Paper
Buoy (8th January 2003)
It happened two years ago, and they said that it was a ‘once
in a century’ occurrence. Floods have hit Hampshire again,
and it is looking increasingly likely that global warming could
be to blame. Why else would parts of Winchester once again be under
feet of water, and 40 flood warnings issued across Hampshire?
Come hell or high water, The Mid Hampshire Observer gets through,
and we went down to Park Avenue to deliver to three generations
of the Perrett family. Their road has been flooded for a couple
of days now, and the Art College down the way was worried that if
the water rose another inch then their union building would be ruined.
The village of Exton, decimated by flooding in 2000, was hit again,
but this time villagers had made some makeshift flood barriers.
Anyone else who is worried about flooding would be advised to get
down to their local building merchants and pick up some sandbags.
These can be bought for a shockingly cheap 40p or thereabouts, and
a lot of insurance companies have said that they will not pay out
unless adequate provision has been taken.
A spokesman for the City Council said that they have some emergency
stocks of the bags in, but they will only give them out in emergency.
Unfortunately, by the time someone has realised they have a problem
it may be too late!
The Environment Agency said that a lot of trouble was caused when
someone cut a chain of the sluice gates in Durngate Street, although
they think that the culprit may have been misguidedly trying to
help! The Old Mill at the bottom of town was put into service for
the first time in ages, and some poor unfortunate had to stay there
all night keeping an eye on things, so I bet they are hoping that
the rain stops. The beleaguered St Bedes School once again got a
good soaking, just after it had been rebuilt from two years ago.
I luckily live on a hill, but when I went for a walk on New Years
day my friend got bitten by a Pike that had ended up in a puddle
after the river had burst its banks in Shawford! The man from the
Environment Agency said that it may be Global Warming, but he was
not sure.
Romsey was also struck by the flooding, with Great Bridge Road,
Budds Lane and Fishlake Meadows particularly affected.
Sally Lamb runs the kiosk that caters to people enjoying the Memorial
Park. “We get flooded out every year, and the insurance companies
won’t touch us anymore,” said Sally. Even if they were
to take all the precautions under the sun, Sally is still unable
to get the insurance companies to give them cover. “This means
that pretty much every year we are incurring fees,” she said.
Like the rest of Hampshire, Romsey was badly affected by the floods
two years ago.
By Max Jones
Top
of page
Flash at the Mash (8th
January 2003)
On my birthday I like to drink my body weight in Stella, bore my
friends stupid and eat a lot of cheese.
Not so King Alfred’s College student Anna Austen. Anna and
her friend decided to celebrate their birthdays by putting on a
pole dancing exhibition in the Mash Tun pub, in Eastgate Street.
Purely in the spirit of journalistic enterprise, I headed down to
have a look. For some reason or other the pub was fairly busy, and
most of the assembled seemed to be male! The girls put on what,
I assume in my limited experience of such things, to be a good show.
I was a bit disconcerted that one of the girl’s fathers was
apparently in the audience. No doubt he was keeping an eye on the
baying mobs of blokes, and the drunk photographer. Who could that
have been?
Carl the landlord was holding court at a table like a mafia don,
and one could have been forgiven for thinking they were in a dodgy
East End boozer. Good fun though.
By Max Jones
Top
of page
Post Office Closures
(8th January 2003)
It looks as though the Post Office in Kingsgate Street, opposite
the Wykeham Arms, will be closing later this year.
Timothy Price, who is manager of the store, told me that it is with
great regret that he is closing, but he was keen to point out that
the shop attached to the Post Office will be staying open. The shop,
which used to be the tuck shop for the Boy’s College, sellsgroceries
as well as having a deli, which will be expanding to where the Post
Office is now. they sell lovely olives if I remember rightly.
Smaller Post Offices have been closing at quite a rate of knots
for a while now. Partly due to Post Office cutbacks, it is also
because of a plan to pay people pensions through their bank accounts
rather than at your local shop.
“As a sub Post office we get paid a small wage by head office,
as well as a commision on every transaction we do,” said Timothy,
who would not be able to afford to carry on without the extra transactions.
A spokesman for the Post Office Authority said “we have looked
extremely carefully at this proposal. Just to reach the consultation
phase has taken months.We do not want branches closing in an Ad
Hoc manner, but for the network to survive we have to make some
tough, commercial decision.We have of course taken the wishes of
the Sub Post master into account.”
There are other Post Offices nearby, including Winchester’s
main one and the Upper High Street. If anyone is to be affected
by the propsals then they are more than welcome to get in touch
with the Post Office by February 3, 2003. Their cusomer helpline
is 08457 22 33 44.
By Max Jones
Top
of page
Joe Strummer 1952 - 2002
(8th January 2003)
A couple of days before Christmas, Joe Strummer, frontman of The
Clash, died at his home following a heart attack. He was only 50.
Suddenly, a whole generation had their own JFK moment, a moment
when we’ll all remember where we were and what we doing when
we heard the news.
Born John Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, Strummer used to tell people
that The Clash were ‘The Only Band That Mattered’, and
you know what? He was right. From their eponymous debut in 1977
to the million-selling Combat Rock in ‘82, no other band delivered
in the same way that they did.
A friend of mine once remarked that most bands were lucky to have
one person of any note standing in front of the drummer. The Clash
had three. And behind them was the mighty Topper Headon.
When the Sex Pistols burst onto the world all those moons ago, they
made you want to do something, but when you heard The Clash you
knew what that something was; buy a guitar and form a rock and roll
band.
The Clash had everything going for them, they played like men possessed,
they looked liked a gang you’d want to join and they never
stopped developing musically ... and maybe this was their greatest
asset.
While many of their peers trod the same endless path The Clash transformed
themselves from punk rock hopefuls into The Greatest Rock And Roll
Band in The World. And that’s not just me voicing an opinion,
that’s official, at the time of ‘London Calling’
they were unbeatable. Rolling Stone named it ‘Album Of The
Eighties’, not bad for a record that came out in ‘79.
But that’s how cool they were.
I could go on but there’s really no point. When I heard Strummer
had died I was in Dublin. I got the bus into town, crossed O’Connell
and headed for HMV to buy everything that they ever recorded. But
I have it already, so I just stood on Henry Street and cried.
He changed my life and the lives of a lot of people I know. He was
one of us, and I can’t tell you how pathetic and useless and
stupid it is that he was taken away at such an early age.
There’s no justice tonight.
None at all.
Joe Strummer, RIP.
By Richard Williams
Top
of page
Poached
Salmon (15th January 2003)
A man has been caught poaching Salmon in Winchester City Centre
A team of Environment Agency Officers ‘staked out’ an
area of the River Itchen, and their patience was rewarded when a
man was seen creeping around at 5am on Sunday morning (5/01/02).
He was using an illegal ‘snatch.’ For those who do not
know what a ‘snatch’ is, it is a weighted treble hook
and line that is used to impale the back or flank of the target
fish. Its use is illegal, and carries a maximum penalty of a 5000
fine or three months in jail. Although a fairly horrific end, I
personally do not see that it is a lot worse than thinking you are
about to eat a tasty morsel and then being lifted up by your own
bodyweight on a hook stuck in your mouth.
Still, for this particular salmon it was pretty harsh. At the moment
it is spawning season for salmon, and so our hero would have travelled
across the oceans of the world. He would then have swam upstream
for ages, and, just as he was about to see what it was all about,
he got snatched.
At the moment no one is allowed to fish salmon, as they are breeding,
and they are at a dangerously low level anyway. “Salmon stocks
on the River Itchen are considered at a dangerously low level,”
said the Environment Agency’s Adrian Saunders. As they breed
in shallow water then it would be particularly easy for people to
catch them, but Adrian would like to point out that there are agents
of the Environment Agency on constant alert at the moment. He also
says that the fish that are caught are not of a particularly high
quality for eating anyway, so beware if you do decide to buy one.
Anyone caught with any fish snatched illegally will also be prosecuted.
• If anyone has any information about any form of poaching,
then phone the Environment Agency’s Freephone hotline number
0800 80 70 60.
Top
of page
The Call Up (15th January
2003)
It looks as though people from Winchester and Romsey will be joining
‘our boys’ in the Gulf when they head off. Geoff Hoon,
Defence Secretary, has said that they will be calling up 1500 reservists.
As we have plenty of soldiers, most of the reservists will be from
the medical profession or other, more peripheral trades such as
mechanics or electricians.
The Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, has 40 people on the
books as reservists. As these will include doctors and nurses, it
would be naïve to think that the staff at the hospital will
not be affected. A spokeswoman said “it is the business of
the people if they go or not. Personnel cannot say for certain who
will be called up.”
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence said “there are 1500
reservists, two platoons of commando and a task force of battleships
being sent out there. I would be fairly sure that some of them will
be from Winchester and the surrounding areas.”
She did not want to give me the names of any of the personnel, maybe
in case Saddam or one of his agents is reading the Winchester and
Mid Hants Observer. A flattering thought, but maybe not!
Ark Royal took off from Portsmouth on Saturday, to take part in
the ‘contingency plan’ for Iraq. Although we are not officially
‘at war,’ the ship was taken away from an exercise called
‘Flying Fish,’ which would have involved war games in
the Mediterranean with the navy of four other nations.
As most other countries have the sense to leave Iraq alone, it looks
as thought the only people that our navy will be able to play with
is the Americans. Other ships are due to leave the Hampshire city
this week, although we are still not officially at war!
Top
of page
AIDS Awareness (15th January
2003)
Students at Peter Symonds College held a range of events to highlight
World AIDS Day
The students focused attention on the different aspects of AIDS
and they raised over £550 for various AIDS charities.
Students around the campus wore Red Ribbons - the international
symbol of AIDS - attended a party at Winchester Rugby Club raising
funds for ‘The Terrence Higgins Trust’ (the National HIV
charity). They put together a photo wall against intolerance, released
200 helium filled balloons with message tags into the Winchester
skyline. (one of the tags read, “HIV can touch anyone, don’t
let it touch you. Stay safe”) and attended a “Condom Workshop”
run by Wez Sysum, the Student Union Vice President, who gave a light
hearted, but factual look at the prevention of the spread of the
HIV infection and AIDS.
The week of events culminated in a raffle generously supported by
local companies including Waterstones and WH Smith. Rosie Bartel,
the Student Union Charities Officer said, “We are so grateful
to the companies who supported us, and more especially to the students
who gave their money in all our various events. We have managed
to raise around £550, and as there is still no cure for HIV
this is a valuable contribution to all of the research work that
is going on. We also managed to have lots of fun!!”
Top
of page
Orange Mast Trial Resumes
(15th January 2003)
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. This second session is scheduled to last
three days.
The first four-day session was adjourned on 1 November when it ran
out of time.
Campaigners were disappointed initially as it meant that further
fund-raising for legal costs would be required but there are some
positive aspects to the delay. The first part of the Hearing took
place in the Autumn half-term week when many families were away.
This caused a good deal of anger but Orange would not agree to a
change of date.
When the new session resumes, however, many who were unavailable
in October, will be able to attend. The Planning Inspector, Martin
Pike, is expected to accept a number of new applications from individuals
who wish to make statements. These will follow the formal presentations
of the final Orange witness and the whole of the case on behalf
of AABAM (Action Against the Byron Avenue Mast) Campaigners do not
expect the second session to be completed in three days and think
that a further adjournment is likely.
In the meantime a number of campaigning events are planned. Watch
this space! Contact: Karen Barratt (tel:01962 864388)
Top
of page
Mark
Your Man (22nd January 2003)
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.
A familiar feeling of terror engulfed me as I stepped onto the all
weather football pitch at Perins Community School, Alresford. Luckily,
however, I remembered that I was not there to humiliate myself in
front of a group of my peers on the football pitch.
On the other hand Winchester MP Mark Oaten was! Lifelong Watford
fan Mark had decided to go and train with Winchester City Football
Club for the evening, and, when I arrived he looked exhausted!
I had the chance for a brief chat with him before he got dragged
off again to run around a cone or something. “I think the club
is really going places,” said Mark. “It is a good idea
to support the local club, particularly as they are aiming to become
more community based, and to put something back into Winchester.”
Mark was accompanied by the two directors of football, David Malone
and Richard Newson. The laconic, cigar smoking Newson seemed to
be taking particular pleasure in Mark’s discomfort. He told
me that at the moment they are really trying to cover costs at Winchester
City. 12 points clear at the top of the Hampshire Premiereship League,
the team would like to move up to the dizzy heights of the Jewson
League.
As well as the obvious ambition, though, they are trying to bring
football more to the masses, with the establishment of a training
school. “When I was eight I played football at least twice
a week with coaches and all. Nowadays there does not seem to be
the opportunities. We want to give kids them.”
Accompanied as ever by my photographer and general factotum, Clare,
I can vouch for the seriousness of their intentions. Clare teaches
‘exceptional’ children, some of whom are considered a
bit too ‘robust’ for schoolboy football. When Clare told
David and Richard about this, they were all too keen to help, and
hopefully something will be sorted out.
So, if you want to genuinely help the community, get down to Winchester
City Football Club and see one of their games.
Entrance is only three quid, so, what could be better?
By Max Jones
Top
of page
Phone Mast Cancer Probe
(22nd January 2003)
Orange claimed that the telephone mast protesters were being ‘irrational’
now a study proves that the government are worried too.
The final day of the Byron Avenue phone mast hearing took a dramatic
turn when protesters produced that day’s ‘Evening Standard’
announcing a Government research programme into links between mobile
phone masts and cancer clusters.
This announcement came out of the blue for Orange who have consistently
argued that fears over health risks are unfounded and that protesters
are simply irrational.
Byron Avenue resident Ernest Jones said “This announcement
shows that the Government have finally taken our concerns on board
and recognised the need for further research. It seems a long time
since we marched to Downing Street to present our 1200 signature
petition, but I feel it has paid off at last.”
Commenting on the Government programme, Dr Mike Clarke of the National
Radiological Protection Board said, “There is a great body
of work on the health risks associated with mobile phone handsets,
but they have realised that there is a need to look at health risks
from mobile phone base stations as well.”
The three day Public Hearing of Orange's appeal against WCC's refusal
of the Byron Avenue mast application ended at 6.30 (Friday 17/01/03)
with a further adjournment. Although the Planning Inspector Martin
Pike had already postponed his site visit in an effort to complete
the formal proceedings, he was forced to end the Hearing with the
final submissions from the barristers representing AABAM, WCC and
Orange, still to come.
• The Hearing will resume for a one day session (during which
it’s hoped to include a site visit in the afternoon) at 10am
on 14 March 2003 at St.John's House, Winchester.
Top
of page
New Guide Launched (22nd
January 2003)
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.
It's all in the new 2003 Winchester Visitor's Guide, just published
by the tourism team at Winchester City Council.
The guide, which is sent out to enquirers far and wide and regularly
receives the highest compliments from visitors, is the keystone
of the City Council's marketing activities. Some 50,000 copies are
printed and distributed direct from the Tourist Information Centre,
via British Tourist
Authority offices worldwide and through Southern Tourist Board promotional
campaigns.
The exciting INTECH Science and Technology Centre has recently opened
the doors to its fabulous, futuristic pyramidal home at Morn Hill.
General's Corps. Winchester is also strong on public art and many
residents will have already witnessed the new interactive light
sculpture in the distinctive setting of the Cathedral’s Inner
Close.
A free copy of the Guide is available on request from Winchester
Tourist Information Centre in Broadway, on 01962 840500, e-mail
tourism@winchester.gov.uk or www.visitwinchester.com
Top
of page
Water Garden (22nd January
2003)
Sandra Gidley MP visits flood defences in Romsey.
The floods two years ago were particularly unkind to Peter Minns,
who lives just outside Romsey.
Damage coming to £120,000 was caused to his bungalow, which
stands next to the flood plain. The water came up to their waists
in the home. However, as they were told that the floods were a once
in a century occurence, they thought that it could never happen
to them again.
Imagine their surprise, and horror, when floods came again this
year. Panic stricken, Peter and his wife decided to try a new, revolutionary
scheme that stops flood water reaching a house. One of only two
houses in the country to have pallet master, supplied by the enviroment
agency, the couple have been very happy with the results.
Gloriously simple, the barrier consists of a load of pallets on
brackets as a wall, with pvc sheeting over the top to seal it all
together. It seems to work, and only in the nick of time. “The
guys who put it up were waist deep in water, and it was about to
enter the house,” said Sandra Gidley, who was down having a
look at the barrier as we were there. When I asked Peter if he was
still insured, he told me that he was only insured until October!
So, if it rains in November they are scuppered!The barrier is only
free to the couple for a year, but Peter fully intends buying one
for those uninsured times. It costs £10,000, which seems like
a lot to me for a few pallets, brackets and a bit of pvc, but, as
Peter says, “it is better to spend £10,000 than £120,000.
Still, as we all know there is no global warming so we probably
won’t be floodiing for another century.
Top
of page
Raising Dough-Nuts (29th January 2003)
Reeves the Bakers are giving 10 pence for every doughnut sold next
week to Naomi House Children’s Hospice. Although this may not
sound like such a great deal, last year they raised a whopping £3000.
This amounts to 30,000 donuts, not actually that many when you see
the Observer staff in action. If, like me, you eschew cakes in favour
of savoury snacks, such as cheese straws, then do not worry. There
will be collecting tins in all eight Reeves stores, which stretch
from Winchester and Romsey down to Wiltshire. Naomi House treats
children from this whole region, which is why our pastry making
heroes chose them. Ann Ribton is the manageress of the Winchester
shop. “I went to Naomi House the other week,” said Ann,
who took part in a bike ride that raised £800 for the hospital,
“and I was really uplifted by how well the children seemed.”
As Naomi House operates totally through donations, as the government
seem too busy spending money on wars, then I am sure that the children
would be a lot happier if we all go and get the cakes in!
Doughnut week starts Monday, Feb 03.
Top
of page
The Children of Chernobyl
(29th January 2003)
Children from the radio-active region of Belarus in Russia are coming
to Winchester again this year for a holiday of a lifetime. Max Jones
reports
In 2002, 12 kids from the Chernobyl area came over here and had
a whale of a time.
Jeremy France, of Alresford, is one of the co-ordinators of the
group. “They come to Britain and love it. Seeing them in the
supermarket really is amazing, as the ones over there are like a
spoof of what we imagine a Russian shop to be.” I presume this
means that there is hardly anything in them. Apparently they have
radiation testers in the shops, where you put your lettuce through,
and if it beeps then don’t buy it! However, everyone there
is so poor that they really can’t afford to pick and choose!
When the children are here, they get taken out on days out by trained
and eager volunteers. Last year, Observer editor Pete went on the
Watercress Line with them. “It was great,” said Pete,
“really quite touching to see them all playing around, seemingly
without a care in the world.”
The organisation that runs the trips is looking for host families
this year. They would be expected to provide a loving home for a
month, from June 8 to July 6, and give the children breakfast and
an evening meal. During the day the kids would be taken out by volunteers
on activities such as barbecues on the beach, Legoland and Marwell
Zoo.
If someone was to be working late, say, then there would be volunteers
able to babysit. There will also be family days as well, where the
hosts will be able to bond with the children. “It is a great
thing to do. The only heartache is having to send the children home
at the end of their stay,” says Jeremy. “Last year a bond
was formed between the volunteers and host families, and they still
meet socially now.” If anyone would like more information then
please telephone Mr P Isaac on 01962 866746. Places for the host
families are relatively limited, but anyone who cannot get on this
time will be more than welcome to act as a volunteer in the activity
days.
Top
of page
Elected Landlady land
(29th January 2003)
Louise Akers of the Slug and Lettuce has been appointed the new
chairman of Winchester Pubwatch. However, when I caught up with
Louise she was anxious to point out that she is certainly not the
only co-ordinator.
“I work hand in hand with town centre manager Graham Love,”
she said, “I am honoured to be voted chairman, but it would
not work without the efforts of all of us.”
Although we tend to think of pubwatch being a means of licencees
communicating with each other if a person or a group of people are
being unruly (banned from one, banned from all, eh Stu!) it is also
a way for the landlords, bar staff and doormen to meet, let off
steam and bounce ideas off each other. At the moment they are working
more hand in hand with the council as all the pubs and bars are
girding their loins and getting ready for the long awaited extended
opening hours. “A great deal of what we are about, though,
is stopping the undesirable elements that, unfortunately, every
town can have on a Friday or Saturday night. This makes pubs and
clubs a lot safer for all concerned,” said Louise. “We
are hoping that we can make more of the scheme since there was a
bit of a slump lately.”
There are currently 40 pubs in Winchester Pubwatch, and they stress
that they are open to all.The scheme has recently been relaunched
with more vigour, “that is directly down to the efforts of
Graham Love and other friends in the council,” said Louise.
Top
of page
Rural Economy
(29th January 2003)
Rural areas in the South are demonstrating a healthy economy, even
after the ravages of foot and mouth in 2001. At least, so says the
Countryside Agency. I think that maybe some of the farms, bed and
breakfasts and pubs who did not get any money for a whole summer
and had to kill all their livestock may disagree with them. When
I spoke to the landlady of The Shoe, in Exton, last summer, she
did not think her business would recover for a good long while,
at least ten years she said.
I went to the Countryside Alliance march last September. If, as
the Countryside Agency report said "there is a net growth in
the number of businesses, average rural gross weekly pay is the
highest (in the South) of any part of the country, and there is
a low level of rural claimant unemployment," then why would
the whole of the countryside be up in arms?
The report does admit, though, that there housing is still a problem.
Over the period of the report rural homes were becoming less affordable.
The Countryside Agency has developed a ‘mortgage index’
which uses average earnings, average house prices and standard mortgage
application rules to assess the affordability of homes. Rural homes
in the South use a higher proportion of earnings than anywhere else
in the country. As a recent purchaser of a house in a semi rural
area of the South, I can vouch for that!
On a lighter note, the agency does recommend that we go out and
walk more, in the countryside that they run. If one was to do the
South Downs Way, starting just outside Winchester, then after day
one they could slake their thirst at the aforementioned Shoe in
Exton. Another six days would take our walker to Eastbourne eventually.
Lovely. With Spring just around the corner I would recommend anyone
gets their wellies and gore tex on and off they go!
Top
of page
|
