LymeOnline Digital Edition - March 5 2021

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Council to spend £21K on keeping seafront clean

LYME Regis Town Council has agreed to spend up to £21,000 of unplanned expenditure in preparation for an expected influx of visitors when lockdown restrictions are eased.

The money will be spent on additonal cleaning and an attendant at the Marine Parade toilets, and overtime for council staff to pick up seafront litter, following problems which were seen last year during a busy late spring and summer.

REPORT, PAGE 2

Coin collection for Mary Anning fans

Spreading some good news!

■ THE Millside Restaurant in Lyme Regis is spreading some cheer this month, with the help of LymeOnline. The restaurant in Mill Lane has decorated its windows with positive news stories that you may have missed or forgotten from past year during the coronavirus pandemic, including many stories which have featured on the LymeOnline website and in our newspaper.

Planning for the future

LYME Regis’ famous fossil hunter Mary Anning is to be celebrated with a new commemorative 50p coin collection.

The Royal Mint has released three 50p coins depicting three Jurassic creatures, which can be purchased in a selection of gold proof, silver proof or coloured, ranging in price from £10 to £1,100. REPORT, PAGE 7

Jazz Jurassica is on!

JAZZ Jurassica, the four-day jazz and blues festival in Lyme Regis, will go ahead at the end of May say organisers.

After a year in lockdown, the festival will kick off this year’s event season with an upbeat programme of live music.

REPORT, PAGE 11

TOWN COUNCIL SETS OUT OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LYME Regis Town Council has set out its objectives for the next five years, following what has been a hugely challenging 12 months.

With the coronavirus pandemic costing the council an unexpected £350,000 fall in income, and the £650,000 cost of essential work to resurface the flat roof area above Marine Parade businesses, there were concerns earlier in the year about the impact on the council’s reserves.

But the authority has nearly reached the end of

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk the financial year in a relatively healthy position, and is now looking ahead, releasing a Corporate Plan for 2021-2026.

In his foreward to the plan, the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, says the council still managed to deliver many of its plans and commitments during 2020, despite the pandemic.

These included improving Langmoor Gardens,

installing new beach huts and benches on the seafront, improving Henry’s Way play park and supporting several local organisations with grants.

Looking ahead, the council outlines its objectives for the next five years, split into three priority lists. Major projects include refurbishing the council offices, replacing the seafront railings and improvements to the old Cadet Hut behind Anning Road, now used as the council’s outside workforce’s base.

SEE THE FULL CORPORATE PLAN ON PAGE 13

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Council to spend additional £21k to keep seafront clean and hygienic as influx of visitors anticipated LYME Regis Town Council has agreed to spend up to £21,000 of unplanned expenditure in preparation for an expected influx of visitors when lockdown restrictions are eased.

In a report presented to councillors during a virtual meeting this week, town clerk John Wright said the lack of travel options available to the public last spring saw a “different type” of visitor in Lyme Regis.

In particular, there was an increase in young adults visiting the beach and seafront, sometimes staying until the early hours of the morning.

While Mr Wright noted that the majority of visitors were “very respectful”, this influx of ‘staycation’ visitors did create some issues for the council, including public urination and defecation due to the lack of public toilet facilities, and excess rubbish and litter left on the seafront.

To resolve this issue, the council extended the opening hours of its toilets on Marine Parade and employed a staff member until the late evening to clear excess rubbish.

Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on his ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown, which will see some facilities opening from April 12 onwards, the council is expecting another busy spring season.

To avoid a repeat of the same issues, the council has now agreed to spend up to £21,000 to ensure there are enough facilities and resources in place to keep the seafront clean and tidy.

This includes ensuring that the Marine Parade toilets are fully serviced and manned by an attendant from its contractor Glen Clean-

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

ing, up until June 21 when all legal limits on social contact are expected to be lifted. This will cost an estimated £17,000.

A further £4,000 will be spent on staff overtime from 8pm to 11pm from April 1 to June 21 to ensure the seafront is kept clean.

Speaking at the meeting, town clerk John Wright said: “We are anticipating or trying to prepare for a really good spring and summer, lots of people visiting the town because they haven’t got other things to do and a repeat of what happened last year.”

When asked what Dorset Council’s plans were for reopening their toilets, Mr Wright said he was “not optimistic” that they would be extending opening hours as they did not last year.

Cllr Gill Stammers said: “I think this is the cautious and correct approach and is obviously based on our experience of last year. We should certainly go ahead.

“The problem with Lyme is we have very narrow pavements, people will throng the pavements and there is going to be no social distancing.

“We will just have to hope that being outdoors does was the government says it does and keeps the virus at bay or minimises the risk at least.”

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, said the “urinating and messing on the beach” seen last year was “unacceptable and disgusting”.

He added that providing sufficient toilet facilities came with the territory of being a seaside resort and was what was expected of the

council.

Cllr Rob Smith added: “Nobody likes spending money but we owe it to the people of the town to make sure the place is kept clean, hygienic and pleasant place to be. We don’t really have a choice.”

The mayor continued: “If we were fortunate enough to have a Chamber of Commerce or Trade you would hope the collective tourist businesses would perhaps come to our assistance on this because it’s their businesses that are benefitting and we get nothing from the business rates to help us in this respect, which is a shame; we should get some sort of support here.

“This is our way of demonstrating that we do help Lyme’s local tourism businesses. We’re often accused of not doing enough for them but doing things like this - keeping the place tidy and opening toilets - is part of that facility and commitment we give to the employment and trading environment in Lyme Regis.”

Councillors expressed concerns about reopening seafront concessions, such as deckchair hire, hair braiding and trampolines, questioning what actions would be in place to ensure social distancing and cleaning regulations were met.

Officers said the concessions were expecting reopen as per the government guidelines. Following COVID regulations would be part of their agreements with the council and they would be regularly checked on, which had worked relatively well last year.

It was agreed to defer a decision on seafront concessions until the Town Management & Highways Committee meeting in two weeks.

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COVID-19: The latest on local coronavirus figures and vaccines

Case numbers continue to decrease across Dorset as more than a third of residents have now had vaccine COVID case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths have continued to decrease across Dorset over the past week.

Confirmed COVID case numbers in the Dorset Council area in the seven-day period up until February 26 stood at 294, compared to 349 the previous week, and there were 451 cases in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area, compared to 629.

The infection rate per 100,000 people in the Dorset Council area was 77.7 as of February 26, down from 92.2 the previous week, and was 114.1 in the BCP area, compared to 159.1.

This was just below the national average of 118.3 but is above the South West average of 70.2.

There were 147 COVID-19 patients in hospital beds across Dorset, down from 194 on February 19.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: “Both BCP and Dorset Council case rates remain above the average for the South West. This means we all need to keep working together to bring these rates down further.

“Over a quarter of a million people in Dorset have now received a COVID-19 vaccine. This is great news and we’d like to thank everyone involved in the rollout of the vaccination programme.

“However, we must remain vigilant and continue to follow the rules – even if you’ve had the vaccine – to avoid an increase in cases.

“This week the government announced the roadmap for lifting lockdown. This is a four-step plan for the easing of restrictions. It’s important to remember that the dates set out are the earliest possible dates for restrictions to be lifted.”

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk ■ COVID-19 cases numbers in Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale have increased slightly this week, with seven cases in the whole area recorded in the seven-day period up until February 25 - an increase of five on the previous week.

In neighbouring Uplyme, Kilmington & Colyton, there were fewer than three cases.

Axminster had eight cases, an increase of three; Seaton had fewer than three cases; Burton Bradstock & Chideock had 5, the same as the previous week; and Bridport North and Bridport South & West Bay both had fewer than three cases.

In small areas where there are fewer three cases, full date is not given as to protect the identity of individuals.

Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale reported its first two coronavirus-related deaths in January 2021, according to new figures released by the Office of National Statistics.

Uplyme, Kilmington & Colyton recorded another one death in January 2021, bringing its total to three with two having been recorded in December 2020.

COVID death figures for February by local area will not be released until later in March.

You can find out more details on COVID case numbers in your local area at https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ ■ MORE than 260,000 people in Dorset have received a coronavirus vaccine so far – 34.2 per cent of the county’s population.

And in Devon, more than 370,000 people have

received a jab, a total of 31.3 per cent of the population.

In its weekly data release, NHS England has published vaccination figures by constituency for the first time. Christchurch leads the way among the 55 constituencies in the whole of the South West, with an estimated 44.5 per cent of its population having received at least one dose.

The next highest figures in Dorset are South Dorset (37.6 per cent), West Dorset (35.5 per cent) and Mid Dorset and North Poole (35.2 per cent).

Putting the constituency statistics together, Dorset is the leading county in the South West.

In Devon, Totnes has the highest vaccination figure (39.2 per cent), followed by Torridge & West Devon (37.3 per cent), and South West Devon and Newton Abbot (both 33.7 per cent).

East Devon has vaccinated a total of 35,026, which is 32.4 per cent of the population.

With the UK vaccination programme averaging more than 2.5 million doses a week, the Prime Minister aims to ensure every adult is offered a jab by the end of July.

More than 19 million people across the country have received a vaccine so far, equivalent to one in three adults, including more than 1.7 million in the South West.

This is the third highest per capita, behind only the UAE and Israel. In addition, only two countries have administered more doses than the UK – China and the USA. Everyone in the top four priority groups has now been offered a vaccine and invites are now going out to those in priority groups five to nine.

The latest figures show that two-thirds of those aged 65 to 69 have now been vaccinated.

■ THE team at Bridport Medical Centre is urging patients not to miss their COVID vaccine appointment after a number of people did not attend one of their latest clinics.

About 1,500 were booked into the vaccination clinic at the surgery last Friday, but 40 people did not attend their booked appointment.

A spokesman said: “We are starting to see a number of ‘did not attends’ as the cohorts get younger. Forty patients did not attend for their vaccination on Friday.

“Not attending for a booked appointment could risk wastage of extremely valuable vaccine – vaccine that could have been offered to another person in cohort.

“It also results in the team having to work longer into the evening to get people down to the clinics as short notice, after a 12-hour day.

Please help us to help you.”

The centre does have reserve lists of those next scheduled to come down and there are only usually extra doses as some vials will allow for an additional use, which vaccinators are authorised to use.

However, co-ordinating another 40 people to come down for a vaccine is “quite a task” for the team.

The spokesman added: “You’ll be pleased to hear all doses were used – even the doses that we were at risk of losing when a door was looked and wouldn’t open. Thanks to Lyme Bay Locks who came at short notice.

“We do appreciate that often busy lives can get in the way, hence people forget appointments.”

The medical centre is administering vaccinations for patients across Bridport, Beaminster, Charmouth and Lyme Regis.

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4 Friday, March 5 2021

LOCAL BUSINESSES ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR REOPENING ● Harbour

Inn, Marine Parade Takeaway barbecue from April 1, outdoor seating open from April 12, opening indoors from May 17. ● Royal

Standard, Marine Parade Takeaway service reopening for Easter holidays (food and soft drinks only, no alcohol), takeaway including alcohol and outdoor seating open from April 12, opening indoors from May 17 and continuing takeaway service through summer.

● SWIM, Marine Parade Outdoor seating open from April 12 and opening indoors from May 17. ● Tom’s, Marine Parade Terrace seating open from April 12 and opening indoors from May 17. ● The Millside, Mill Lane Currently offering weekend takeaway menu.

Terrace opening for lunch and dinner from April 13 and opening indoors from May 17. ● Holmbush Cafe, Holmbush car park Takeaway hot drinks and ice creams from March 23, full takeaway service and outdoor seating from April 12 and opening indoors from May 17. ● Royal Lion Hotel, Broad Street Full reopening from May 17

LymeOnline will be running a live online article which will be continuously updated as local businesses make announcements on reopening and services being offered.

If you would like your business to be included for free, let us know your plans by emailing francesca@lyme-online.co.uk or call 07810 221 420.

For the latest news on upcoming events and festivals, see page 11.

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Roadmap out of lockdown:

Here’s all the dates you need to know ENGLAND has been given its ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown, which could see social distancing become a thing of the past by summer.

Boris Johnson announced a series of steps on how the country will come out of its third national lockdown.

This will start with pupils returning to schools on March 8 and finish with the aim of lifting all legal limits on social distancing on June 21 at the earliest.

Here’s the dates you need to know: MARCH 8 ● All children and students will return to faceto-face learning in schools and colleges. ● Wraparound childcare and other supervised children’s activities can resume where they enable parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group. ● Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor provided they are tested and wear PPE. ● The Stay at Home requirement will remain, but people can leave home for recreation outdoors, such as a coffee or picnic with their household or support bubble, or with one person outside their household. ● Some university students on practical courses will be able to return to face to face learning.

MARCH 29 ● Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed, including in private gardens. ● Outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, will be allowed to reopen, and people can take part in formally organised outdoor sports. ● The Stay at Home order will end, although many lockdown restrictions will remain, for example you should continue to work at home where possible and overseas travel bans will remain.

APRIL 12 Non-essential retail, personal care premises, such as hairdressers and nail salons, and public buildings, such as libraries and community centres, will reopen. ● Most outdoor attractions and settings, including zoos and theme parks, will reopen although wider social contact rules will apply in these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households. Drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances will also be permitted. ● Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, will reopen – but only for use by people on their own or with their household. ● Hospitality venues can serve people outdoors only. There will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol and no curfew – although customers must order, eat and drink while seated. ● Self-contained accommodation, such as holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can reopen. ● Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and the numbers able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15 (from six).

MAY 17 ● Outdoors, most social contact rules will be lifted – although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal. ● Outdoor performances such as outdoor cinemas, outdoor theatres and outdoor cinemas can reopen. Indoors, the rule of six or two households will apply, although this will be kept under review. ● Indoor hospitality, entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accommodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will also reopen. ● Larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or ●

half-full (whichever is lower) will also be allowed, as will those in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4000 people or half-full (whichever is lower). ● In the largest outdoor seated venues where crowds can spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower). ● Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals.

Other life events that will be permitted include bar mitzvahs and christenings.

JUNE 21 ● It is hoped all legal limits on social contact can be removed. ● Restrictions will be lifted on nightclubs, large events and performances. ● This will also guide decisions on whether all limits can be removed on weddings and other life events.

The dates given above are the earliest at which restrictions will be eased at each stage. This will be based on four tests: The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.

Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.

Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS. Assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step – four weeks for the data to reflect changes in restrictions, followed by seven days’ notice of the restrictions to be eased.

For more details on the easing of lockdown restrictions visit www.gov.uk

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Changes afoot at Lyme’s historic Mariners Hotel FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

JACK and Sally Caddy - planning a quiet celebration at home

Local couple celebrate 60 years of marriage LYME Regis couple Jack and Sally Caddy are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary on Thursday of next week.

Jack and Sally were both born and educated in the town. They were married at St Michael’s Parish Church.

Jack did his National Service with the Royal Air Force and worked all his life in the building trade before retiring at 71.

Sally trained as a hairdresser at Alisha’s in Broad Street and later ran her own successful salon in Coombe Street for many years.

The couple, who live in Avenue Road, have two

sons - Lee and Russell - and three grandsons, Ashley, Adam and Jonathan.

Jack, who recently celebrated his 87th birthday, was assistant secretary of Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival during the 1970s.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Jack and Sally will be celebrating their anniversary quietly at home and will be looking forward to raising a socially-distanced glass with their family.

Jack has been a keen follower of sport in Lyme over the years and both he and Sally are enormously proud of their sons and grandsons.

newsfromwestminster

A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder

I WROTE this column on Tuesday, just before the Budget which I will comment on next time.

Rest assured that I continue to make representations to the Treasury as to what support we need for our unique community here in Dorset.

Particularly important to Lyme Regis is our fishing industry. I attended the Blue Marine Foundation’s Lyme Bay meeting last month to better understand the issues facing our fishermen. I have also written to every fisherman in Lyme Regis and West Bay, offering my assistance during this challenging time.

I am optimistic that Brexit will revitalise our fishing industry, returning our fleets to their historic strength, albeit with some friction at the moment.

Over 20 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. At the start of last week, over 35 per cent of constituents here in West Dorset have received their first jab, and I expect that proportion has risen higher still since then. It feels to me that a return to normality is in sight.

Last week, I met with the West Dorset Environmental Alliance, including Cllr Rob Smith of Lyme Regis Town Council, and, earlier this week, I met with a group of national charities that are supportive of my campaign against single use plastics.

We must leave our environment in a better state than we found it – this was and is an election manifesto commitment I was proud to stand on and I am focussing at the moment on highlighting the huge damage that single use plastics are doing to our environment.

It also means that we need to challenge su-

permarkets about their continuing provision of goods in plastic packaging with no alternative.

This week, I joined online meetings about the Dorset Local Plan. I’m concerned that our market towns are being pressured into having large housing quota because they are not within the proposed Dorset National Park.

This only strengthens my view that we should not have a National Park in Dorset. The creation of a National Park would be a historic mistake in my opinion. Proponents of the park appear fixed on obtaining a brand, with serious implications for local democracy and housing that, as someone who was born and brought up here, I cannot support.

To receive my latest updates from Westminster and West Dorset, please sign up to my newsletter at www.chrisloder.co.uk.

Visit www.chrisloder.co.uk for links to my social media channels and news, or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk if you are interested in a face-to-face meeting at one of my surgeries

THE historic Mariners Hotel in Lyme Regis could be split into a smaller boutique hotel and seven holiday lets, if planning permission is granted.

The Grade II listed hotel was originally built in the 17th century and has been used as a school, doctors office and coaching inn. The original building has been added to and adapted over the years, and is now described as a “rabbit warren”.

Recognised for its pastel pink exterior, the Mariners was once the home of the Philpot sisters – Elizabeth, Margaret and Louise.

They were known for their pioneering geological discoveries and great friends of Lyme’s most famous fossil hunter, Mary Anning.

Author Beatrix Potter also stayed at the Mariners while on holiday on 1904, two years after she published her most famous work, ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’.

While staying in Lyme she worked on another book, ‘The Tale of Little Pig Robinson’, which did not see print until 1930 – her last published work. She also produced a number of sketches of the town, including several drawings of Broad Street.

Now, owners of this historic hotel are seeking to make changes, saying that the Mariners is “sadly past its heyday”.

The application adds: “Customers are now more discerning and a great deal of work would need to be carried out to make the accommodation in to an attractive holiday destination.”

It said that the Mariners has had a difficult year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It

opened briefly between the first and second national lockdowns but with little success, meaning it has been largely closed since March 2020.

The application continued: “Prolonged closure and lack of use is not good for any building and this is particularly true of older and Listed Buildings. For each month that passes the maintenance and refurbishment work necessary to bring the building back in to good order increases.

“While ‘stay-cations’ will be with us for several years as we, hopefully, put the pandemic behind us, this does not change how much work is needed to put this rambling old building in to good order.”

The proposed eight-bedroom boutique hotel is described as a “more manageable” business, with the seven separate holiday lets still being managed by the hotel, which would offer housekeeping services and catering to those visiting on an ad hoc basis.

You can view the full planning application and make comment on the Dorset Council website at https://bit.ly/2O0VXXb

6 Friday,March 5 2021

LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart

www.lyme-online.co.uk

philip@lyme-online.co.uk

If there’s a way Anita will find it O

NE big negative of these lockdown days has been the huge impact it has had on the raising of funds to keep the many charities and good causes in our town afloat.

But it has amazed me how creative some of our community workers have been in finding new ways to keep their bank balances in the black and to continue their good works.

Inevitably, some (especially the charities) have had to cease operating for the time being, but are looking forward to resuming their activities as we had towards ‘the new normal’, whatever that will be.

The old adage ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’ has certainly been adopted by many as they strive to continue their fundraising.

As chairman of the local branch of Cancer Research UK, I am acutely aware that CRUK has been hit very hard by the pandemic. There are small branches like ours all over the country on which the fight against cancer depends.

This year we were going to make a very special effort to raise £10,000 which would take us somewhere near the £200,000 raised since our formation in 2008.

It was our intention to organise an event every month and we started well by raising £1,500 in January and February of last year with a soup and sweet lunch and pizza night at the Pilot Boat. We were then looking forward to our biggest money-maker of the year, the annual Big Breakfast in March.

The arrival of COVID-19 put paid to that. We did try to organise it later in the year with stringent social distancing - but the second lockdown put paid to that.

However, we did manage to keep a few pounds rolling it thanks primarily to the ingenuity of our treasurer, Anita Routley.

Anita is a real thinker outside the box and during the period she worked for me at the View From she came up with a number of unique fundraising ideas.

One of them I shall never forget. Anita, backed by husband John, as always, decided to spend 24 hours on the Tube network in London visiting every station.

My wife Jackie and I went up to London to greet them at they emerged from the last station at the Elephant and Castle, near Waterloo. I’ve never seen anyone looking as fed up and John when he trudged out of the station!

During this pandemic Anita’s mind has gone into overdrive to come up with several unique

ideas to continue her support for Cancer Research, which has lost £50million in donations and fundraising.

First, she intended to do a 24-hour marathon playing board games, inviting people to challenge her. That had to be called off because of the COVID-19 restrictions. But that didn’t stop Anita; the event eventually went ahead by Zoom with £300 being raised.

Up next came another simple but clever idea. Anita challenged all and sundry to ‘Walk The Wall’ - taking a stroll from The Cobb to the end of the East Cliff Walk and contributing £20 for doing so. That brought in just under £1,000.

And now she’s at it again. Anita learnt to tap dance at an early age and has demonstrated this skill many times on the local stage in various shows.

She’s committed to doing 300 tap steps every day for a month in a bid to raise £500, which I have no doubt she will achieve. If you would like to help her reach that target you can do so by making a donation via the Facebook page ‘Tap Stepping in March for Cancer Research UK’.

The consequence of this is that our branch has been able to raise nearly £4,000 which has been sent to headquarters, a big chunk of

If you can’t be kind, be quiet!

ONE of the most distressing and long term repercussions caused by living through a pandemic is the effect it will have of people’s mental health.

We can witness examples of this every day on our TV screens and the burden this will have on the NHS is likely to be extreme for a very long time.

There is a great deal of anger around,

especially on social media. Surely, the time has come for a huge dose of kindness - from us all.

Actually, being kind is good for the body as well as the soul.

Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hor-

mone, which directly impacts stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer.

Reason enough, surely, for those keyboard warriors who thrive on perpetuating rumour and fake news to consider how much damage their unkind words are causing.

this coming from Anita’s sheer determination to keep the money rolling in. Some way from our £10k target, but a good effort under the circumstances.

So well done Anita and thank you to all those who have supported her during these past few difficult months.

Like all other charitable organisations in Lyme, we are now looking forward to lockdown being lifted and will resume running an event every month from September to December, the details for which we will announce in LymeOnline when we are sure that all COVID restrictions will be lifted.

Summertime and the bookings are flowing IN a recent column I dared to ask whether we might get something of a near normal summer.

I lamented about the last year with none of Lyme’s summer festivals and suggested that it might be possible with government approval - to see a return of the festivals which make our town such an attraction.

I don’t know what’s in that vaccine but it certainly boosted my expectations.

It would seem I’m not the only one thinking along these lines. I have been told that holiday bookings are pouring in for July and August and Boris’ roadmap to escape lockdown looks as though the main summer events which are so popular are going to happen.

Jazz Jurassica will kick-off our summer of fun, Lifeboat Week will return, as will the Regatta and Carnival, and more are in the pipeline.

Another right royal knees-up ■

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I AM pleased that Lyme Regis Town Council is joining Jazz Jurassica to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum (70 years) Jubilee in 2022.

It makes sense that as the jubilee clashes with the same date as the jazz festival, the two should come together and not be competing against one another.

I note that council has allocated £8,000 to cover any costs of the celebration, money that was budgeted for a residents’ weekend celebrate, an extension really of the ‘I Love Lyme Day’, which I was a part of two years ago.

In 2012, when the Queen was celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, Lyme put on a programme of events which was more extensive than any other town in Dorset after the mayor, Sally Holman, put together a small committee to organise the event, assisted by the Woodmead Halls Management Committee.

If I recall, it was a lovely weekend with loads of different events and crowned by the presence of two Chelsea Pensioners in the town.

Who will forget the crowd reaction when the two old soldiers, resplendent in their red tunics, joined the parade of local organisations, marching to the tune of ‘Boys Of The Old Brigade’.

One highlight of that weekend was the presentation of Honoured Citizens badges to members of the public who had gone over and above the call of duty in the community life of this town.

These were financed by the town council - but that was the only cost to the council tax payers. In planning the special weekend it emerged that not everyone in Lyme were enthusiastic royalists and they were asking why they should contribute towards the celebration via the rates.

Fair enough, we thought, everyone’s enti-

tled to their own opinion, and we decided that the weekend events should be self financing, as indeed they were.

I’ve never been one to believe that the town council should pay for everying outside its responsibilities to run the town.

That is why I’ve never called on the council to contribute a penny to the cost of the Red Arrows appearing in Lyme.

Eight thousand pounds is not a great deal to take out of the town council’s healthy reserves to give the townsfolk a bit of a knees-up.

But I have always believed that the council should act as enablers, and not organisers.

That’s not to say I have any objection to the coming together of the council and Jazz Jurassica. Its organiser, Julie Sheppard, does a splendid job and I’m really looking forward to this year’s festival which takes place between May 28 and

Friday, March 5 2021 7

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Mary Anning commemorated with coin collection LYME Regis’ famous fossil hunter Mary Anning is to be celebrated with a new commemorative 50p coin collection.

The Royal Mint has released three 50p coins depicting three Jurassic creatures, which can be purchased in a selection of gold proof, silver proof or coloured, ranging in price from £10 to £1,100.

The coins depict a depict a temnodontosaurus, a large-jawed marine reptile; a plesiosaurus, a large marine sauropterygian reptile; and a dimorphodon, a small flying reptile, along with Mary’s name and the dates the fossils were found.

The new coins, designed by paleo-artist Robert Nicholls, are part of the Royal Mint’s Tales of the Earth commemorative 50p series, which have been created with the Natural History Museum.

Clare Matterson, from the museum, said the collection “celebrates a pivotal figure in the understanding of palaeontology, important contributions to science that were rarely acknowledged in Mary’s lifetime.”

The coins also feature augmented reality and collected can scan them to unearth facts, clips and images about the prehistoric beasts.

You can purchase the coins on the Royal Mint website at www.royalmint.com/ourcoins/events/the-mary-anning-collection/ Mary was born in Lyme Regis in 1799 to a poor working class family and lived on the site

where Lyme Regis Museum now stands.

She collected and sold fossils from the Lyme Regis and Charmouth area from a young age, and her discoveries included the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton; the first two nearly complete plesiosaur skeletons; the first pterosaur skeleton located outside of Germany; and fish fossils.

During her lifetime she was not fully accepted in the scientific community because of her gender and class, but Mary is now known as one of the most influential women in the history of science.

Her life will be the subject of the much-anticipated film ‘Ammonite’, starring Kate Winslet, due to be released this year, and a campaign to raise a statue of the fossil hunter in Lyme Regis recently reached its £100,000 fundraising target.

She died in 1847, aged 47, of breast cancer.

A beach hut on Lyme Regis seafront – managed by Axminster and Lyme Regis Cancer Support for the sole use of those affected by cancer – was named after Mary in 2020.

David Tucker, director of Lyme Regis Museum, said: “The museum, built on the site of the home of Mary Anning, is delighted that the Royal Mint has chosen to mark her great contribution to science by issuing three set of 50p coins, reflecting the three significant fossil finds with which she is associated, the ichthyosaur, plesiosaur and dimorphon.

“We’re very pleased to have a very rare fossilled shark jaw discovered by Mary on display and our fantastic collections also reflect the wonderful fossils found in Lyme’s cliffs.

“As Lyme is the ‘home of palaeontology’, we take our responsibilities to promote her legacy and encourage people of all ages, espe-

cially the young, to learn about our local fossils.

“In normal times our museum takes over 6,000 people on to Lyme’s beaches so they can walk in Mary’s footsteps and discover their own fossils in safety – one has to be very cautious of tides and cliffs.”

Consultation to shape management of Lyme Regis harbour DORSET Council is developing a strategy to guide the development of the three harbours under their management over the next ten years, including in Lyme Regis.

The Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) has been working with Dorset Council Harbours Committee to develop this new strategy for Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme Regis harbours, which will unify them under Dorset Council management while recognising their unique qualities.

As part of this work, DCF carried out a public consultation in September and October 2020 to gain community input and help build a strategy that is supported by the communities and key stakeholders.

A report on the feedback received has now been released, revealing five main aspects of the harbours that were important to respondents: • Culture and heritage • Recreation and tourism • Marine safety and enforcement • Conservation and ecology • Economy/business growth/regeneration The report continues: “Dorset Council’s three harbours, Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme Regis, all have unique communities but have many of the same issues and barriers to development such as limited space for development and restricted access.

“However, the range of opportunities for each harbour varies due to spatial considerations, available infrastructure improvements and the desires of the community.”

Referring specifically to Lyme Regis harbour, the report said: “At Lyme Regis, similarly to Bridport, the management approach was generally praised. However, the same concerns about staffing levels were raised, especially during peak seasons and about the capacity of staff to enforce safety when covering both harbours.

“Respondents valued the mix of activities at the harbour and facilities were thought as adequate but could do with some improvements.

“Ideas for development at Lyme Regis harbour included improving the aging infrastructure to make it more resilient to climate

change, improving facilities, moorings and pontoons and centring the community in any future developments.

“There was a proportion of respondents who felt that there was not scope for change or were happy with the status quo.”

The report summarised responses to four key questions about Lyme Regis harbour as follows: How would you best describe the harbour?

Lyme Regis harbour is best described as a mixture of working and tourist harbour, friendly and traditional and not over commercialised. A good blend of fishing boats, leisure craft, local businesses and tourist attractions like the Cobb. The harbour is a rich in history and culture with a good location.

What works well?

The harbour master and assistant are friendly and supportive, and the management works well. The blend of commercial and leisure boats works well, as do the slipways, pontoons and access to the sea. There is a general satisfaction with the existing facilities with minor improvements but infrastructure improvements that could be made.

What does not work well?

There was concern that some boats entered the swimming areas and it was suggested to have defined areas for water sport activities.

Currently, personal watercraft (jet skis, etc.) are not allowed to launch from the harbour and there was a mixed opinion as to whether this should be allowed to happen.

In busy periods there were concerns about the congregation of pedestrians on slipways.

Traffic management, signage and vehicle access requires improvement. Access to pontoons can be difficult at times.

Maintenance and usage of buildings on the Cobb was highlighted as something that needs to be improved. There are not enough power outlets during busy periods. The aging infrastructure needs to be addressed.

Ideas and development opportunities Workshop attendees highlighted that infrastructure repairs are vital with flood defences needing to be considered with rising sea levels. It was felt that the cobb and harbour was one of the most valuable places in the town.

Photo by Glenn Patrick

Community events could be capitalised on and improved alongside implementing infrastructure that could attract people, e.g. underwater lights in the harbour and make better use of seasonality to attract visitors at less busy times.

It was suggested to look at opportunities for the personal watercraft users to launch by ensuring responsible practices and codes for registered owners to comply with. It was also raised to make better use of the Cobb buildings and promote businesses and facilities there but ensure heritage is kept.

The consultation took place through online workshops and surveys with harbour users, to seek views on what people think works well and what doesn’t work so well in regards to the management of the harbours, and also to gather ideas for how the harbours should develop over the next 10 years.

The Dorset Coast Forum and Dorset Council Harbours Committee have used this feedback, and other supporting information and documents, to form the basis of the strategy.

They are currently working with key stakeholders to ensure the direction of the strategy is supported and will be going back out to consultation with the wider public on this

draft strategy in summer 2021.

Cllr Mark Roberts, chairman of the Dorset Council Harbours Committee, said: “Thank you to all those who contributed to the first stage of consultation – we received 530 responses.

“It’s important we consult with harbour users and then the wider community to develop the Dorset Harbours Strategy to ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to air their views.

“We are working hard to ensure this strategy reflects the needs and aspirations of our community and will set out our vision for the future that is strongly supported.”

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, added: “Dorset Council continue to be committed to working with our communities to ensure they have a say on how our harbours are managed and are a place that they are proud to use for work or leisure.

“This new strategy will set out how our harbours can thrive, now, and in the future.”

For further information on the Dorset Harbours Strategy visit www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk/dorset-harbours-strategy

axminsternews

8 Friday, March 5 2021

■ THE latest crime figures released by police show there were 37 crimes in the wider Axminster area during January 2021.

These figures compares to 48 crimes the previous month and 49 during the same month in the previous year.

From the 37 recorded incidents in January 2021, 18 took place in Axminster Town and 19 in Axminster Rural, which covers the surrounding villages.

In Axminster Town, crimes included six incidents of anti-social behaviour, six of violence and sexual offences, two of criminal damage and arson, and four listed as 'other crimes'.

In Axminster Rural, crimes included nine incidents of violence and sexual offences, three of anti-social behaviour, three thefts, and four 'other crimes'.

Of these, four took place in Uplyme and Trinity Hill, four in the Raymonds Hill area, three in Musbury, two in Chardstock, two near Membury, one in Whitford, one in Kilmington, one in Wilmington and one near Ham.

■ FIRE crews were called out in the early hours of the morning to a domestic property fire at Colston, on the outskirts of Axminster.

Axminster and Chard fire crews was called to the scene at 3am following reports of a fire in the downstairs of a private property. On arrival, they found that one man had evacuated the property and there was no one else inside.

The man was suffered from the effects of smoke and the crew requested the attendance of the ambulance, treating him with oxygen therapy while they waited for it to arrive.

Crews from Charmouth and Martock were later requested to attend the incident.

The fire was contained to the room of origin but the rest of the property was significantly damaged by smoke. The cause of the fire was accidental.

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Axminster Property announces first tenant for Colyton Town Mill site

A NEW veterinary practice will be opening in Colyton this summer.

Jurassic Vets, based in Sidmouth, will be opening a new branch at the Colyton Town Mill site, currently being developed by Axminster Property.

The veterinary practice has been confirmed as the first tenant at the town mill, and will be taking two of the eight units, which are now being purpose-built for their use.

Jurassic Vets was opened in Sidmouth by Dr Peter Martin in 2014.

Announcing news of the expansion to Colyton, a statement from Jurassic Vets said: “Opening in summer 2021, this will not be just a branch practice, but a fully-equipped ‘sister’ surgery to our Sidmouth practice.

“Overlooking the River Coly in two units of the beautifully-restored and historic Colyton Mill, cat owners will enjoy relaxing in a separate feline-only waiting-area and consultation room, while all pet-owners will love the reserved on-site parking and the beautiful riverside location with spectacular views over the Axe Valley.

“Fully-equipped with comfortable consulting rooms, a modern operating theatre, digital X-ray facility, ultrasound imaging suite and separate cat and dog kennels, Jurassic Vets Colyton will be able to provide outstanding

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veterinary care for cats, dogs and smaller animals in Colyton, Seaton, Axminster and beyond.

“Sidmouth's pets will also benefit from this investment, with our busy Woolbrook Road practice being upgraded with advanced new dental X-ray equipment.”

Having stood empty for the best part of the 30 years, Axminster Property purchased the town mill site for one of its prestigious pension funds in July last year and has now started work on converting the original mill house into offices, and the more modern ad-

joining riverside workshop into units for light industrial use.

In total, the development will be made up of eight energy-efficient and accessible units that will breath new life into the Axe Valley economy and provide sustainable employment opportunities for residents of Colyton and the surrounding areas.

The development of the mill site follows Axminster’s Property’s successful renovation of Trinity House in Axminster, which is now in its later stages with two more retail units expected to open on the ground floor shortly.

Double celebration in Axminster when we come out of lockdown PLANS are already well advanced for a double celebration when Axminster comes out of lockdown.

During the centenary of the founding of the Royal British Legion, a special parade is being organised by the Axminster branch of the Royal British Legion to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the town's War memorial on the Minster Green.

This will be followed by a picnic on the Green to celebrate the coming out of lockdown.

Subject to the COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, the double celebration will take place on Saturday, July 17th.

The day will start at 12 noon with a parade through the town to the War Memorial led by the Royal British Legion followed by a short service conducted by the Legion Chaplain, the Reverend Geoffrey Walsh. It is hoped a number of Civic dignitaries will be in attendance, including the mayor of Axminster, Cllr Jill Farrow, MP Neil Parish and a representative of the Lord Lieutenant of Devon.

Axminster Carnival Committee will be assisting with the picnic on the Minster Green which will be open to all residents of Axminster. Having been given permission to use the Minster Green by the Rector, the Reverend Clive Sedgewick, the programme is currently being put together but there will definitely be a Punch and Judy show for children and input from local musical acts who are giving their services free.

AXMINSTER will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town war memorial on the Minster Green on July 21 with a parade, followed by a picnic on the green

The events are being co-ordinated by the new Legion chairman, former mayor Mervyn Symes, who told Nub News: "We are putting together a programme of events for this special day but we wanted to get the date out to all the people of Axminster so they can have plenty of notice.

"All our plans will be subject to any COVID19 restrictions at that time, but we are hoping we will finally be out of lockdown at that time and be back to somewhere near normality. We want to make it a day to remember for the people of Axminster after such a difficult time."

Full details will be published by Axminster Nub News when the programme is finalised.

Friday, March 5 2021 9

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Local contemporary artist Gavin Bird dies aged 52

LYME Regis artist Gavin Bird has died at the age of 52.

He will be well-remembered locally for the portraits he painted for John Fowles book ‘Lyme Worthies’.

Prior to this, he had gained recognition as a contemporary artist with work being

shown in a number of galleries in London and the UK, Europe and America. In more recent years became known for his still life paintings.

He leaves three sons and his partner, Nathalie David. The funeral has already taken place.

Lyme mourns well-known fundraiser and WWII veteran LYME Regis resident and well known fundraiser John Duncan died peacefully at home on February 13, aged 98, following a short illness.

He was known to many in Lyme Regis for his volunteering with Save the Children, the RNLI, St Michael’s Parish Church and the Abbeyfield Society.

John was born on January 27 1923 in Beckenham, Kent, the eldest of four boys and one girl, and attended school in Beckenham.

The Second World War put paid to his ambitions of going to university to read history, and in 1942 was posted by the RAF to India, and later to Burma, to work in radar.

At the time radar was relatively new and it involved a considerable amount on skill to use co-ordinates to identify the position of enemy aircraft.

John greatly enjoyed these challenges and at o e stage was sent to train the US radar operators when they arrived in India. He returned to the UK in 1946.

After the war, John joined the family building business, Syme & Duncan Ltd, which had been founded in the 1860s. He had little formal training and, given the pressures on the company to help repair war damaged buildings, he had to learn on the job.

He married Audrey in 1951 and they went on to have two sons ans two daughters. As their children grew up,

the couple also fostered 21 children, which John greatly enjoyed having around at home.

He retired in the early 1980s when he and Audrey moved to Lyme Regis and volunteer work then became his new life.

He was the treasurer of both Abbeyfield and the parish church up until last year, as well as helping to raise funds for Save the Children.

John had a long association with Abbeyfield and in 2017 was presented with a lifetime award for his contribution to the society During Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week he would organise the sand sports races and judging of the sandcastle competition, as well as collecting.

As a sporting fan, he led football training at the Woodroffe School for a short time, and enjoyed cricket from a very early age, playing for his local team from about 1939.

He played league cricket at a high level into the 1950s as the team’s

opening left-hand bat, eventually playing his last game for the club aged 67.

John wife Audrey died in 2014 and he is survived by his four children William, Mary, Patricia and David together with 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, many of whom live locally.

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Jazz Jurassica announces it will be going ahead JAZZ Jurassica, the four-day jazz and blues festival in Lyme Regis, will go ahead at the end of May say organisers.

After a year in lockdown, Jazz Jurassica will kick off this year’s summer festival season with a bumper line up, featuring performers and sounds from around the globe.

After receiving special funding from the Arts Council to stage a socially-distanced festival, organisers are confident they can press ahead over the spring Bank Holiday weekend.

This will follow the planned reopening of indoor venues across the country on May 17.

This year’s line-up features exuberant AfroCuban music, gritty blues from the Mississippi Delta, New Orleans boogie-woogie, vintage ragtime and 60s soul, and much more, says festival director Julie Sheppard.

“We’ve chosen a diverse mix of music to attract those who’d never consider going to a ‘jazz’ festival,” she said.

“And we’ve sourced music from around the world, so even if you can’t jet away to exotic shores just yet, you’ll be able to enjoy the sounds of the Caribbean, New Orleans and Mississippi on your doorstep” Programme highlights include a 17-piece Latin big band, Martin Harley’s (pictured right) new electric blues and a show-stopping soul music revue recreating the 60s and 70s favourite soul classics.

Julie added: “Tickets are now on sale and the full programme is up on our website. We can’t wait for the return of live music.

“There’ll be over 100 musicians playing over the weekend and lots of music to enjoy for free. It’s been a difficult 18 months for festivals, and we aim to make up for it.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Please note these provisional dates are subject to coronavirus restrictions and may be liable to change or events may be held virtually.

Visit www.lyme-online.co.uk for the latest updates.

April 4 - Easter Bonnet Parade April 24 - eat:Lyme Regis May 1 to 2 - Lyme Regis Fossil Festival May 9 - May Fete May 9 - Blessing of the Boats May 28 to 31 - Jazz Jurassica June 12 - Uplyme Fete June 19 - Guitars On The Beach June 27 - Coast to Coast Motorcycle Run July 3 - B Sharp Busking Festival July 3 - Lyme Regis Sausage & Cider Festival July 3 - Sailing Club Centenary Sail Past July 10 - Uplyme & Lyme Regis Summer Show July 17 - Lyme Regis Day of Morris July 21 - Somers Day Parade July 24 to 31 - Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week

“As a small independent festival, in an iconic location, we’ll blaze a trail for live music over the spring Bank Holiday weekend”.

Because of social distancing the number of tickets will be halved compared with previous years so those interested are advised to book soon to avoid disappointment.

“And they can book with complete confidence as we’re guaranteeing full and automatic refunds should we have to cancel,” Julie added.

Jazz Jurassica will be held from Friday, May 28 to Monday, May 31 and you can find full details and buy tickets via the website www.jazzjurassica.co.uk

August 7 to 8 - Sailing Club Centenary Regatta August 7 to 14 - Regatta & Carnival Week August 14 - Lyme Regis Gig Regatta August 27 to 30 - Lyme Folk Weekend September 2 to 3 - Landance September 12 - Lyme Splash November 6 - Bonfire Night & Fireworks November 14 - Remembrance Sunday November 27 - Christmas Light Switch On December 16 to 19 - Christmas Tree Festival December 22 - Carols Around the Tree January 1 2022 - Lyme Lunge

Working Lyme to Five HAVE I told you? I’m sure I have. I needed to earn some extra clubbing money so got a job with McDonalds, but was gutted when they gave me the heave-ho. Apparently, I didn’t ‘hustle’ enough… the Bedford Big Mac hustle is a thing, trust me.

At the time, I was gutted, given I had a big night out planned. But drinking money aside, I can remember ducking behind the chip fryer a few times when someone I knew came in. It’s one thing being paid handsomely for frying French fries, it’s quite another being seen doing it, especially when you’re 17.

Anyway, where is this going you ask? Well, one of the great things about working and living in Lyme is the number of people you get to know and recognise, so invariably, when I go for a walk down to the seafront, I will meet someone who knows me and we will stop and chat.

My job at the Marine Theatre linked me up with masses of people and now my job at The Royal Standard is doing the same, and I love it.

For instance, I met the forthright Geoff Baker when I was heading along the seafront past the beach huts there; he was up top walking along Marine Parade and we stopped for a good old chinwag. Haven’t seen him in the Standard yet and, now he’s moving to the shires, don’t suppose I will.

But I have met the very cheerful and chummy lot from Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy. According to Maisy, they traditionally spend their last day of term at the Standard, and they would be the last to leave after closing time.

This was of course pre-COVID but I am looking forward to seeing them again when

the pub reopens in April.

You can learn quite a lot about bending, bilge keels and the after body, whilst you take their food orders.

I only saw them during the winter months when they were dressed in several layers and woolly hats looking more like the explorer Captain Scott than the seafaring Ben Ainslie.

Talking of taking orders, landlady Rachael tells me they have upgraded to iPads so no more barely legible handwritten notes to send up in the lift, I will be able to beam food orders from table to kitchen in lightning speed!

And about that lift, or as it’s known in the trade, dumbwaiter. Am I allowed to use that expression? Dumbwaiter I mean, or has it been added to the PiC list?

Anyway, political correctness aside, it’s had a facelift too. Well, to be more precise, a rope lift. The old cord was threadbare, so a replacement was needed, but there isn’t much call for that kind of gear nowadays. But I bet the boatbuilders have a halyard or two spare.

So anyway, going back to meeting people in my place of work, I had a shift in the wonderful Monmouth Pantry where I not only met Geoff again but also the very glamorous Margaret, volunteer extraordinaire at the theatre.

Unlike McDonalds I was only too happy to be recognised, despite my facemask, but like McDonalds I didn’t last, I think I need to work on my hustle.

Sophia Moseley

PORTRAITS of Lyme Regis lifeboat crew’s operations manager Nick Marks (left), and crew members Tim Edwards (centre) and Brian Street. Below, Tom Wallis sits for a portrait by Maria Barbashina

Artist Maria puts Lyme Regis lifeboat crew in the picture A LYME Regis artist has launched a portrait-painting project involving nearly 30 members of the town’s voluntary lifeboat crew.

Maria Barbashina, 38, offered to paint the portraits and some 26 crew members have volunteered for a 90 minute sitting.

Maria, who trained as an artist in Russia from the age of 12, specialises in portraits and still life.

Her first lifeboat crew subject was volunteer operations manager Nick Marks and he was followed by sea-going crew members,

including senior helm Tim Edwards.

Maria said: “I enjoy a challenge and like to choose subjects who I feel play an important role in local life.

“I hope my portraits will help to promote the volunteer duties of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.

“I also find this sort of project a very nice way to meet new and interesting people.

Nick Marks said: “It’s a great project which Maria has offered us and one day we may have a display of the portraits in the lifeboat station.”

12 Friday, March 5 2021

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A trip down memory lane...

READY TO GO TO WAR: These young men lied about their ages to sign up for the Dorsets after the start of World War Two. Aged 16/17, they were members of the Local Defence Volunteers (later to become the Home Guard).

Pictured above are Reg Evans, Sammy Wheeler, John Curtis and Tom Hodder. Does anyone know who the young man on the left is? Top left is the LDV Lyme detachment.

Poetry Corner

Send your local poems to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNIT Y PAPER

The council meeting A wild day at the beach

By Nigel Ball Finance is on this evening, dear to my heart, To balance the books we better make a start, The chairman on top form, first item is the famous public forum, Up only one member to speak, this is the norm for them.

The items to get through are but so many, So let's kick off or we will never get to watch the tele, Entertaining is far from what it is, We have got yet again some exceptional biz.

We come to items Covid related and more, All I want to do at this point is shut the Zoom door, I did warn you I would put my hand up if councillors were rude, And half way through I got my wish a brief interlude.

■ AN early photo of Lyme Regis Junior School in Kingsway - prior to the current St Michael’s Primary School - taken in 1973/4 and provided by Jim Moseley. Those pictured include Philip Moseley, Poppy Williams and the youngest son of Richard and Marlyn Fox. Can you name anymore?

If you would like to share an old photo of Lyme Regis people or places, send it to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk or you can post it to LymeOnline, Unit 5 Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS. If you include a return address we will scan the photo and send it back.

Stop bickering, it’s no good for the town You could see on Zoom that several gave a frown, Silence as all people were stunned, seconds it lasted, I hope we don't get any more of a blasting.

Come on you councillors of Lyme, the bulk of you are good, Why do some want brownie points do they think they should, Stop poking and twisting to get what want and your way, Let's have a quiet and collective meeting to send us on our way.

By Christine Anderson

Oh what a wonderful day, wild, windy and warm, But here is a tree trunk on the beach, brought in by the recent storm.

The power of the waves, the strength of the tides, it really makes you feel small, To think a tree can bob along, as if it's nothing at all.

I sit and marvel at the sea, it makes me feel inspired, To write, to paint or just sit and think, whenever I feel tired.

So, Nature is the Boss here, we adjust our lives to suit, Who do we think we are, if we think we can pillage and loot, Our beautiful planet, it's powerful seas, the stars that shine at night.

It's up to us, the human race, to do now what we know is right.

Fame at last for Mary Anonymous

Mary Anning found the time, To let me visit her in Lyme.

She sent a note inviting me, To join her in a cup of tea, And then a walk along the shore, To seek another dinosaur.

So then I thought I’d drop a hint, That I’d been sent down by the Mint, To ask if she’d agree to be, An image on the 50p.

And Mary shyly, eyes downcast, Whispered, rightly, ‘Fame at last’!

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Friday, March 5 2021 13

PROMOTED CONTENT

LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL CORPORATE PLAN 2021 - 2026

W

E are approaching the end of the second year of the council elected in 2019 and one of the impacts of COVID-19 has meant that unusually this report covers two years 2019-2020.

A lot has happened during the period. One of the effects of lockdown and restriction, and the passing of time, means it’s easy to forget what it has meant to deal with things during this unprecedented time.

Challenging enough but even more so for a newly elected council and it is therefore all the more important that we remind ourselves of what has been achieved in the last 24 months - two highly significant years.

A period that also introduced us to the new experiences of Skype, Zoom and virtual meetings; Furlough and remote-working; social-distancing; local levels of improvisation - even a ‘drive-in’ carol service, and the much-valued ‘community support’ initiative which gave support to residents across the town.

2019 was a progressive year - there was more scaffolding in Lyme's Broad Street than ever, with practically every business improving their premises. The uplift, investment and appearance of Lyme was remarkable.

There was and still is a want to make our town a 'destination of choice' with a focus on quality over quantity to help Lyme's sustainability, and underline the small but special seaside place it is.

For our part as a town council, we listened to the concerns expressed by residents for the state of our beach areas and waste collection - we fixed both and the area has never looked better.

We undertook a complete refurbishment of our seafront public toilets and raised them to a standard we’ve never had before; we improved the Woodland Walk and transformed the area by installing feature lighting.

Local groups and societies were awarded substantial new annual and term grants, and we set about formulating plans for the life of the new Council.

Wendy and I attended an incredible number of invited functions and events locally in Lyme and across Dorset - whether a fundraising or celebratory event, a civic or social gathering, all were accepted and provided the opportunity to represent Lyme and help promote and support all the different interests concerned. Thank you to Wendy for

The Money

Lyme Regis Town Council is different from most councils; over 90 per cent of its income comes from its own assets.

Income from these assets gives the town council financial strength and independence which means it has been able to freeze the precept to local householders for 9 out of the last ten years, fund projects and provide grants to local organisations.

During 2020, Covid-19 had an adverse effect on the town council’s finances; income loss is estimated at £250,000 and additional expenditure is estimated at £50,000. The main areas of income loss were car parking and the temporary closure of the chalet and caravan park: the main areas of additional expenditure were increased supervision, additional cleaning and extended opening hours for Marine Parade toilets, and the employment of a security company to tackle anti- social behaviour.

To control expenditure, most of the council’s planned projects were put on hold. The one exception was the re-surfacing of the roof below the seafront gardens; this was a £650,000 project which was contractually committed at the onset of Covid-19.

Despite significant losses early in the financial year, the council’s income improved with the easing of lockdown in June 2020.

being with me throughout and her tireless support.

Thanks also to Alan (our town crier) and Lynne Vian for their support and all they do for Lyme and good causes.

As 2019 went to 2020 COVID appeared into our world and despite the impact it has had we adjusted and continued to deliver to our plans and commitments.

We dramatically improved the Langmoor Gardens with extensive work to lift its whole appearance and maintenance; we also improved and raised the level of maintenance in the cemetery both have brought appreciative comments from residents and visitors.

We have installed new seafront beach huts, and new benches along a huge expanse of the parade, - they’ve been used a great deal, and again we’ve had many thanks expressed by both residents and visitors.

We’ve installed new play equipment in Henry’s Way play area and planted commemorative trees in Anning Road Playing Fields to mark the 75th anniversary of WW2 and VE Day. Local groups and organisations have continued to receive annual and term grants which, although reduced, are still very much higher than other comparable Dorset towns; we continued to subsidize the town’s local bus service, and we also gave a vital and significant sum donation to St Michael’s Church tower – at nearly 1,000 years old in parts, Lyme’s only Grade I listed building.

With respect to our own assets, we have resurfaced the seafront shelters roof – a ‘once-in-a-generation’ 50-year legacy, an essential and hugely significant commitment undertaken only a couple of months before COVID was known of.

We have re-acquired our office ground floor to provide long-needed better public access and improved necessary working space, and we have carried out essential restorative work to the Guildhall.

Less visible but nevertheless important has been the resolving of legacy issues in the Monmouth Beach area which properly formalises long-term arrangements for all concerned. We are also looking to apply environmental benefit to our assets and incorporate climate change initiatives where we can.

We have significantly grown our relationships with other councils and organisations in the last two years, and this has proved beneficial in addressing common areas and issues, particularly

2021-22

The council’s forecast reserve at the beginning of April 2021 is £620,000.

Before starting non-essential projects, the council intends to increase this reserve to £850,000; this is equal to 50 per cent of the council’s income.

A reserve of £850,000 is considered enough to allow the council to respond to unplanned emergencies.

The council’s income and expenditure budgets for 2021-22 include known income along with routine expenditure essential to the council’s operation.

They are c.£1,700,000 and c.£1,300,000, respectively, and produce a budget surplus of c.£400,000. So, achieving a reserve of £850,000 is highly likely during the year. Only then will the council release non-essential funding.

The council is confident enough about its finances to freeze the precept charged to the town’s residents in 2021-22; the precept is held at £64 for a council tax band D property.

The budget also includes £75,000 grant funding to local organisations.

those that COVID later presented. This should continue to prove useful post-virus as its legacy the changes it has brought and the resultant economic squeeze, will continue to challenge us and all other towns and councils.

So much has been achieved in the last two years and COVID-19 has made it all the more remarkable given the restrictive measures within which we had to work.

Our finances are good, which given the £350,000 fall in income due to the COVID lockdown in the spring months of 2020 and the essential once-in-a-generation £650,000 resurfacing of the seafront shelters roof committed to just ahead of the unknown COVID and the global impact it would have on all of us, represents a significant result.

The nature of Lyme businesses and the heavy dependency on tourism as its principal income has required a resourcefulness and resilience the town has rarely had to call upon. It is much to Lyme's credit that the town has responded in the positive way it has and in doing so has shown its sustainability and the means to maintain and provide all that people will expect of Lyme this summer and into the future.

For our part, the Town Council has completed some significant things and brought a bearing in the last two years that will bring benefit for future years. Lyme has the prospect of being a destination of choice, a great place to live, and the place we all continue to cherish.

Thank you to council member colleagues; John Wright as clerk and all council staff; Daryl Turner as our Dorset councillor; Chris Loder MP; local businesses and media coverage; the very long list of groups and volunteers who gave their time and energy to all that’s been done; and thank you to all residents of Lyme for your support and resilience in the last two remarkable years.

Looking ahead

As well as producing an annual budget, the council has a rolling five-year financial plan to 31 March 2026.

The five-year plan incorporates known income along with routine expenditure essential to the council’s operation. It excludes inflation, price increases, nonessential projects and major purchase which can be deferred. The council’s five-year financial plan has a surplus of just under £400,000 each year.

These surpluses will be used to achieve the council’s agreed objectives, projects and major purchases which are grouped into three priorities: Priority 1 - Members IT (£11,000), Office Refurbishment (£100,000), Gardens Refurbishment (£15,000), EV Charging Pods (£7,200), Water Meters (£5,000), New Chipper (£15,000), Seafront Railings (£50,000), CCTV (£5,000), Asset Management Strategy (£10,000).

Priority 2 - Lighting Columns (£80,000), Replacement Mule (£15,000).

Priority 3 - Beach Hut Replacement (£32,000), Residents Weekend (£8,000), New Amenity Hut (£25,000), Cadet Hut (£100,000), Ford Transit (£15,000), Courier Van (£15,000), Replace Car Park Machines (£50,000), Chapel Roof (£10,000), Lengthsmans’ Vehicle (£20,000), Free Town Bus (subject to contract) (£13,000), Tractor (£60,000).

The content on this page is promoted by Lyme Regis Town Council

Cllr Brian Larcombe Mayor of Lyme Regis

Ships, wine and water 14 Friday, March 5 2021

www.lyme-online.co.uk

WEIGHING UP THE SHIPS ALONG THE DORSET COAST

L

IKE many coastal towns, Lyme Regis was once home to a shipbuilding industry with shipyards flourishing around the Cobb.

According to the Lyme Regis Museum, the largest vessel recorded as being built in the town was a 475 ton, full-rigged ship called Salacia in 1853.

Shipbuilding inevitably declined, but the Boat Building Academy continues this tradition of building sea craft in the town. Formed in 1997, this ensures that the craftmanship and skills needed for boat building continue to flourish.

Living by Lyme Bay, we can still watch all sorts of boats and ships even if they are not built here. For the most part, these are small fishing vessels or pleasure craft, but occasionally something bigger arrives in the bay to provide a bit of excitement.

This happened recently when the cruise ships Marella Discovery and Marella Explorer 2 were anchored off West Bay during Storm Darcy.

Searching for some facts on the web, I established that the 866 feet long Discovery has a gross tonnage of 69,130 tons and a displacement of 34,837 tons, whilst the 814 feet long Explorer 2 has a gross tonnage of 72,458 tons and a summer deadweight of 7,260 tons. Impressive numbers, but what do they all mean?

Confusingly, tonnage is sometimes used as a measure of volume not weight. This arises because the word “ton” originates from the old English word “tun”, which was the name for a large wine cask with a volume of 252 gallons.

Tonnage or “tunnage” was therefore introduced as crude measure of volume so that ships could be taxed according to the value of their cargo or passenger capacity. As a full wine tun weighed 2,240 pounds or one ton, it is also the origin of our Imperial unit of weight.

Just to perplex us even more, it appears that there are at least eight different measures of a modern ship’s tonnage! Let us consider just four of these nautical terms.

The “lightweight tonnage” of a ship is basically the weight of a ship as it was built in the shipyard - the basic materials that go into making a ship’s hull, decks, and machinery – this is what would be used to measure the

SCIENCE FEATURE

by Professor Glenn Patrick

Professor Glenn Patrick is a particle physicist and science communicator who explores the quantum world of sub-atomic particles (including at the Large Hadron Collider) and now lives in Lyme Regis scrap value of a ship.

Then, we have the “deadweight tonnage”, which is a measure of the cargo carrying capacity and comprises the weight of all the cargo, fuel, provisions, supplies and crew on board the ship – an important measure for tankers and cargo ships.

For passenger ships though, it is another measure called “gross tonnage” that is of prime interest to customs and excise officers as this is a measure of the total internal volume of a ship and is calculated using a mathematical formula.

It has nothing to do with weight and represents the space in the ship that can be used for cargo and passengers – very useful for taxes, duties, port, and pilotage fees!

Finally, we have “displacement tonnage” which is the total weight of the volume of water that is “displaced” by a ship when it is sitting in the water at her designed waterline.

This is the real weight of a ship and is equal to the deadweight plus the lightweight tonnage.

A good example is the Queen Mary 2, which has also been anchored off the Dorset coast.

Her displacement tonnage - what she would weigh if you could put her on a set of scales is 76,000 tons. This varies according to her actual deadweight, which can reach about 19,000 tons.

Her gross tonnage, though, is listed at a mighty 149,000 tons, but remember that this is a measure of the volume of the ship not its weight.

We also have the added complication of the actual units that we use for tonnage – there are long tons, short tons and tonnes! The British/Imperial ton or “long ton” is equal to 2,240 pounds whereas the US “short ton” used by our friends across the pond - is equal to 2,000 pounds.

Since metrication in the UK and for the rest

THE USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier anchored in the Solent

SEVERAL cruise ships anchored in Weymouth Bay during the pandemic. Below, Marella Discovery and Marella Explorer 2 cruise ships anchored off West Bay in February Photos by Glenn Patrick

of Europe, we also have the “tonne”, also known as a metric ton, which is equal to 1,000 kg or 2204.6 pounds.

The difference between these units is only around 12 per cent, but such differences matter especially when you are dealing with large objects or large distances as encountered in space travel.

On reaching Mars in 1999 after 10 months and travelling 416 million miles, the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft was lost by NASA just as it was due to go into orbit around the red planet. The reason? One piece of software built by a team performed its calculations in US units, but then passed its results to another piece of software written by another team that worked in metric units!

Returning to ships, I have been lucky enough to be invited to lecture aboard several of the cruise ships that have been anchored around the Dorset and Devon coast.

Like others, when I see the decks full of passengers and all the consumables needed for a voyage, I cannot help marvelling at how they keep afloat.

Occasionally, we also get to see impressive military ships along the south coast. The most imposing I have seen is the nuclearpowered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt – also known as the ‘Big Stick’. With over 5,000 crew, it was so large that it could not enter Portsmouth naval base in 2015 and had to anchor in the Solent.

Fortunately, I was able to take a boat trip to view the carrier bristling with missiles and

F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters. Being a warship, the important measure is displacement tonnage running in at a muscular 104,600 long tons.

At 1,092 feet long – almost the height of the Empire State Building - and constructed out of 60,000 tons of steel, again I could not help, but respect its ability to float. There is a clue in the fact that the carrier has 4,000 compartments and spaces.

This is all down to the Greek scientist Archimedes who according to legend leapt from his bath and ran naked down the street shouting “Eureka” after he discovered the principle of buoyancy.

When applied to ships, Archimedes Principle states that the buoyant force exerted on an object in water is equal to the weight of fluid displaced. If the downward force of gravity is less than the upward buoyant force, the object will float.

We must admire the ingenuity of the engineers who design massive ships weighing hundreds of thousands of tonnes such that they displace enough water that they float. It is all down to the shape of the ship and the air trapped inside those internal compartments.

Provided the total density of the ship is less than the same volume of water, the ship floats. If the density of the ship exceeds that of the water – for example if water enters the vessel – it sinks.

Ship building has come a long way since the days of Archimedes, but his principle still rules the waves!

www.lyme-online.co.uk

FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

Friday, March 5 2021 15

Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer

DURING the past 12 months of virus mayhem, who would have spared a thought that two years ago we were all feeling so proud that our tiny town was to star in yet another Hollywood blockbuster movie.

Director Francis Lee, Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, along with co-star Saoirse Ronan and the rest of the cast, all descended on our seaside paradise for the filming of ‘Ammonite’ and the town made them more than welcome.

I watched Kate, who played Lyme’s 18th century fossil hunter Mary Anning, talking about the film on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ last weekend; she mentioned a few locals and spoke very highly about working in Lyme Regis.

We now have to wait for the BAFTA and Oscar awards to see if our town played a small part in winning a prestigious award… an Oscar would be nice!

Pictured left, Saoirse Ronan with director Francis Lee heading off-set after a days filming.

■ TO mark the UK release of ‘Ammonite’, Lyme Regis Media Ltd, which publishes LymeOnline, will be releasing a special souvenir book in April called ‘The Making of Ammonite’.

The book will feature many of Richard Austin’s photographs taken during filming in Lyme Regis.

We’ll be releasing more details, including where you can buy a copy of the book, in the coming weeks.

16 Friday, March 5 2021

Local Services

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To advertise your business in LymeOnline’s Local Services section for as little as £8 per issue, call 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

classifieds&jobs

Friday, March 5 2021 17

www.lyme-online.co.uk

ITEMS FOR SALE

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ITEMS TO SELL?

You can advertise items for sale up to £200 free by filling in the form below or emailing francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

Please note this service is only for private sellers, not for commercial items, tradespeople or vehicles. Please include a brief description of your item, the cost and a telephone number where a buyer may contact you.

If you wish to advertise an item over £200 your advertisement will cost 10p per word, please email or phone us to arrange payment. Please also include your name and address, although this will not be published.

SINDY dune buggy and caravan, very good condition, £38 - 01297 442627.

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Email your items for sale to edit@lyme-online.co.uk or post details to LymeOnline, Unit 5 Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3DB. Free for any item up to £200.

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Send this form to: Items For Sale, LymeOnline, Unit 5, Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS

Lyme Regis Town Council Amenities’ Assistant Start 2nd April 2021 Fixed term initially until 31st October 2021

Looking for a local business?

Search for Lyme Regis shops, restaurants, businesses, tradesmen and more on the LymeOnline Local Directory To ensure your business is listed, call Francesca Evans on 07810 221 420 or email edit@lyme-online.co.uk

Visit: www.lyme-online.co.uk/local-directory

Minimum of 7 hours per week, Monday to Sunday, between 9am and dusk Salary: £9.62 per hour This role involves managing the council’s amenities’ facility in the Lister Gardens, taking payment, and issuing tickets and equipment for mini golf, putting green and table tennis There are set hours, 3pm-dusk on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, but there may be the possibility of other shifts to cover colleague absence Application packs can be downloaded from www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/job-vacancies or can be requested from support services manager Adrianne Mullins E: admin@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk T: 01297 445175 The closing date for applications is 5pm on Thursday 19th March 2021 Interviews will be held via Zoom on Friday 26th March 2021

LymeOnline Sport

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Friday, March 5 2021 18

March 5 2021

football

Season to start again but teams don’t have to apply NO PENALTY IF CLUBS WITHDRAW THE Devon and Exeter League, in which two Lyme Regis FC team compete, have agreed to relaunch the 2020-21 season but teams do not have to participate if they don’t want to.

That was the surprise news received by teams last evening when it was expected the D & E would follow the decision by the South West Peninsular League to void the current season because of the back log of fixtures.

The news was released in an email to all club from league secretary Neil Anthony.

The statement said: “Restarting this season from Monday, March 29, with the aim of finishing the season by the end of May. “Every team within the league has a choice as to whether they continue or not. There will be no fine for teams withdrawing at this stage.

“There will be no promotion or relegation at the end of season, only movement due to withdrawals etc. (depending on the outcome as to whether we revert back to non-re-

PHILIP EVANS

philip@lyme-online.co.uk gional divisions).

“This decision must be achieved so that a constitution can be compiled for the AGM. “Teams that request to continue and fail to fulfill a fixture, will be fined £20 and have a point deducted. If they fall foul on three occasions, they will be deemed unable to finish the season and be withdrawn from their division with immediate effect.

“If both teams fail to fulfill a fixture other than COVID or weather issues, both will be fined £20 and deducted a point.

“Each team must field at least seven players that were registered with their club before December 31.

“Change three substitutes to five and also allow rolling substitutes.

“Teams withdrawing will have all their results expunged from League Tables.

“Withdrawing team players will still be registered to their clubs until the end of the season, but players will

be allowed to transfer up to the April 14, these transfers will not need permission from their registered club, other transfers will need to be as per SCOR. “The above conditions will have to be sanctioned by the Devon County FA and The FA if necessary.

“Our referees have been contacted re their availability and only a few not wishing to continue.

SPECTATORS ALLOWED

BY END OF MAY “If the season is finished, the winners of each division will be presented with a plaque from the DEFL and our sponsors award (no individual medals). The only play-off necessary would be the premier divisions. Hopefully by the end of May spectators will be allowed.

Lyme Regis 1st team competes in the D & E Premier East Division and have another 17 games to play to complete their fixtures. The number of games not played has been reduced by two because of University having to withdraw.

Lyme Regis play. in Division One

East and have 18 games to play.

This does not effect Lyme Rovers as they play in the Perry Street League where no decision has been confirmed.

The Dorset League has suspended all league matches but will continue to fulfil the cup competitions which could also impact on Lyme as the first team still in the Dorset Senior Trophy.

Club chairman Howard Larcombe said the matter would go before the committee who would be guided by the managers and with the feelings of the players taken into account.

No decision has been made by the Perry Street League yet but it is believed the majority of the clubs think the season should be halted.

The league management committee will be making a decision on Monday and then but would have to be ratified by an EGM. Although games could start again on March 29, social facilities at the Davey Fort clubhouse could not fully resume until the pubs reopen.

cricket

League games to start in May WITH an end to the recreational sporting lockdown i in sight, it looks hopeful that local cricket can start again on May 1st.

League cricket was among the sports given the go-ahead to resume activity from March 29th following publication of the government’s roadmap back to normality last week.

Fixtures for the Tolchards Devon Cricket League were drawn up some time ago and are due to run for 18 weeks from May 1st. Devon League officials are confident the competition will be begin from May 1st.

Phil Bees, the league’s fixture secretary, said: “Providing the four government requirements are met, and outside sport recommences on March 29, clubs will be able to organise a full pre-season “We see no reason at this stage why we can’t have a complete season starting on May 1.”

End of league season for top East Devon teams THE league season is over for the first teams of three East Devon football clubs – Axminster Town, Sidmouth Town and Honiton (writes Philip Evans)

The South West Peninsular League has decided to curtail the 2020-2021 season with immediate effect, despite the fact the government has indicated that football can recommence as from March 29.

A statement from the league said: “Taking into account views of clubs and leagues, it was decided that extending the 2020-21 season beyond the end of May 2021 would not be a viable option.

“This was due to various considerations, including the financial implications for many

clubs, player contracts and the extent of the fixture scheduling issues caused by the national lockdown and various postponements which had resulted in there being 81 per cent of matches left to complete for Steps 3 and 4, and 75 per cent at Steps 5 and 6.

“Taking into account the survey results and the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which continues to adversely affect incomes for clubs due to restrictions on both spectators and hospitality, The FA’s Alliance and Leagues Committees have reached a consensus that subject to the approval of FA Council, the 2020-21 league season for Steps 3-6 of the NLS should be curtailed with immediate effect, with no further

league matches taking place this season.”

However, it does not mean that no football will be played as the League are looking into the viability of staging two cup competitions in April and May. A draft proposal has been sent out to all clubs seeking their views prior to a Board meeting on March 10.

Entry to the two competitions will be free but prize money structure is still to be agreed. The two cups proposed include a knock-out and a group cup, which will ensure club would have at least five matches to play and at least two would be at home (three if drawn at home in knock-out cup).

Regionalisation has been factored in too.

■ AXMINSTER Town have parted company with their first team management duo of

Josh Stunnell and John Clements.

A statement from club chairman Andrew Hurford said: “Axminster Town FC have parted company with 1st team manager Josh Stunnell and his assistant John Clements.

“It was decided that after three seasons together that the club needed a fresh approach with the priority of building a 1st team squad that can compete in the top half of the division.

“We would like to thank both Josh and John for their efforts especially during a difficult period for the club off the pitch. Applicants for the 1st team management will be sought in due course.”

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