bevy of celebrities pitched up to South Winchester Golf Club
in the rain last Friday.
Council meeting collapses
as disorder ensues.
Winchester City Council faced a deluge of protest last week from
a broad coalition of environmental activists, local residents
and others, who vehemently oppose the Council’s redevelopment
of the Bar End Meadows site.
Club a go-go?
Winchester may soon have its own major music venue. How?
Reflections on Light
Delighted artists gathered for a private viewing of The Brooks
Shopping Centre Annual Art Competition Exhibition on Tuesday 22nd
July which was attended by Councillor Therese Evans,
|
|
Golden
Houndshake
The inaugural Mid Hampshire Observer charity greyhound race was
held on Saturday (2/8/03).
More Mast Madness
Phone mast campaigners are alarmed at the growing number of mast
applications by Airwave mmO2, who are installing a new communications
network for the police.
Bling Bling
This week sees the start of a series of exhibits at the Guildhall
that will reveal some of the City’s priceless civic collection.
Access for All at
King Alfred’s
Jennifer Emmanuelli, a wheelchair-user from Bath, graduated from
King Alfred’s College, Winchester last week with a 2:1 degree
in American Studies with Media and Film Studies.
Baker Street
Ecological warrior ‘King Arthur’ held up traffic in Winchester
on Friday (15/8/03).
We are sailing
After spending hours trying to get to Lymington due to the messy
train situation it was a relief to slip over to the Isle of Wight
in less than half an hour on the Wight link Fast Cat.
Fairyland for Chernobyl Children
The Winchester Chernobyl
Children’s Society organises an annual visit to
Britain for children from Belarus, the country most affected by
the Chernobyl disaster.
Not for the faint
hearted
This August head to the Guildhall Gallery in Winchester for an art
exhibition that promises to reveal parts of yourself that you will
have never seen in such detail.
Water Wonderful World
An estimated 10,000 people flooded in to Winchester on Saturday
(16/8/03) to take part in the first ever Hampshire Water Festival.
Meadows ‘Not
Important’ Says Councillor
Winchester City Council last week mounted a vigorous counter-offensive
against the broad coalition of local residents and environmental
activists who remain opposed to the planned redevelopment of the
Bar End site.
Schools Putting Children
at Risk
Winchester campaigners who have been battling for two and a half
years to prevent a phone mast being erected in Byron Avenue, are
incredulous at reports of schools in other parts of the country
being used as mast sites.
Cleft Lip and Palate
A mother from Bishops Waltham is at the forefront of a campaign
to raise money for the Cleft Lip and Palate Association, (CLAPA).
|
|
Born
With A Tail
Marwell zoo, near Winchester recently welcomed a new member to
their family - a tiny snow leopard cub!
Ebenezer Bad
The infamous e-crew is making its mark all over Winchester. From
the huge graffitti tag on the Riverpark Leisure Centre, two weeks
ago, to the recent markings all over Winchester city centre.
Hammerton Caught
On Friday, the Mayor of Winchester’s cricket team took on
the might of The Castaways, Winchester City Council’s staff
cricket team, in the Mayors 28th annual cricket match at North
Walls Recreation Ground.
Highcliffe Low Lifes
Residents in Highcliffe are being terrorised by a small band of
troublemaking youths who seem intent on ruining facilities for
everyone.
The Future’s
not Bright The Future’s Orange
Orange’s dismissal of MP Mark Oaten’s request to keep
looking for an alternative to the Byron Avenue phone mast site
has come as no surprise to campaigners.
Yarrow Marches On
Max Jones reports on the story of a local farmer, who is hoping
that the Romsey Show will be the culmination of years of hard
work.
Kiss and Wake Up
The pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Winchester was officially
launched down at Wolvesey Palace on Tuesday (September 9th). Max
Jones puckers up.
You’ve
got it badger
While taking a walk near Bishopstoke last Tuesday, Observer reporter,
Max Jones, received quite a shock...
Oaten launches txt
ur mp service ;-)
Mark Oaten has started a new service to allow constituents to
text him with their views.
Hello? No! I’m
at The Observer!
With all this talk of Mobile Phones and texting, it got us to
wondering how the Observer staff view this modern technology.
When Guinea Pigs
Ruled The Earth
An amazing discovery in Tio Gregorio, Venezuela has turned the
world of natural history on its head.
Colour Scheming!
As the deadline approaches for a challenge to the Planning Inspectorate’s
approval of the Byron Avenue phone mast, it’s business as
usual for Orange and action as usual by the campaign group.
Train Set
South West trains are planning to improve their services to and
from Shawford station.
|
| October
2003 |
|
November
2003 |
|
December
2003 |
|
Mark
Oaten Shadow Home Secretary
Local MP Mark Oaten has been promoted to the position of Shadow
Home Secretary in a reshuffle just annnounced by Liberal Democrat
leader Charles Kennedy.
Play
On
Wyvern College, in Fair Oak, has a new all weather football pitch.
Last week it enjoyed its official opening...
Tree’s
a crowd for Orange
Following the news that Orange’s successful appeal against
Winchester City Council’s refusal of the Byron Avenue mast
is to be challenged in the High Court, residents had hoped for
a short rest from mast worries
Brut
Force
Three cyclists from Winchester Solicitors White and Bowker entered
the Chateaux Champagne Challenge to raise money for children’s
hospice, Naomi House.
"End
the arms trade," says MEP
Hampshire MEP, Chris Huhne, has appealed for the maximum support
for a key campaign launched this week in nearly 70 countries to
control the international trade in small arms.
Basingstoke:
worthy of note!
The new Iraqi banknotes came into play last week, and they were
made by a local company! Max Jones reports...
Iron
Age Rampage
The local volunteers who have excavated an ancient farm on Butser
Hill, near Petersfield held an open day on Friday (17/10/03).
The
Water Margin
Japanese water workers were swimming in information during the
14th annual tour of Southern Water’s Otterbourne site, near
Winchester.
Nightmares
on tax
The Winchester Council Tax Action Group has been set up for a
variety of reasons.
Gifted
Choir Starter
Harry Sever, Head Quirister at Winchester College, has sung his
way to success to become BBC Radio 2 Choir Boy of the Year.
|
|
Carnival
of light
Hindus the world over celebrated Diwali recently. Diwali is the
festival of light, and the idea of it is that the light of knowledge
banishes the darkness of ignorance.
Volunteering
is good for you
After spending five years in bed with a chronic kidney condition,
Winchester’s Jane Harvey tells the Mid Hants Observer how
becoming a volunteer has given her a new zest for life and amazing
health improvements…
It's
OK to Ask!
The Coneheads (left) joined Winchester’s Mayor Cllr Jean
Hammerton and Council Leader Cllr Sheila Campbell to launch Winchester
City Council’s "It’s OK to Ask" campaign.
The
Sandra Gidley interview
Sandra Gidley has been the MP for Romsey since 2000.
Roman
Knows
Rebuilding the Past starts on the Discovery Channel on Monday
November 17th.
Emotional
Crutch Wednesday
Revellers claim that Police from Netley were a trifle heavy handed
when breaking up an illegal gathering at Farley Mount.
Byte
the bullet
The internet really is the most amazing resource ever. In this
day and age a working knowledge of the worldwide web is an essential
arrow in everyone’s quiver.
Top
Three Girl
Kimberly Howl a student at the Southampton Institute has finished
runner up in the Sun’s Page 3 Idol competition.
Blood
Sugar Test Magic
Winchester MP Mark Oaten went down to the Silver Hill chemist
in Winchester last week (14/11/03) to help highlight the problem
of undiagnosed diabetes in this country.
Bush
Whackers
Max Jones went to London last week to join the protests against
the state visit by George W Bush.
Don’t
let it bring you Down
The South Downs are beautiful.
Regina
Monoliths
The Queen visited Winchester last Friday. She got a South West
Trains service down here from London, so, perhaps unsurprisingly
she was a bit late!
|
|
Can
I dig it? Yes you can!
Put the winter behind you! Visit DIG! and see images taken on
one of the hottest days of the year as a group of volunteers dug
up the dirt in a Hampshire field!
Revenge
of the Killa Tomato!
The Winchester music scene, as is regularly chronicled in these
pages, is a thriving hotbed of talent.
Horsing
Around
A white horse has magically appeared in the centre of a Winchester
roundabout while security cameras watched.
Three
men called Horse
Los Angeles based trio Horse Stories play the Railway Inn, Winchester
on Wednesday 17th December.
Taylor
Made
Charles Taylor, one of the main forces behind the Trinity Centre,
was awarded an MBE last week. Max Jones met him.
Cold
Frank, Insensed & Brrrr!
Dome dweller Frank Williams is annoyed that Winchester City Council
are kicking him out in the cold after Christmas.
Mast
and commander
Winchester campaigners into their fourth year of protest against
the Orange mast in Byron Avenue, travelled to the midlands at
the weekend to support mast protesters in Wishaw.
Prawn
to be Wild
Winchester’s rockabilly buskers Swamp Things are celebrating
the launch of their sizzling new CD, ‘Seafood Shuffle’
with a fifties-style Christmas Party at O'Neill’s, Winchester
on Thursday 18th December from 7pm.
|
| January
2004 |
|
February
2004 |
|
March
2004 |
|
Spiffing
Glue
Music fans can check out a huge range of bands at ‘Gluefest’,
a two-day festival being held at the Railway Inn, St Paul’s
Hill, Winchester, on Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th of
January 2004 (2pm till close both days).
Get
Your Kegs Off
Taking their lead from the film Calendar Girls, staff at the Slug
and Lettuce have produced a calendar.
Homage To Catalonia
(and RyanAir)
Annoying things that happen No. 367: You’re meeting friends
for a quiet drink when somebody says loudly "I’m flying
to Berlin next weekend." How wonderful you think, that must
have cost an arm and a leg. "Actually", the voice says,
"the flight was only 17p".
Oaten
Beams as Barley Grows
A Hampshire businessman is celebrating a victory for common sense
after EU bureaucrats threatened to wreck his historic livelihood.
Water
Laugh
Winchester adventurer, John Pilkington has just returned from
a trip to the source of the Mekong river. He did the trip in two
legs, and travelled through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos
and Burma.
Life
and death on the inside
Statistics, published last week, recorded that 2003 saw four suicides
occur in Winchester Prison.
Caught
In The Net
The dangers of internet chat rooms has struck home in Hampshire
this week when a 14 year old girl from Winchester travelled to
Merseyside to meet an 18 year old with whom she had communicated
in cyberspace.
For
Sale
Wolvesey Palace may be sold off as a result of cost-cutting measures
proposed by The Church of England.
Oaten shocked by cheap
drugs
The street prices of illegal drugs have fallen dramatically since
1997, Winchester MP Mark Oaten has discovered.
Conservatives
help Nightshelter
Winchester Conservatives have stepped in to help out the city's
Nightshelter with a rota of volunteers to cover the next 12 months.
Queen
of the Sea
Lynne O’Gley is one of the team running The Cavendish Centre
where The Observer is based. She had a lovely evening last week,
when she joined the flotilla to see off the Queen Mary 2, the
biggest ship in the world.
Duck
Billed
Winchester rock venue The Railway Inn is bringing theatre into
the pub by presenting the Nuffield Theatre Company’s production
of Duck Variations by David Mamet on 3rd, 4th and 5th of February
2004.
Bless
me, Hardy
St Luke’s Church in Stanmore have discovered that they are
the proud owners of a font in which novelist Thomas Hardy was
baptised.
Tree
Fellers Wanted
Fair Oak residents are up in arms after a historic Yew Tree was
chopped down without their knowledge.
Bobby
Fischer Goes To War
Nixon is in the White House, Cambodia is being flattened and
East and West stare suspiciously at each other over an iron curtain.
|
|
Howzat?
The parlous state of grass roots cricket in England was once again
highlighted last week with the demise of Winchester Cricket Club.
Drugs
Haul Coke Oh Nuts
Four men have gone on trial in Southampton on charges relating
to the discovery of millions of pounds worth of cocaine.
Up
The Junction
In an article last week, Max Jones questioned the negative attitudes
of some Andover residents towards a proposal to turn two houses
in Junction Road into temporary accommodation for the homeless.
The
Meaning of Spliff
With the current media attention directed at the declassification
of cannabis to a class C drug it is interesting to note the different
attitudes towards the drug. Andrew Streat talks to George Young
Yew
should have thought of that!
The vicar of the Fair Oak and Horton Heath Parish Church, Revd
David Snuggs, has apologised for having a yew tree felled.
Incidentally
The bush telegraph in Winchester was all go last weekend after
Jewry Street was shut down for four hours. Max Jones reports.
Howards
Way
The leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard, visited
Romsey last week.
Max Jones met him at the Romsey Golf Club.
Cries
of Protest
The Andover town crier, Allan Travell, joined journalists from
the Andover Advertiser as they protested about low pay at Newsquest
Media Group newspaper titles.
Domain
Field
Artist Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North is coming
to Winchester on March 6 to talk about his latest work, Domain
Field, which is on display at the Great Hall.
War
Stories
Winchester war veteran Charlie Hayward is looking forward to a
trip to Arnhem, in Holland, this year.
Tunnel
Vision
This week, the Public Enquiry into the proposed sinking of the
A303 Andover to Salisbury Road under Stonehenge began at Salisbury
Guildhall.
Eastern
Promise
The proprietors of Orchid in Stockbridge, Hampshire, Jemma Page
and Mimmi Waugh have just returned from a busy buying trip to
the Far East to replenish their stock of teak furniture and Chinese
antiques.
Big
Trouble In Little Chinese
Diners at a Chinese restaurant in Winchester were terrified after
a man pulled out what they thought was a gun in a dispute over
an unpaid bill. DANIEL SANDERSON reports.
Masty
Business
Monday 1 March sees the next round in the long-running Byron Avenue
campaign against phone giant Orange when parents ask the High
Court to quash last August’s controversial decision by Planning
Inspector, Martin Pike.
On
Me Head My Liege
It looks as if King Henry the Eighth could have been a bit of
a football lad on the quiet. Max Jones Reports.
Friends
Reunited
Sir
George Young, MP for North West Hampshire, has rejoined ‘Friends
of the Earth’ after a gap of a decade.
|
|
Witches
Chat
England’s Chief witch Cerridwen Connelly is the spokesperson
for the people who live in the villages around Romsey and want mobile
phone masts erected.
Toilet Death
A local man was found dead in some public toilets in Winchester
on Friday afternoon (27/2/04). Max Jones reports.
Serco sackings
The firm responsible for Winchester’s parks and gardens claim
that ‘contractual cutbacks’ have forced them to lay off
four workers – cuts that city bosses insist they know nothing
about.
Barton Think
Battle has been joined at Barton Farm, just outside Winchester.
Local campaigners have been against the plans to build 2000 homes
at the site for years now.
King Arthur MP
A leading environmentalist has announced he will stand as an independent
MP for Winchester in the next general election.
Clubbed To Death
Proposals to build a new nightclub in Winchester were overwhelmingly
thrown out by planning bosses at a council meeting last week.
Kidnapped
A young man was dumped just outside Andover after a horrific attack
last Sunday night.
Got a match?
Four young lads in Romsey are suffering from a rare disorder called
XLP. Without a bone marrow transplant, the disease is terminal.
Disney Rascal
It’s all smiles for Hannah Richbell (18) from Peter Symonds,
who has recently gained herself a work placement at Disneyland in
Paris for the summer.
Work changes hands
12 years ago, Winchester artist, Trevor Percy-Lancaster lost his
life to a grizzly bear whilst holidaying in Canada. His fianceé
has recently lost her battle with his son over the ownership of
some of his works.
Crackdown
Police in Winchester did not mind people having ‘the craic’
on St Patrick’s Night. However, anyone having any of the other
sort of crack would have been in trouble.
The damage done
John O Sullivan is no stranger to the world of drugs. Throughout
his teens and his twenties he was addicted to heroin, the best part
of 14 years.
Moon Walk
Chris Moon a former soldier from Hampshire who lost his right arm
and leg clearing land mines for the United Nations will try to walk
the length of Britain in 25 days.
Pint of Best
A Winchester landlord has scooped best newcomer at the pub industry’s
version of the Oscars in London.
Drinking Up
It looks as if the need to frantically down eight pints of Stella
and three Aftershocks at 11pm could finally be over. Hoorah!
Head Turner
Keith Davies and Karen Woods are trying to expand their falconry
centre in Landford.
|
| April
2004 |
|
May
2004 |
|
June
2004 |
Chuffed
to bits
The Andover and District Model Engineering Society will soon lose
the site in Red Rice which they have leased since 1968.
The Cost of Losing
Winchester City Council has to pay a whopping bill of £150,000
after they challenged Orange over the Byron Avenue telephone mast.
Horses for Main Courses?
Non Merci
Keen readers of The Observer will remember a story about the dastardly
French coming over to steal new Forest Ponies for their dinners.
Easter Parade
Easter weekend was celebrated in style in the Mid Hampshire Observer
region.
Junco
Partners
There is a growing sense of unease amongst the local police that
Winchester is being targeted by drug dealers from London.
Death Smash
The road safety team at Hampshire County Council has added its weight
to World Health Day.
Punch Off Duty
Two off-duty Metropolitan Police officers are alleged to have sparked
an 18-man brawl at a Winchester bar that left three people in hospital.
Vicious and Strange
A man who beat two women up in the space of a few minutes has been
jailed for 15 months.
Keep up with the Jones
Local pilot Barry Jones is planning to fly round the world in an
autogyro. This is a kind of flimsy helicopter made famous by James
Bond in the film ‘You Only Live Twice’.
Goatnap
A nanny goat has been stolen from Ladycroft, in Alresford.
Eight,
Big Max to Go
Aghast to hear that his friend Michael had lost £50 by his
inability to eat eight Big Macs in an hour Max Jones got involved.
Winchester Crack Wardens
Run-down areas of Winchester will soon be cleaned-up by a crack
team of wardens. Alex Kalinik has the inside dope.
Up The Junction
Local luminaries, a steel band and Miss Great Britain gathered in
Andover last weekend to celebrate the opening of ‘The Junction’
project. |
|
Do
you swear?
Winchester played host to Hampshire’s first ever citizenship
ceremony last week.
Car Torched in City Centre
Worried residents living on a route used by late night drinkers
have called for CCTV cameras to be installed after a car was torched
in their road.
I.D I? I.D No! Says Mark
Winchester MP, Mark Oaten has slammed government proposals for compulsory
ID cards. He said that the scheme would be a total waste of money.
Max Jones reports.
Centre spreads
The Burghclere Down Community Centre opened on Saturday April 24th.
Toothy Grins
Kevin Phillips took a trip to the dentist last week and there were
plenty of smiles as he presented prizes to the winners of the Dental
Groups Orthotropic logo competition.
New Church
The Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Mrs Jean Hammerton will attend the
Commissioning of Paul Gibson as Pastor of Brightlights Community
Church on Sunday 16th May at 3.15pm at Badgers Farm Community Centre.
Crazy Paving?
Beleaguered traders in Andover town centre have seen a drop in trade
recently.
Victory
The FA Vase final proved to be everything Winchester City fans had
dreamed it would be as their team claimed the trophy with a convincing
win.
Kennedy Assignation
Max Jones met Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy when he visited
Winchester on Friday 14th May.
The Queen of Arts
Local artist Russell Tarrant is one of the artists on display at
the Andover museum at the moment.
Ahoy There
Vosper Thornycroft have built the world’s largest single sailed
yacht Mirabella V.
Just Williams
Keen readers of the Observer will remember that local busker Frank
Williams is standing as a candidate in the forthcoming local elections.
|
|
Duck
& Coverage
Rubberduck.tv is the latest thing to hit the streets of Winchester
thanks to a group of screen production students from King Alfred’s
College.
White Wedding
I heard an amusing wedding story the other day. The happy couple,
renowned for their party spirit, repaired to the toilets during
the ceremony for a bit of ‘chemical enhancement.’
Westwood Ho!
As part of the national Youth Music initiative, Radio 1’s superstar
DJ, Tim Westwood visited the Tower Arts Centre, in Winchester, to
host an exclusive music workshop for local children. Sam Leyden
reports.
Free
Wheeling
Daniel Farrer could not believe his luck when he got a phone call
telling him he had won a top of the range mountain bike worth hundreds
of pounds.
Kids Out!
The biggest movement of children since the evacuations of World
War II saw 20,000 disadvantaged youngsters enjoy a fun packed day
on Wednesday June 9.
Test Valley opens its
doors to art
Open Art will take place from the 5 - 20 June this year.
Fly Fishing by G.H.W
Bush
George Bush Senior came and stayed in a hotel near Winchester last
week, to indulge in a spot of fly fishing. Max Jones Reports.
Out Voted
Following Thursday's District Elections Winchester City Council
is now under no overall control, although the Liberal Democrats
remain the majority party.
Sudan Death
Amnesty International and the World Health Organisation have warned
that a million lives could be at risk in the growing humanitarian
crisis in Sudan.
Pilled
to Death
A Hampshire teenager died from massive organ failure after taking
‘at least 11’ ecstacy tablets, an inquest has heard.
Roll Up! Roll Up!
The award winning NoFit State Circus are at the North Walls Recreation
Ground, Winchester with their brand new production “ImMortal”.
German Mustard
Residents had to be evacuated from their homes after the discovery
of chemical weapons on a building site in north Hampshire.
for comment.
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez
Test Valley Town Crier Allan Travell will be singing the praises
of Watercress when he competes in this years Loyal Company of
Town Criers’ British Championships.
Stockbridge grocers
under threat
Stockbridge residents are up in arms about the potential closure
of Sykes Greengrocers.
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