Community Yearbook 17012019

JUNE

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 17 January, 2019

‘Decimation’ of train track trees RESIDENTS accused Network Rail of causing “utter decimation” after it felled trees along stretches of Newbury’s railway line.

Nathan Patrick prepares to fly down the Hermits Hill course

Six Pack

The end of an era NEWBURY FC’s 55-year stay at Faraday Road came to an end. West Berkshire Council wanted to redevelop the site as part of its plan to regenerate London Road Industrial Estate. indoors, while the small outdoor stage provided music, poetry and comedy and a wandering storyteller. Not Glastonbury, but Ace THE sky was blue, the sun was out and festivalgoers came out on to the beautiful grounds of Shaw House to bask in the sunshine, music, comedy and poetry that enriched, entertained and enlivened a joyous crowd at the first ACE Space Music Festival on Sunday, June 10. It was a heady line-up of ACE Space musicians who played on the main stage, ranging from an excellent ukulele band through a panoply of bands/musicians and styles, providing smooth, sunny afternoon relaxed listening, to more active Americana and the experienced and popular, who delivered a clutch of excel- lent songs which matched and reflected the chilled atmosphere. Performers from the popular ACE Space Unplugged nights played to packed audiences

Lining the streets for big Bash MORE than 4,000 people lined the streets of Hermits Hill for the from Scooby-Doo and Daddy Pig’ s car. Mortimer Sausage Co won the

Those living near the track vented their anger after the company’s oper- ators began the noisy work. Workers spent a week clearing vege- tation through the night with heavy machinery, starting from 7pm and finishing at 7am. It was the first of four vegetation clearing phases set for the summer – and residents woke up to find trees and vegetation stripped eight metres from the railway track or to the boundary fence. The destruction comes after rail minister Jo Johnson launched a review into Network Rail’s tree- cutting and vegetation management

annual Burghfield Box Kart Bash. The popular event saw a total of 29 home-made karts hurtle 850m down Reading Road in a race against time. This year’s wacky line-up included several novelty karts, namely an X- Wing fighter, The Mystery Machine

coveted ‘King of the Hill’ title, finish- ing the course in the fastest time of one minute and 10 seconds. Run by the Burghfield Santas, the event raised money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

last month. Network Rail wrote to West Berk- shire residents to notify them of a “controlled programme of tree and vegetation management” on the track from Newbury to Wiltshire. Waiter’s escape A WAITER told of his dramatic escape after a car came crashing through a bay window at the John O’Gaunt Inn, Hungerford. One second before the blue Volkswa- gen Touran ploughed into the pub restaurant – sending bricks and glass flying – Kenneth Stacey had been standing on the very spot. The incident happened on a Sunday, when the inn was packed with diners. The driver, an elderly man, was treated at the scene by an ambulance and allowed home. Meanwhile, and despite the gaping 12ft-hole in the Grade II-listed Bridge Street building, licensee Mark Genders and his staff determinedly carried on with service as usual. He said: “We had a very busy lunch in the end. People were popping in to see what was going on.”

10,000 say no to badger cull ALMOST 10,000 people signed a petition against controversial proposals to extend the badger cull into West Berkshire. licences to kill the animals, said applications had come from areas of “high risk”.

A petition opposing the extended cull was launched by West Berk- shire Green Party chairman Steve Masters and racked up more than 9,400 signatures.

Culling is part of the Government’s strategy to eradicate the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle. Natural England, which issues the

Five on honours list FIVE West Berkshire residents were rewarded in the Queen’s 2018 Birthday Honours list. Michael Bissell was appointed an MBE for services to fundraising for his voluntary work. West Berkshire councillor Virginia von Celsing also received an MBE for public and political service. British Empire Medals were awarded to managing director at Yattendon Estates David Slack for his voluntary services to the community, while Jennifer Nutt received the medal for services to the commu- nity in Pangbourne, Tidmarsh and Sulham. Former John O’Gaunt pupil Stephen Hall was recognised for “voluntary and charitable service”.

For that reason, the local author- ity said it couldn’t commit to the club’s request for a one- year extension to its current lease.

The club will had to find somewhere else to play its home games next season and they agreed to move to Brimpton FC. That meant that Newbury FC had to forfeit their place in the Thames Valley League Premier Division and drop a level to Division 1.

Michael Bissell

The damage at the John O’Gaunt Inn

With the closure of my local bank, I am relying more and more on Newbury Building Society who are open 5 days a week and Saturday mornings. Always friendly, they give an invaluable service.

Jen Scott Member of Newbury Building Society

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Call: 01635 555777 | Visit: newbury.co.uk

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