Community Yearbook 2020

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 16 January, 2020

Shoppers’ traffic chaos AN investigation was held into how roadworks

NWN moves next door

Humphries leaps up world rankings

THE Newbury Weekly News moved – to offices next door. The newspaper, which cele- brated its 152nd anniversary in January, set up shop in its new home in Faraday Road. The move was only the third company’s printing press, the previous offices were too big and no longer suitable for what the company needed. NWN chief executive James Gurney said it was a “new chapter ” in the paper’s history. He said: “It’s exciting to be in in the paper’s history. After the sale of the

an office where we are all closer to each other and there’s more of an atmosphere in a purpose- built office that’ s much nicer to work in.” The NWN ’s new home was previously occupied by Skoda. The new office is still known as Newspaper House, but there is a new postcode– RG14 2AD. Plans to demolish the NWN ’s old headquarters and replace it with flats are yet to be

LUKE Humphries was crowned Best Newcomer at the 2019 PDC Annual Awards Dinner, held at The Dorch- ester in London. The 23-year-old from Newbury was rewarded for his

brought Newbury town centre to a standstill. Legal action was threatened after utility workers abandoned their post, leaving shoppers to their fate as the situation spiralled out of control. Some motorists were gridlocked for hours and abandoned their cars as temporary three-way traffic lights – and the roadworks themselves – remained unmanned near the Parkway Shopping centre at the junction with London Road. Huge jams and tailbacks began to spread outwards soon after 11am and continued for hours. All the while, more traffic poured in and became stuck, adding to the misery. Railway ’s vital role NEWBURY Town Council unveiled a blue plaque outside the railway station. The plaque commemorates the role of the former Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in conveying service personnel and military materi- als from the Midlands and the north of England to Southamp- ton in preparation for the D- Day landings on June 6, 1944. The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway consti- tuted the transport link for the vital supply of personnel. At its peak, it had 120 train movements a day and to accommodate the traffic, the line between Didcot and two miles south of Newbury was doubled.

sensational run to the quarter-finals of the World Champi- onship at Alexandra Palace.

couple of cars behind me.” Another posted: “The impact on town centre businesses will be catastrophic, but they won’t receive compensation.” Many blamed West Berkshire Council and Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) criti- cised the official response. However, the council blamed the utility company Scottish and Southern Energy for causing the chaos.

Drivers said the traffic lights appeared to have been manned before 11am, but, as the chaos began, the operators vanished. One fed-up motorist posted on Newburytoday.co.uk ’s Facebook page: “Have been stuck in the Parkway car park for 1.5 hours and count- ing, and have moved about 20m. Starting to lose my sense of humour. Road rage a back on camera after CCTV was reinstated in Newbury town centre. Town centre crime had not been recorded on CCTV cameras for more than two years after West Berkshire Council stopped funding them, with no replacement system. But, following a collaboration between Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) and Kennet Shopping, the cameras were back in action and monitored locally for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Funding was secured for three years with financial contributions from Thames Valley Police, West Berkshire Council, Newbury Town

determined by West Berkshire Council.

Ollie’s England call FORMER St Bartholomew’s student Ollie Hassell-Collins was selected for the under- 20s Six Nations Championships. The 19-year-old, who plays for London Irish, represented England for both the Six Nations and the World Rugby under-20 Championship in Argentina. Hassell-Collins was one of 32 players to make the elite squad for the Six Nations opener against Ireland. The youngster said:“ I was a bit shocked at first, but after a while, it hit me and it’s exciting and now I can ’t wait to join the camp. “I haven’t played for England since representing the under-18s, so I do feel some nerves in that sense, but when I’m on the pitch I’ll relish every opportunity I get.” Televised Performance of the Year award for his win over Cross and the Young Player of the Year award. Humphries bea t the likes of world number 17 Stephen Bunting and r eigning World Youth champion Dimitri Van den Bergh. But the former Trinity School pupil took the headlines for eliminating Rob Cross in the last 16 to end his r eign as world champion. Humphries was e ventually beaten by finalist Michael Smith, but he said: “To beat the reigning world champion at Alexandra Palace was unreal and my goal is to car ry on my development and contin ue to make a name for myself.” Humphries jumped fr om 90th in the world to 57th. He was also nomina ted for the

CCTV switched back on SAY cheese! You’re now

Council and the Kennet Shopping centre.

Newbury BID chief executive Russell Downing said:“ The project took longer than hoped and was very frustrat- ing with a number of delays, but remains a great example of partnership working ulti- mately to achieve our goal of reinstating CCTV coverage.” The CCTV cameras – vital in deterring criminals and reducing crime – were switched off on April 1, 2016. The 22 cameras in the town were until then funded by West Berkshire Council. But in April 2017, the district council voted in favour of cutting its funding towards the service, as part of its wider plan to save £17.5m.

Vodafone boost for town

But the company said the reshuffle was good news for Newbury and that a net gain of up to 600 staf would be based in the town. Vodafone spokesman Simon Gordon said:“All new services will be developed in Newbury. This is very much us committing our future to Newbury. “This is us saying despite the uncertainty out there we are continuing to invest in the UK. Newbury is very much the heart of the technology investment going forward.”

VODAFONE revealed its Newbury HQ would receive a staffing and multi-million pound boost through a company restructure, which would also see some staf move away from the town. The telecoms giant is to invest £10m in its HQ to create a “technology and digital nerve centre of the

future in Newbury”. A number of staff in

consumer and digital roles in Newbury will be relocated to London.

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