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FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME & CHARMOUTH ● FORTNIGHTLY ● APRIL 17 2020 ● www.lyme-online.co.uk
Keeping busy on the beach
EASTER BONNETS ON VIRTUAL PARADE SE E 12 & 13
Hix restaurants and guest house in administration THE two Lyme Regis businesses run by celebrity chef Mark Hix have been placed in administration by their parent company, casting doubt over the future of the Oyster & Fish House in Cobb Road and the Townhouse in Pound Street. Mr Hix sold his company four and a half years ago to Westbury Street Holdings (WSH), a London-based hospitality company with an £850 million turnover, but used his own finances to secure a 25 per cent stake in the restaurants he ran in London and Lyme Regis. Whilst Mr Hix, 57, was aware of the decision and understood why it was necessary, he has stressed that it was not decision. REPORT, PAGE 3
Road closed after wall struck for second time
FROM beach art to baking classes, Lyme Regis residents are finding new ways to keep themselves entertained as they get used to life on ‘lockdown’. Impressive sand art desgins appeared on the beach last week, much to the delight of those visiting the seafront for their daily exercise. Others have been enjoying sports, cooking, gardening, puzzles, crafts and online events including quiz nights and cooking classes at home. See page 8 for full story. Photo by Paul Starck
Boost for support group
COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP RECEIVES £3,000 GRANT
COMMUNITY efforts to help the Lyme Regis’ most vulnerable through the coronavirus pandemic have been given a boost of £3,000.
The Lyme Regis Community Support Group was set up to help
residents in need during the epidemic and it has now received grant funding of £3,000. Lyme Regis Town Council has been working with the new support group to secure the grant from Dorset Community Foundation.
The support group was set up through Facebook after local residents Victoria Cottle and Grace Herbert expressed concerns about help needed for the elderly and vulnerable. With help from town councillor Cheryl Reynolds and fellow Lyme
resident Fran Williams, they have now built a network of more than 100 volunteers. Councillor Reynolds explained that the money would be used in special circumstances, for example to reimburse volunteers for CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
A WALL at the top of Woodmead Road has been struck by a lorry for the second time in two months. The stone wall outside Springfield House at the junction of Woodmead Road and Silver Street partially collapsed after being hit by an articulated lorry in February. It was thought to have been hit by a second lorry travelling up the narrow road again last week. REPORT, PAGE 3
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Published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth. Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Contributors: Philip Evans philip@lyme-online.co.uk Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Regular Columnists: Sophia Moseley, Marine Theatre Mark Vandeweyer, Citizens Advice Peter Lacey, Tales of Lyme’s Past Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk
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Turn Lyme Green chairman expressed hope for stability, resilience and support in annual report
T
HE chairman of environmental group Turn Lyme Green has released her annual report, hoping for “stability, resilience, support and peace in a world of turbulence”.
Jo Smith Oliver has released her report, despite the group’s annual general meeting having to be postponed due to the coronavirus epidemic. It covers the main projects both Turn Lyme Green and its subsidiary group Plastic Free Lyme Regis have carried out over the past year to make Lyme Regis a more environmentally-friendly community, which the chairman described as a “great selling point” for the town. She wrote: “It is a pleasure again to present the annual report. There has been excellent cohesion in both the main steering group and in the ongoing development of Plastic Free Lyme Regis (PFLR). “I would like to thank Polly Benfield, our secretary for tirelessly producing the monthly online newsletter; Grenville Barr for being the endlessly jolly treasurer; Karen Durham Diggins for her passionate clarity and enthusiasm; Heather Britton for her faultless management and Krys Lavery for her organisation of regular beach cleans, often taking place in blistering storms. Emma Brice has worked tirelessly on both websites and we are so thankful for her contribution. “We have a good rapport with the Lyme Regis Town Council and now have two council members as active members of both TLG and PFLR, namely Rob Smith and Belinda Bawden. A third council member, Gill Stammers, has joined the PFLR Strategy Group as a council representative. “TLG has continued its regular monthly meetings over the past year, usually attracting about 25. The most recent meeting on plastics, led by Mark Foxall, netted 41, our largest attendance ever in the Royal Lion Hotel. Our meetings have ranged from talks on badgers, nature walks, visiting Carymoor eco-education centre, to a fascinating talk on the ecological sustainable human body by Dr Sue Beckers, a local GP, and the rigours of running a local organic farm led by Alexa di Ferranti. We also had a meeting dedicated to Extinction Rebellion. “As we end this financial year, due to the current ecological and health restrictions, it is unclear when these monthly meetings will resume. When they do, we look forward to seeing you all. “For the past three years, we have organised well-attended evenings specifically for local businesses, focussing on their experiences of adopting ‘green’ business practices, sharing and promoting ideas and initiatives. The most recent one in March led to lively, interesting and positive discussions with new networks created.
“Jake Causley, an active member of PFLR, ran a series of film nights at the Driftwood Café, screening the ‘Blue Planet’ films narrated by David Attenborough. We wish him well in his new job as sustainable development officer at Falmouth University. “Regular beach cleans organised by Krys Lavery and annual tree pruning teach-ins led by Phil Gamble continue to receive support. “PFLR has run a series of successful campaigns during the last year. Promoting substitutions for throwaway plastic bags, two projects were launched – a PFLR logo cotton bag for sale and for competition prizes and the Boomerang Bag. “Some 300 Boomerang Bags are stocked by 23 local businesses, the TIC, the library and Town Mill together with a growing number of B&Bs and three hotels. A dedicated team of volunteers has sewn the bags from donated fabric saved from landfill. The bags can be borrowed and then returned to any location displaying the Boomerang Bag sign. Thank you, Polly, for organising this. “ReFill is another popular project. Working with PFLR, 24 local businesses are providing free top ups for refillable water bottles, an effective way to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles. The town council plans to roll out the installation of ReFill taps on the seafront. There is an ongoing mindset in the town to reduce, refuse, refill and recycle. Award nomination “PFLR received its community award from Surfers Against Sewage in 2018 and since then has presented 28 local businesses with the SAS Plastic Free Community Champion award for finding alternatives to single-use plastics. Other businesses have been presented with PFLR Supporters Scheme awards. “We were shortlisted to one of three finalists for the first ever SAS award for Plastic Free Communities. Sadly we didn’t win, but we were very proud to have been nominated out of over 600 applicants. “Being ‘plastic free’ is a great selling point for the town, and the town council plans to incorporate logos in signage and print to reflect progress in efforts to promote a more sustainable environment. Work continues to improve recycling, particularly on the seafront, and new signage has been developed for waste bins. “A climate emergency was declared by the town council in July, 2019. This facilitated the formation of the One Planet Working Group to help the council achieve its objectives to become carbon neutral by 2030. TLG and PFLR liaise closely with the group to promote and support local initiatives, such as the first and very successful ‘Fiver Fest’ in February, part of the national ‘shop local’ campaign. “Collaborative working with ecoorganisations both in and near Lyme Regis continues to be important – together we are stronger. Groups in Dorset and East Devon include Transition Town Bridport, West Dorset Friends of the Earth, Beaminster Eco
Group, Litter Free Coast and Sea, Sustainable Dorset, Plastic Free Charmouth and Axminster, local Extinction Rebellion groups and Lyme Bay Ladies. “Over the last year, we have continued our presence at local events and fetes, including the May Fete, Uplyme Fete, an eco-day during carnival, Guitars on the Beach and the Christmas Tree Festival. “We hosted a four-day half term event last October at the Town Mill’s Malthouse Gallery which attracted some 300 people. Workshops, Boomerang Bags, award schemes, ReFill, recycling and other projects were featured. The walls at the Town Mill were covered with posters submitted by children at St Michael’s, Mrs Ethelston’s and Woodroffe. Thanks to Year 9 textile students for their brilliant Boomerang Bags! “We are grateful to our funders – the town council, Lyme Bay Holidays and Lyme Splash. And our thanks to Alison Johnson who raised funds through sponsorship of her Lyme Splash swim to Charmouth. Also we are fortunate to have the Baptist Church and the Royal Lion giving us free access for meetings. “Other income comes from donations made by supporters and subscriptions from around 25 paid up members. We need more members! But remember that everyone is welcome to all meetings and events. “Regular communication of activities and campaigns is maintained through a mix of sources. The monthly TLG newsletter has a mailing list of 465 subscribers. We run
websites and Facebook pages for both TLG and PFLR. LymeOnline has started a ‘Green Page’ and Karen Durham Diggins co-ordinates press release and blog contributions for the page, as well as for other local newspapers and media. We are happy to welcome Debra Fox and Alison Johnson to help develop these communication channels and Meg Devine to work on the newsletter and our transition to using Mailchimp. “Future plans include another film night series about land and food security organised by Suzy Gallina and support for a Lyme community garden scheme. I would love to create a food growing enterprise. We have the land; it just needs protecting from deer. And we will lend support for local tree planting facilitated by the Word Forest Organisation which plans to have one tree planted for each resident in Lyme. “We want to invite everyone to share more ideas for what we could achieve in the future. I would love to explore planting edible flowers in the town and helping support development of Langmoor Gardens. How about a ‘barefoot park’ section to encourage children to use the gardens? “In these times, the key issues I feel are food security and adaptation to sudden climatic and social change. I have a vision of stability, resilience, support and peace in a world of turbulence. Everyone can contribute a different skill through community action to bring about local and then more widespread change. This is clearly happening already! “We must not succumb to fear but live in gratitude for our fantastic town, community and the earth on which we live. Thank you everyone for being part of such a great group!”
Reforestation charity offering free e-cards for LymeOnline readers LYME Regis-based charity, The Word Forest Organisation, has been rendered rather incapacitated on the fundraising front. Despite the fact that the government isn't assisting any environmental charities to continue their vital work, the Word Forest team believe they can sail a steady course through the pandemic. They've put together an appeal to help them on that journey and over the past few weeks, chairman of trustees Simon West, has created an e-card charity shop with pageturning cards. Simon explains: "We’d like to give two free e-cards to all the LymeOnline readers. The cards are normally £1 each, or just 50p each if you buy five or more, and they're really easy to send. “We hope they will help people stay in touch with loved ones in a
vibrant way that's also doing other good in the world." There are 20 categories to browse, including a rather popular one called ‘Life After Lockdown’, and 373 designs to choose from. To claim your two free e-cards, you must send both cards at the same time and the offer expires at the end of May. Once you've written your two e-cards, just type ‘lymeonline’ in the coupon box when prompted. The Word Forest Organisation is a reforestation charity that plants trees in Kenya to help combat climate change, as well as facilitating education and women’s empowerment groups. For more details o its work or to browse its selection of e-cards, visit www.wordforest.org/
Lyme Regis is proud to be a leading town in eco-friendly initiatives
Friday, April 17 2020 3
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Hix restaurants placed in administration THE two Lyme Regis businesses run by celebrity chef Mark Hix have been placed in administration by their parent company, casting doubt over the future of the Oyster & Fish House in Cobb Road and the Townhouse in Pound Street.
Mr Hix sold his company four and a half years ago to Westbury Street Holdings (WSH), a London-based hospitality company with an £850 million turnover, but used his own finances to secure a 25 per cent stake in the restaurants he ran in London and Lyme Regis. Whilst Mr Hix, 57, was aware of the decision and understood why it was necessary, he has stressed that it was not decision. LymeOnline understands that he was in favour of putting their staff into furlough rather than calling in an administrator who ordered the locks to be changed on his two Lyme Regis premises. In a statement issued on Instagram last night, Mr Hix said: “Dear Friends, I echo the words of Rick Stein this week and all others in our hospitality business who have undoubtedly faced the toughest couple of weeks ever, and, in our case, since we opened in 2008. “The hardest decision for WSH & Mark Hix Restaurants Limited has been to appoint an administrator and to close down the restaurants and HIX Townhouse, which in turn has made my team redundant with-
out being able to take advantage of the government furlough scheme. “Although the press are using, and will use, my name as the responsible director, this was not my decision. “Apart from tough times and sad times for me, it is nothing compared to what so many of my team, and others that are reliant on our business, are going through. Over time we have genuinely become a large family and to lose all of my team like this has been incredibly difficult and upsetting. “One day, I will reopen in some way and I want to say a big thank you to all of my team, my suppliers and our guests who’ve been so supportive over the years and a huge thanks to those that have been in touch with their good wishes. Mr Hix, who was awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to hospitality and catering, made a name for himself as chef director at parent company of Le Caprice, a group owned by Richard Caring which also includes The Ivy and Sexy Fish. He launched his own company in 2008 after beating Micheal Caines to win BBC TV show ‘The Great British Menu’. As coronavirus spread across Britain, Mr Hix told one national newspaper three weeks ago that the pressure on the restaurant sector was intensifying. “I think the government’s going to quickly realise just quite how big a part the hospitality industry plays in the UK economy,” he said.
“But when the penny drops, it could be too late and there’s going to be a very high price to pay.” Mr Hix, who has a house in Charmouth, kick-started Lyme’s growing reputation as a foodie destination when he opened HIX Oyster & Fish House in Lister Gardens in 2008 with breathtaking views over Lyme Bay. He soon established himself as a popular local celebrity and has been responsible for attracting large number of visitors to the town to dine at his restaurant and stay in his guest house. He also held cooking demonstrations in his own kitchen in Charmouth. Mr Hix also active in the setting up a cooking school at Weymouth Technical College, where he first learnt to cook. In 2013, he launched the popular Food Rocks festival in Lyme Regis,
which brought many of the top celebrity chefs to Lyme and which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the RNLI and Fishermen’s Mission. He has also supported many other local charities. The author of several cookery books, Mr Hix was one of the most sought-after food columnists with his recipes appearing many national publications. He is also a keen fisherman and has a boat moored in Lyme Regis harbour. Last December the chef closed the HIX Soho restaurant, ending his presence in London’s West End. His other London restaurants include HIX Oyster & Chop House, Tramshed and Hixter Bankside. In 2018 he ruled out opening new sites in the capital because of excessively high rents.
Woodmead Road wall hit by lorry again A WALL at the top of Woodmead Road been has struck by a lorry for the second time in two months. The stone wall outside Springfield House at the junction of Woodmead Road and Silver Street partially collapsed after being hit by an articulated lorry in February. It was thought to have been hit by a second lorry travelling up the narrow road again early on the morning of Thursday, April 9, causing additional damage. The top section of Woodmead Road was already due to be closed for just over a month from April 20 to May 22 to allow owners of the property to have the wall repaired. It has now been closed early for health and safety reasons and will remain closed until the scheduled repairs have been made.
Mark Hix joins LymeOnline! Don’t miss the top chef’s new recipe blog featuring simple, affordable dishes you can make at home on the LymeOnline website
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK 4 Friday, April 17 2020
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VIEWS OF LYME REGIS TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH!
FISHING boats pictured in a quiet Lyme Regis harbour, by Jess Douglas
LOCAL youngster Hudson Coombe playing in Spittles, by Rob Coombe
SUNRISE over Broad Street, by Jeanne Goodridge
A LONE beach-goer enjoys the daily exercise allowance, taken by Paul Starck
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THE memorial blossom trees in full bloom in Langmoor Gardens, by Carmel Gardner
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ASK THE MAYOR: Your questions answered ● We set up our business, Causley Cabs, 18 months ago after making a career change from licencees. We are so grateful for the support we have received from the lovely people of Lyme and surrounding areas and have met some wonderful people through our work. The summer months are naturally the busiest for us, as we are fortunate enough to live in such a beautiful place that everyone loves to visit. However, something that we have noticed, is that visitors to our town have no idea where they can go to get a taxi should they need one. Neighbouring towns of Axminster, Seaton, Bridport, etc all have designated taxi ranks - but we do not. I have lost count of the amount of times visitors have said to me “we didn't know where to go to find a taxi? We asked in shops are were told there was no rank?” So, my question is pretty simple really. When we emerge from this worrying time that we are all experiencing at present, and we try to rebuild our businesses which will have been, in cases such as our own, closed for some months, would the council consider the possibility of the addition of one or two designated taxi spaces in the town? I don't think a 'rank' is necessary, and I appreciate that space is limited in our town, but maybe one space in the Cobb gate area, and one space in the Cobb Square specifically for a taxi to wait in? These spaces would be filled on a first come first serve basis and would be shared by the several firms that operate in the town, but at least it would give somewhere to direct people to should they need a taxi - and not just visitors - but our lovely locals who very often like to get a lift up the hill, home from the pub, help with heavy shopping, etc. The Cobb Gate car park belongs to Dorset Council not Lyme Regis Town Council so a taxi rank/car space in the park is for them to consider. Similarly, the Cobb Square area is a highway and Dorset is the authority for it. I guess from a practical point of view there’s also the question of who the customers would likely be particularly at the Cobb and whether they would simply ring for a taxi to come and pick them up, - and at the Cobb Gate car park whether the level of uptake would cover the cost of hiring the space(s) at the daily rate charged for them, in what is a very busy short stay car park. On a more general note, taxi ranks tend to be at the centre of large towns, bus stations or railway stations. ● I noticed that the main beach was swept by the council on Good Friday morning. Was this sensible in view of the lockdown instructions not to travel to seaside resorts over Easter? Surely making the beach more attractive to visitors could have encouraged more people to use it. Was a council employee paid overtime to do this work on a Bank Holiday? The beach was raked as minimum maintenance for the purposes of its kept condition and profile. It is usually done daily in the season but given the lockdown will be done much less frequently. The staff were not paid overtime.
plans to honour the frontline NHS workers and carers who live in Lyme Regis? I have been giving thought to this and we will be exploring how we can acknowledge the work of those who have made a direct impact on the well-being of Lyme residents, whether in medical and caring support or helping to maintain essential needs of the town, and look to organise a fine weather ‘town day’ event when the decline of this awful virus permits.
With all meetings of Lyme Regis Town Council being suspended due to coronavirus, the Mayor, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, has agreed to answer questions that we will put to him on your behalf and we will then publish his responses in all issues of LymeOnline during the crisis. Send in your questions for our next issue by emailing edit@lyme-online.co.uk with the subject ‘Ask The Mayor’ ● In the last ‘Ask The Mayor’ column, I was interested to read that the council is spending £600,000 on a new roof for the upper tier of the Marine Parade (above SWIM and the Amusement Arcade). I also understand that the council has a number of other costly capital projects. Will the loss of parking revenue caused by the coronavirus lockdown have an impact on the council’s ability to deliver these projects? The two major legacy projects are being funded from the council’s current reserve which was grown as a contingency to be spent on asset maintenance needs and capital undertakings, as distinct from covering running-cost needs which should be funded from income. We inherited two long-standing major needs in the shelters roof which was leaking rain water and was over 25 years past its surface warranty, and the council office premises which are not currently fit for purpose and need essential maintenance work. Both will be funded from the reserve which is proportionately higher than would be expected of a town council of Lyme’s size; many other councils would likely have to borrow to commit to the kind of costs these works represent. Costs of the two undertakings will be contained to leave a more modest sum in the reserve once completed.
those few that remain have expressed a legitimate reason for being there. Most have left and those few that remain can help keep an eye on the empty units. We do check the area regularly to ensure the position remains as is. Separately, what I am hearing of is a kind of behaviour towards the occupants from some sources which is wrong and does nothing to help a situation no one wants. We all want to see the eventual back of this virus and that post-virus environment should not be soured by the present actions of those who have exercised their views in the way they appear to have been doing. ● When the coronavirus epidemic is over does the town council have any
● We have often been told that Lyme Regis Town Council is rich. A number of big events that bring thousands of people to the town have been forced to cancel their events. Will the council be in a position to offer financial assistance to these organisations who find themselves out of pocket? Lyme council is essentially ‘asset rich’, it’s not as ‘cash rich’ - its income comes in and goes out again to maintain its services and support to the town and its tourist offering as a destination of choice. The scaling of this level of undertaking will likely have to reduce in light of our fall in income. We will not have the ability to give financial support to event organisers; our support will continue to be, as far as we can in the present climate, to maintain the environment to which people are drawn to holiday or visit. All of which contributes to the events organisers host within our town. Events are self-funded and how much event organisers have chosen to commit to in advance of the virus situation we’re presently in is hard to determine and would be beyond the council to reconcile.
The
● Are all the council’s administrative staff working from home or have some of them been furloughed? The garden staff are also not working so have these been furloughed? Would it not have been possible for the gardening staff to have continued working at such a critical time for the preparation of the gardens for the summer, assuming that they could work whilst adhering to the social distancing advice? All the council’s admin staff are working from home; there will be an application to furlough council staff where their current work has reduced to a level that invites the measure to be taken. There are some external staff who will remain to undertake necessary maintenance and grounds upkeep to avoid bigger problems on return to a post-virus lockdown, and as such they have been carrying out work where social distancing can still be preserved.
Woodmead Halls
● I have read the response from the council to criticism on social media about the management of Monmouth Beach during the coronavirus crisis. Are you satisfied that the council staff handled this situation properly as there are still rumours that more people are occupying the chalets and caravans than stated. Are the council checking these sites or is it being left to the police? Our council correspondence has been clear in conveying our position in support of government guidelines and instruction, and the measures we are all expected to recognise and adhere to, particularly during the lockdown period. Every occupant has been contacted and
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My lockdown daily diary The death toll is rising and it will only get worse Day 16 - Wednesday, April 1
ANY faint hopes that we may be turning the corner in this country’s fight again coronavirus were well and truly scuppered when it was revealed that 381 people died from the disease yesterday, bringing the total to 1,789 in total. In Dorset there are more than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with seven patients having died across the county. One thing is for sure, those figures are going to rise dramatically over the next three weeks as the large conurbations around the country prepare for a huge rise in the number of cases and subsequent deaths. This expectation has resulted in the setting up of massive Nightingale Hospitals in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff capable of treating thousands of patients, proof if ever you need it that things are going to get very much worse. To do so within a week or so is a testament to this country’s ability to mobilise the personnel and equipment necessary, aided in no small measure by our armed forces and thousands of volunteers. When all this is over, the establishment of these mega-hospitals may well be seen as one of our greatest achievements in dealing with this crisis.
Pay-back time for the banks – but don’t hold your breath!
I’m into my fifth week of self-isolation and after an early morning walk, my permitted exercise of the day, I’m writing an Isolation Diary which you can find in the blogs section of our website. Here’s a few of the latest entries... and allowing the fat-cats to retain their grossly inflated salaries. Now it’s pay-back time. Following the mind-boggling sums of money the government has promised to get Great Britain back on it’s feet again, our mandarins made it quite clear the banks had to play their part in providing the funds needed to get businesses up and running again. It seems to me all sections of society are coming together to help beat this virus – apart from the banks. No there’s a surprise. There have been numerous reports this week of banks trying to steer those looking for support away from the funding initiatives announced by the Chancellor Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, last week and persuading them to take out loans with excessive interest rates and demands for personal guarantees. Didn’t the Chancellor make it quite clear that no one would lose their livelihood because of coronavirus? I hope the government comes down on those banks trying to milk this situation like a ton of bricks, holding their multi-millionaire bosses personally to account.
Day 17 - Thursday, April 2
Hancock - back leading from the front
WHEN the banks went spectacularly bust in 2008, due in no small measure to their greed and inefficiency, it was the British taxpayers who bailed them out, saving tens of thousands of jobs
MY jaw dropped when Health Secretary Matt Hancock, returning to the No 10 lectern for yesterday’s coronavirus press briefing, took the heat
Day 18 - Friday, April 3
out of the shambolic testing debacle by announcing he had set a new target – 100,000 tests every day by the end of April. That’s a helluva way to go from the current level of 8,000-10,000 a day. And it didn’t take long for Her Majesty’s Press’ naysayers to cast doubt on this astounding prediction. I thought Laura Kuenssberg went a whiter shade of pale as she was first on as usual to question the minister and Peston stumbled through his daily two minutes in the spotlight with more than the usual numbers of “ums” and “ahs”. Was he still suffering the ignominy earlier in the day of being publicly humbled by a professor for giving out false information about the testing? Hancock was back in the front line after seven days in self-isolation which must have been purgatory for him whilst the brouhaha was building over the lack of testing, despite the Prime Minister’s early predictions and intentions to “ramp it up”. The Minister for Health is certainly emerging as the star of this particular show. Despite being out of the picture for the past week, he gave another assured performance at the lectern yesterday. He looks like such an ordinary type of bloke that you tend to believe what he says and I hope for the sake of his career (a future leader candidate surely?) his 100,000 a day estimate will not come back to harm him where it hurts most.
Are we facing a ‘tsunami’ of business closures? Day 18 - Saturday, April 4
WITH most of the shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes closed because of the coronavirus lockdown, businesses in Lyme Regis are facing unprecedented challenges and it is feared many may never re-open. It is a fallacy that every business in Lyme makes a fortune, despite the increasing popularity of the town. Some of the smaller shops just about scratch a living.
Still a great community spirit in Lyme Day 24 - Friday April 10
At 8pm last evening there was a veritable cacophony of noise in Lyme Regis – clapping and whooping, hooters and car horns, the banging of pots and pans and even fireworks. It gets louder every week and last night’s reaction was made all the more boisterous by the local firemen who drove their tender around town with claxons blaring. When all this is over – and it will be over – there will come an opportunity when the people of Lyme Regis can show their appreciation of these wonderful local heroes in a more tangible fashion In the meantime, we must continue the Thursday evening clapathon and endeavour to make even more noise. As well as showing our appreciation, I think it’s doing us all good just stepping outside our front door away from the monotonous TV programming, demonstrating there is still a great community spirit in our town.
Day 27 - Monday, April 13
THE number of hospital deaths from coronavirus has surged past the 10,000 mark in the UK, casting a grim shadow over our muted
Easter celebrations. This total does not include victims who died at home or in care homes and we are now told our figures could end up being the worst in Europe. Just to underline just how frightening this could be, Italy has so far recorded 19,899 deaths and Spain 16,972. In France, 14,393 have died. We are four weeks into lockdown and it is thought that the number of deaths will not level out for, perhaps, another two weeks. No wonder the government is reluctant to talk about relaxing lockdown. These predictions take some swallowing as this Easter weekend draws to a close, a weekend which saw Lyme virtually deserted as the British public, in the main, listened to the government’s plea to “stay indoors”.
Day 29 - Wednesday, April 15
IF you are feeling a little depressed today about the continuing fight against coronavirus, I advise you not to pick up a national newspaper. All of them are full of doom and gloom headlines as a catalogue of dismal statistics came together yesterday to underline that we are facing great hardships ahead. Deaths topped the 12,000 mark but it is be-
lieved these are grossly under-reported as the figures do not include those who have in private homes, care homes and hospices where another 4,000 are feared dead. Further doubts are cast over whether the government will be able to meet their target of carrying out 100,000 tests every day by the end of April, and there are still reports that there is a lack of personal protective equipment, especially for those in the care sector. To stem the rate of death in care homes, the government has had to agree that all residents and workers will now be tested for Covid-19. To crown a pretty dismal day for the government, the Office of Budget Responsibility predicted a 35 per cent fall in GDP and two million thrown out of work. Ouch! With other European countries easing their lockdown restrictions in a bid to kick-start their economies, the question on everyone’s lips in the UK is: “When will this all end?” De-facto Prime Minister Dominic Raab has made it very clear that with the current rate of hospital deaths – another 778 yesterday – it’s too soon to consider relaxing the current restrictions, but the Cabinet is coming under great pressure to publish their strategy for how we will get back to normality.
There are bound to be casualties, especially as the generous government financial support packages will takes weeks for the money to flow. With these thoughts in mind, it was distressing to see a tweet on social media late last night saying that some local businesses had, allegedly, already thrown in the towel. It was posted by a reputable Exeter-based locksmith and included a photo of his vehicle parked on the Cart Road. This is what it said: “I’m here in Lyme Regis on a lovely sunny day, but it’s not a jolly. Businesses are suffering. I am waiting to change the locks on two restaurants that have decided to hand the keys back to the bank. “Fragile businesses my not survive. I fear a tsunami sooner or later.”
Boris’ biggest challenge as he goes into intensive care Day 21 - Tuesday, April 7
WE were half-way through Neville Causley’s brilliant virtual quiz last night, taking our minds off the coronavirus crisis, having plenty of fun aided by a couple of cocktails, when suddenly a news flash pinged onto my mobile phone saying Boris Johnson had been put into intensive care at Westminster Hospital. Immediately, I felt that nauseating feeling in my stomach when you hear news of cataclysmic importance. It took several seconds to take it in. For me, the quiz was over. I couldn’t focus on it any more and could not wait for the Ten O’clock News, followed by Newsnight, to see how seriously ill Boris was and what will happen now that he has been forced to hand the reigns to First Minister of State, Dominic Raab. In a way, I was not completely surprised to hear that Boris’s condition had deteriorated so quickly as the journalists attending the No 10 briefing earlier in the day had clearly got wind of it. Question after question concerning the state of the PM’s health and each time they were given the same answer. Rabb didn’t look a happy man when he closed his briefing folder and marched out of the room, no doubt thinking “thank Christ that is over”. I’m not a huge admirer of Boris Johnson. I met him a couple of times when he wrote a weekly column for me when I edited a group of newspapers and he was the Mayor of London. He has huge charisma, exudes confidence and is highly intelligent, a far cry from the bumbling fool as he is so often portrayed. But would I trust him? I’m not so sure. As I have said in previous diary entries, I think he has been doing a good job up until he was taken ill and his approval ratings had soared to 54 per cent. Whether he can maintain that will depend on his ability to fight off the disease and get back to work, but that could be several weeks. The ability of his government to recover from the lack of tests and protective clothing could define Boris’ ultimate future and now there’s also the spotlight falling on an exit strategy which his lieutenants seem unwilling to address whilst deaths are still increasing. As soon as it was announced his condition had worsened, the cretins who have no morale compass at all couldn’t wait to get onto Facebook to wish him ill, those who are unable to divorce their political views from a sense of common decency. But there was an avalanche of goodwill messages as well.
when we were young(er)
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A page of photos from the days when we enjoyed ourselves IN times of national crisis, like the one we are going through now, we often look back to the days when we really enjoyed ourselves, inevitably when we were younger. Here’s your chance to re-live some of those days. Send us your photos of friends and family when you were young - or at least young at heart - having a good time. Email them to us at edit@lyme-online.co.uk and write your own caption - caustic or humorous but no profanities please!
THE Regatta & Carnival Committee pictured at a Miss Lyme Regis Ball at the Woodroffe School in the early 1970s. From the left: Phil Rattenbury, Marilyn Rattenbury, Martin Edwards, Charlie Clarke, Cliff Hocking, Ivor Curtis (president), Katherine Headley (Miss Lyme Regis), Andrew Curtis, John Fowler, Sue Bounds (nee Masterson), Ken Meech (chairman), Jackie Williams, Philip Evans (secretary), Harry Williams (treasurer), Henry Broom
DAVID Austin and Phil Hodder back in the days of the Regatta Pram Derby, before the time when dressing like that could get you a column in the Saturday Telegraph Magazine
THE four skivers (sorry, amigos) - Billy Bodenham, Mark Perry, Elliott Dale and Mark Seaton HERE’S a man who knew how to celebrate, no matter how big or small the occasion. It’s the late and much missed Joe O’Donell, erstwhile landlord of the Ship Inn and the Volunteer celebrating a big win on the pools - well, 17 quid actually!
DAVE Hercock at the scene of another (although far less serious] disaster, attempting to deny responsibility for the flooding of the whole of Jericho/Mill Green after his home brew kit exploded
WOODROFFE School Drama Society 1972 - Jill Newton as Juliette
NOT sure this counts as having good fun but it’s the only photo you will ever see of Geoff Baker without a fag in his month. Actually, he tried to get out of it by shooting himself in the foot with an air rifle - but missed! Simon Perry leads the field with Tony Marchant in hot pursuit
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Lyme getting used to life on lockdown FROM beach art to baking classes, Lyme Regis residents are finding new ways to keep themselves entertained as they get used to life on ‘lockdown’. One Uplyme couple, Neville and Sarah Causley, have been keeping particularly busy running virtual events for all to enjoy. Former landlords of the Hunters Lodge Inn, the couple now run local taxi firm Causley Cabs, but have had to find new ways yo keep in touch with friends and customers since social distancing measures were introduced. Using the Facebook Live tool, Neville is now running a popular virtual quiz night ever Monday evening from 8pm, while Sarah continues to lead her Fitsteps dance classes using video conferencing app Zoom. Now she has launched baking classes for children (and adults too!) using Zoom. Sarah will be hosting weekly ‘Boredom Busting Bake Off’ classes teaching youngsters and novice bakers how to make simple treats using basic ingredients that should be easy to find. The first session was held on easter Saturday. For full details and a list of ingredients/equipment needed, visit the Causley Cabs Facebook page. But residents have not just been turning to technology for entertainment. A father and son have been creating unique sand art on Lyme Regis beach, much to the delight of those out on their daily exercise, while others have been enjoying sports, cooking, gardening, puzzles and crafts at home. Many youngsters also made Easter bonnets to enter the virtual Easter Bonnet Parade on Sunday (see pages 12 and 13).
SAND art has appeared on Lyme Regis beach (photo by Richard Austin) and, below from left, Reuben Aylott enjoys crafts at home; deputy mayor Stan Williams and macebearer Paul Oakley get stuck into a puzzle and Austin and Esmae Rattenbury-Davies keep busy with home baking
Monmouth Beach chalet and caravan park closed
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THE chalet, caravan and day hut site at Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis has been closed until further notice. Deputy town clerk Mark Green said: “The town council wrote to all owners on the Monmouth Beach site last Wednesday (8 April) notifying them it was formally closed with immediate effect and until further notice. “The decision by the council to close the site was in no way triggered by the irresponsible actions of individual owners. In fact, the secretary to the residents’ association had written in lateMarch asking all owners to ‘stay safe and stay away’ from Lyme, and that plea had been responded to very positively. “The council’s actions were prompted by the need to reinforce government advice and by the imminent bank holiday and favourable weather forecast. It was part of a range of measures, including closure of public car parks, all of which were intended to ensure the ‘lock down’ remained effective. “Only four properties on the site remain in occupation. Those concerned have written to the council advising of their circumstances and had their occupation approved. All four cases sit properly within the guidelines and advice issued by government. “The police are aware of the closure of the site
and of the continued occupation of the four properties concerned. “The site is being monitored daily to maintain security and safety.” The town council also closed the cemetery but later decided to re-open it following public backlash. The town’s cemetery off Charmouth Road was locked at the end of March, following the introduction of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020. Advice on the matter from Dorset Council said, as other publicly-accessible areas are closed, it would be consistent with all the other COVIDrelated legislation to close non-essential areas, including burial grounds, to the public. However, the decision resulted in some backlash from Lyme Regis residents. They argued it was unnecessary to close the cemetery, as groups did not congregate there, and it would affect people’s mental health not being able to visit the graves of loved ones during this difficult time. Having taken further advice, the town council has now unlocked the main Charmouth Road entrance to the cemetery to allow residents to visit graves. However, the King’s Way and Elizabeth Close entrances remain locked as the cemetery should not currently be used as a thoroughfare.
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Dog regulations will not be enforced during pandemic HAVING initially warned that regulations regarding dogs on beaches would remain the same during the current ‘lockdown’, Dorset Council has now announced it will not be enforcing the rules. Under the current Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) enforced by Dorset Council, dogs are not allowed on Lyme Regis front beach – including the sand and shingle – from May 1 to October 1. Having been asked to bend the rules during the coronavirus epidemic, Dorset Council previously stated the PSPO could not be changed without going through a formal legal process. But it has now decided that it will not be enforcing the regulations while social distancing measures are in place, unless there is a specific risk to public health. A spokesperson added: “This is expected to be unlikely so long as dogs remain on a lead under the control of their owners.” The spokesperson said that the decision not to enforce the regulations was made to be “fair and safe for all people using the beach for their walk”. During the winter months up until May 1
dogs are allowed on all Lyme Regis beaches without a lead. Usually after this date, they are confined to Church Cliff, East Cliff and Monmouth beaches – but that will now not be the case this year. Dog owners will still be able to exercise their dogs on all beaches taking account of social distancing requirements. People should not travel to beaches to exercise their dogs – government guidance is to stay as local as possible. Dorset Council is currently running a public consultation asking people’s opinions to inform the PSPOs for the future. Lyme Regis Town Council has argued for a complete all-year-round ban of dogs from the main sandy beach and Cobb Gate shingle beach, but many have signed a petition against this. The public consultation will be open until April 12 and can be found online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dogspspo. Dorset Council will make a final decision on whether any changes will be made to the PSPO in the future.
Fire service warn against using Chinese lanterns to thank NHS FOLLOWING social media posts encouraging the release of Chinese lanterns for the weekly Clap For Carers event, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to find safer alternatives to show their support for the NHS. The Clap For Carers event is held nationally every Thursday at 8pm, when the public are encouraged to applaud NHS staff and other key workers from their doorsteps, gardens, windows and balconies. This week, posts have been circulating social media suggesting that Chinese lanterns should also be released in tribute to the NHS and those who have lost their lives to coronavirus – but the fire service has warned they are dangerous. Chinese lanterns, also known as wish or sky lanterns, are generally made from paper, supported by a wire frame that incorporates a holder at the base for a solid fuel heat source. They are both a fire hazard and a danger to wildlife, pets and people. Whilst lighting and launch are largely in the
control of the user, the actual flight path and ultimate destination are not. There is also no guarantee that the fuel cell will be fully extinguished and cooled when the lantern eventually descends, and any subsequent contact with a combustible surface could result in a fire developing. Area manager Craig Baker said: “With Chinese lanterns, you’re basically throwing a naked flame into the sky with no control over the direction it will take or where it will land – in addition, there is no guarantee that the fuel source will be fully extinguished and cooled when the lantern eventually descends, and that presents a real fire hazard. “At a time when we are trying to keep our turn-outs to a minimum, to protect our crews from potential exposure to coronavirus, the last thing we need is lots of people launching these lanterns. We would urge everyone to find safer ways of supporting our key workers.” Further advice on the safe use of Chinese lanterns can be found on the website www.dwfire.org.uk/chinese-lanterns
Grant funding will help residents in special or urgent circumstances CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE shopping when residents are unable to access a cash point, to cover urgent needs for those struggling financially, plus admin costs and travel expenses. She added her thanks to the town council staff for helping with the administration of the community support group and securing the grant funding so quickly. A statement from Lyme Regis Town Council added: “We are pleased to have worked in partnership with Lyme Regis Community Support to secure a £3,000 grant to help with the local coronavirus support network. “The grant from Dorset Community Foundation will help the amazing group of 100plus volunteers support the elderly, vulnerable and self-isolating.
“We’re proud to be working with the group to deliver this essential service during these challenging times.” Lyme Regis Community Support volunteers have been appointed to look out for residents in specific areas of the town, and are able to collect and deliver shopping, prescriptions or simply call those needing some company. For more details, to volunteer or if you need support, visit www.facebook.com/groups/lymeregiscommunitysupport. You can also contact Cheryl Reynolds on 01297 443814, 07796 074 849 or email cherylreynolds1947@gmail.com; Fran Marsh Williams on 07968 177 663 or email franwilliams62@gmail.com; Grace Herbert on 07834 988 766; or contact Victoria Cottle via Facebook Messenger.
IN Lyme Regis Museum’s regular column showcasing its wide variety of items and artefacts on display, John Dover explores the history of Sir George Somers and his portrait. I have never been convinced that the portrait of Sir George Somers that has appeared in many publications and Bermudian stamps over the last one hundred years is a genuine likeness. George Somers was born in Lyme Regis in 1554 during the short reign of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary). The fourth of five sons of John and Alice Somers, he grew up in Lyme and the draw of the sea likely took him away at about the age of 12 years old for a maritime career. We currently have no further record of George until he married Joanne Heywood in Lyme in 1589. He subsequently became a privateer and, through these exploits, was able to gain sufficient prize monies to purchase land and property in Whitchurch Canonicorum and Marshwood. Later he purchased the manor of Upwey, near Weymouth. Between 1600 and 1603 he served with distinction as a naval officer commanding royal warships, and in 1603 was knighted by James I. In 1604 Sir George was appointed Mayor of Lyme Regis and elected MP for the borough. He proved to be an assiduous and prominent member of the House of Commons. A founder member of the Virginia Company in 1606, he was appointed Admiral of Virginia in 1609 and led a fleet of nine ships to relieve the starving colonists of Jamestowne, Virginia. During the voyage his flagship the Sea Venture was wrecked without loss of life on the uninhabited islands of Bermuda, known to mariners as the ‘Isle of Devils’. During the 10 months they were marooned, Somers mapped the islands with a view to colonisation. Two vessels were built which enabled them to reach Jamestowne on May 23 1610. Somers volunteered to return to Bermuda for much needed food supplies and it was there that he died in November 1610. His heart was buried in Bermuda and his embalmed body was returned to Lyme Regis with interment at the church in nearby Whitchurch Canonicorum on July 4 1611. Shakespeare is reputed to have based his last play ‘The Tempest’ on the shipwreck of the Sea Venture on the Isle of Devils, now known as Bermuda or the Somers Isles. Lyme Regis was twinned with St George’s, Bermuda, in 1996 and in 2015 both were tripled with Jamestown, Virginia to form the ‘Historic Atlantic Triangle’ The Portrait The image of Sir George Somers, used for over 100 years was taken from an original oil painting by Philip Van Somer, a famous Dutch artist, and had been in the family of Dr George Bellamy MD RN of Plymouth. The Bellamy family believed that a collateral ancestor through marriage had descended from John Somers, Sir George’s younger brother. Together, with this portrait and one of his wife, the family also held a loadstone (for magnetising compasses), plate and sea chests purported to have been the personal possessions of Sir George Somers. In 1934 the portraits, loadstone and a chest were presented by Miss Elizabeth Bellamy of Plymouth to the Bermuda Historical Society in Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda. These items can still be seen in Bermuda. In 1983, having been commissioned to produce a bronze statue of the Admiral, Bermudian sculptor Dr Desmond Fountain rejected the Bellamy portrait as a guide to character. Highly sceptical of its credentials he sought expert opinions. His own views were unanimously endorsed, chiefly on the grounds of costume, which was not in the style of the period but that of a date much later in the 17th century.
THE portrait by Dutch artist Philip Van Somer, now widely discredited as a true likeness of Sir George Somers and, below, the portrait discovered at Eastnor Castle now on display in Lyme Regis Museum
I had also been convinced that the image of the man in the portrait, with his long dark hair and complexion was also more like a Spanish or Portuguese gentleman. Furthermore, in the top left hand side of the portrait was a ship which bore little resemblance to the Sea Venture or other ships Somers owned or sailed. Having discounted the portrait as a genuine likeness, this did not still deny the challenge of finding a portrait which was more likely to be of Sir George, if of course any still existed. With the advantage of the internet a search eventually threw up an obscure reference to a mid 20th century survey of oil paintings in private hands that had been conducted by the Courtauld Institute of Art. Upon contacting them. they were not willing to pass on details of the current owner but supplied me with an email to follow up my line of enquiry. The response was positive and in 2014 led me to Eastnor Castle near Ledbury, in Herefordshire. It’s current owner, James HerveyBathurst, was very supportive and helpful and confirmed a small oil painting had been in his family for many years and purported to be of Sir George Somers. As well as portraying him in costume more contemporary to his lifetime, it displayed the Somers’ coat of arms granted to him in March 1604. Whether painted during his lifetime or shortly after is impossible to say but I am convinced it goes a long way to being a genuine representation of Sir George. The portrait was researched, cleaned and restored by the Cortauld Institute and was kindly loaned to Lyme Regis Museum by James Hervey-Bathurst in 2019, and now proudly looks out over the Maritime Gallery. After more than 400 years Sir George has well and truly come home! More research on this famous former Lyme native and resident continues with more interesting revelations to come.
10 Friday, April 17 2020
RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE
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RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE OUR day-to-day lives have changed beyond recognition but in the natural world, life goes on as usual. In these worrying times, there isn’t much better than the joys of spring to lift your spirits, and many of us have been taking more notice of our local surroundings and wildlife while we enjoy our daily allowance of exercise. Bird song seems louder and bluebells are blooming. A brood of 13 ducklings on the River Lim has caught the attention of residents over the past two weeks (pictured below). Many have posted updates on their whereabouts on social media, keeping fingers crossed that they’re not attacked by predators, which can include drakes, hungry seagulls and herons - one of which has also been spotted just a little further upstream.
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Virtual Easter Bonnet Parade lifts spirits
BELLE Hallet’s towering hat with a NHS Heroes theme won best overall
WITH Lyme Regis’ traditional Easter Bonnet Parade unable to go ahead due to the coronavirus epidemic, organisers hosted a virtual version of the event instead. A Easter Bonnet Parade has been held in the town every Easter Sunday since the 1990s, weather permitting, but due to social distancing measures could not go ahead this year. Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Committee instead encouraged children and adults to make bonnets at home and send in a photo to create a virtual parade. Some of the photos are shown here and you can watch the full virtual parade video on the LymeOnline website. The entries were judged by Philip and Francesca Evans of LymeOnline, with Belle Hallet’s towering ‘NHS Heroes’ theme hat winning the overall prize. The full list of entries and winners was as follows: Ages 0-5 – Morris, 6 months; Ivy Mae, 1; Amelia, 2; Lyana, 2; Reuben, 2; Esmae, 3; Jaygo, 3; Morgan, 3; Oliver, 3; Alfie, 4; Sienna-Jo, 4; Arya, 4; Reg, 4 (winner); Nimah, 4; Coralie, 5. Ages 6-10 – Charlie, 6; Max, 6; Charlie, 6; Austin, 7; Maya, 7; Poppy, 7; Annaliese, 7; Emilia, 7 (winner); Eleanor, 9; Frida, 9. Ages 11-16 – Belle, 12 (winner & overall winner); Erin, 12; Millie, 12; Joshua, 16. Adults – Annette Denning; Fran Swan; Jayne Hutchings; Anita Williams; Paul Oakley; Stan Williams; Kate Rattenbury Vince Rattenbury (joint winner); Ashley Ball; Nigel Ball; Karen Ball (joint winner). Dogs – Pebbles; Marley (winner).
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ART | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS
Marine’s Sunday Sessions go online
THE Marine Theatre’s monthly Sunday Sessions, promoting quality live music, will move online this month. The free Sunday Sessions are usually held in the Marine Theatre’s bar, offering local musicians an opportunity to showcase their talents. But with the theatre closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held via video chat app Zoom instead. Performers and audience are all welcome and you do not need a Zoom account to take part, but you can register for the event on the Marine Theatre website. If you would like to perform, email host Declan Duffy at declan@howlrecords.com Declan Duffy is a musician, songwriter and actor who plays with both The Pickwicks and The Acoustic Contingency Band. He has run open-mic events and music festivals and is delighted to host the Sunday Sessions. The first online Sunday Session will be held at 3pm on Sunday, April 26. To register, visit www.marinetheatre.com
The ‘UK’s best live band’ to perform in Lyme Regis THIS November, for the first time in over a decade, folk band Lau will be performing an entirely acoustic tour, which includes a date at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis. The pioneering Scottish folk trio have always lingered in the unknown, experimenting with sound and form and producing complex and thrilling results, seeing them nominated five times for at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Already acknowledged as phenomenal live performers and heralded as “the UK’s best live band” by The Guardian, Lau struck a new creative chord with 2019’s ‘Midnight and Closedown’. The album was produced by John Paris (PJ Harvey, This Is The Kit), who said: “Lau are in touch with their roots but not bound by them.”
This year’s unplugged concert tour sees traditional music’s most celebrated innovators stripped away of their cacophony of electronics, loops, and wild effects. The trio of Kris Drever (guitar and vocals), Martin Green (accordion), and Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle) feel drawn toward a more raw and authentic aesthetic. Their approach is subtle, less about the spectacle and the fanfare, and more about the intimate moments found in close listening. This event has been rescheduled from May 29 and will now be held at the Marine Theatre on Wednesday, November 4. All original tickets are valid. Tickets cost £18.50 in advance, available online at the website www.marinetheatre.com
Learn ‘backstage’ skills on new course FREE EVENTS LISTINGS We have not included a ‘What’s On’ section in this week’s issue of LymeOnline as almost all events from our listings for the next two weeks have sadly been cancelled or postponed.
LymeOnline carries free event listings both online and in our printed newspaper for charities, local clubs and not-for-profit organisations in the Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth area. When things get back to normal, please send your events listings to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk In the meantime, you can keep up with events that have been affected by the COVID-19 emergency, plus all the latest news and advice on our website
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THE Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis is launching an innovative course for young people this September, exploring the world of backstage. Subsidised places will be available for those aged between 16-25, with the course covering the ins and outs of lighting, sound engineering, and other technical aspects of live events. In association with local music charity B Sharp, the theatre will run the course for young technicians to provide a creative opportunity and develop new skills in the multiple, and ever-expanding, backstage and technical elements of a venue. The course will include masterclasses led by industry professionals, hands-on workshop sessions, the chance to shadow the technical team as they stage manage live gigs and to independently manage a full show. The project has been created to support, nurture, and discover the next generation of technical and stage managers. It has been developed, in
part, as a response to the lack of opportunities for local young people - and hopes to make steps toward combating loneliness and provide a safe space in which the participants can build confidence and social skills, particularly in an attempt to improve mental health within the local community. Additionally, the Young Technicians Course aims to support those young people whose formal education and home life are more complex. The programme is supported by funding from the Arts Council, the Leisure Development Fund, the Dorset Community Impact Fund, and Dorset Leader. The course will run on Monday evenings from September 21 to November 23, costing £100. The theatre is able to offer discretionary financial aid for some individuals and is looking to fund up to half of the course’s participants. Applications are now being taken at www.marinetheatre.com
Keep culturally connected with Artsreach DORSET’S touring arts charity Artsreach celebrates its 30th birthday this year, but its anniversary programme has not worked out as planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rather than doing what it does best – bringing communities, audiences, professional artists and volunteers together – the Artsreach team and board of trustees have had to make some difficult decisions in the current situation, cancelling live performances set to take place in community venues such as village halls. The team continues to carefully monitor the situation relating to the coronavirus pandemic, listening to government and Public Health advice and planning accordingly. The impact of this pandemic on our country is still unfolding but in the meantime, the Artsreach team is busy exploring how best to support Dorset’s rural communities and our professional touring artists at this time and in the future. A spokesperson said: “Artsreach is very grateful for the excellent support being given by our
principal funders, Arts Council England and Dorset Council. “We are working hard to explore what our next programme might look like, and as always, we will do this in communication and partnership with our fantastic team of volunteers right across the county. “In the meantime, until we can come together to enjoy professional performances once more, we hope that we can brighten your day just a little by keeping you culturally connected – many of our touring friends are working hard to keep in touch with us all by releasing lots of lovely creative content online. “In response, we have built a Digital Diary on the Artsreach website, which will be regularly updated. The page will be constantly changing so keep checking back and keep sharing it – we’ve seen some wonderful performances so far.” To view the digital diary or to find out more about Artsreach, visit www.artsreach.co.uk
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Beautiful seasonal vintage inspired bespoke bouquets Specialising in English hedgerow and garden flowers, weddings and events 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE ● DAILY DELIVERIES
TEL: 01297 444743
OR CALL / TEXT TERESA 07721 628 754 www.houseofflowerslymeregis.co.uk email: houseofflowers34@aol.com 34 Broad Street - top of town
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Beautiful, natural wedding photos to cherish for a lifetime
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To advertise your business in Local Service, call 01297 442781 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
classifieds&jobs
16 Friday, April 17 2020
PLANTS, cuttings for sale, all very reasonable, on corner of Gore Lane and Cuckoo Lane, Uplyme - 01297 443930. CORDLESS HEDGE TRIMMER, Bosch 41ACCU, without battery or charger, 14.4v, blade length 41cm, £14 - 07947 918 335.
‘BEAUTIFUL HOMELAND’, set of 6 books, first edition, 1920, illustrated in colour, by E.W. Haslehurst, £180 or £35 each - 01297 506707. RYOBI electric sucker/blower, almost new, £30 - 01297 445376. TACK LIFE electric submersible water pump, £25 - 01297 445376. GARDEN GROOM PRO safety hedge cutter, shreds and collects, £30 - 01297 445376. AL-KO petrol mower, £60 - 01297 445376. ASH Hoover, £15 - 01297 445376. CONFIDENCE FITNESS Power Plus Treadmill, £60 - 01297 445376.
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ITEMS FOR SALE
solid wood, offers welcome - 01297 561512. BOOKCASE, veneer rosewood, 94cm length x 90cm width x 28cm depth, buyer collects from Charmouth, offers welcome - 01297 561512. LOCAL BOOK, ‘Branch Line to Lyme Regis, Mitchell & Smith, Middleton Press 1993, in new condition, £12 01297 442627. LOCAL BOOK, ‘Lyme Worthies’ by John Fowles, portraits by Gavin Bird, limited issue of 1,000 copies, beautiful condition, £6 - 01297 442627.
BURBERRY MEN’S MACKINTOSH, full length, burberry beige colour, chest 44”, little used, £30 ono - 01297 444698. ANYA HINDMARCH HANDBAG, genuine leather with protective storage bag, used but in excellent condition, £40 ono - 01297 444698
LOCAL BOOK, ‘A History of Axminster to 1910’, Geoffrey Chapman, 1998, like new and scarce, £15 01297 442627.
YAK BUOYANCY JACKETS, two jackets coloured red and yellow respectively, £10 for the pair or £8 each ono - 01297 444698.
PURPLE RUG, IKEA ‘Stoense’ low pile, 133cm x 195cm, in perfect condition, £15 - 07397 206 365.
GAS COOKER, Stoves 4 ring gas cooker, buyer collects from Lyme Regis, £75 - 01297 445091.
NEST OF 3 TABLES, Queen Ann style, legs
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.
WOODEN FUTON BED BASE, without mattress, 4’ 6” wide, buyer collects from Lyme Regis, £30 - 01297 444698.
LADDERS, various sizes and prices - 01297 445376.
VENETIAN BLIND, Marco wooden venetian blind, 180cm width x 160cm depth, basswood natural colour, new and still in box, £20 - 01297 443461.
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
Your name: ....................................................................................................................... Your address: .................................................................................................................. ...........................................................................................................................................
MEN’S SHIRTS, brand new from Marks & Spencer, pure cotton, green checked, XXL, paid £19.50, selling for £12 - 07973 349 717.
Telephone number: .........................................................................................................
MEN’S SHIRTS, new from Marks & Spencer, 15½ regular fit, ideal Christmas presents, half price - 07973 349 717.
Send this form to: Items For Sale, LymeOnline, Unit 5, Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS
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football
Once a Seasider always a Seasider How I fell in love with football - by former Lyme Regis FC captain Stuart Broom Part two of a four-part series
M
UCH as we are experiencing now with coronavirus, the Second World War brought the everyday life of Britain to a standstill.
Among rationing and all the other restrictions was the lack of organised activities for children outside of school apart from the Scouts, Cubs, Girl Guides and the Youth Club, which was housed in the building under the old Borough Offices in Broad Street. With no dedicated outside area for children to exercise or play, Arthur (Towser) Loveridge approached Tom Ogden, who owned the land next to the gas works adjacent t0 Corporation Terrace (now Lym Close), to provide what is now Anning Road Playing Fields. The community spirit was in abundance with a lot of the work preparing the ground done by local residents. Les Loveridge, a teenager at the time and a future chairman and life-member of Lyme FC, remembers digging the trenches for the drainage pipes with other lads including Jack Caddy whose son, Lee, and grandsons, Ashley and Adam became some of Lyme’s best players. This was a great asset but apart from school matches there were few chances for budding footballers to get playing experience. But again with Towser Loveridge’s determination and enthusiasm, an under 15s youth team was eventually formed in the early 1960s which competed in the East Devon League and included teams from Beer, Seaton, Axminster, Honiton, Millwey
STUART BROOM, a bustling centre forward, played his first game for Lyme Reserves in 1963 and was a permanent first teamer until hanging up his boots in 1979, having captained the side for 12 years. He scored more than 200 goals in 600 games for the Seasiders and won one Perry Street League cap.
Rise and Newton Poppleford. Comprising mainly of older boys, I was lucky to break into the team aged 13 when three of them were called up for trials for the West Dorset U15s. In those days, the adage was ‘keep a clean sheet you won’t lose’ and so I was drafted in at centre forward to play Beer instead of my normal defensive position. Whilst I was never a ball player, I was good in the air, strong in the tackle and had a vicious shot. Alan Nute and Graham Searle were two very clever and fast wingers who could deliver a great cross, and as a result I had a field day as they set me up for a hat-trick in our 5-1 win. It proved to be pivotal in my career, leading to me scoring over 200 goals at senior level, as I retained my place in the youth team and within weeks was playing regularly for the Reserves. Promotion to the first team followed as a 15year old. I was in awe playing alongside some of the idols I had cheered on from the touchline not so long before, such as Pat Rice, Derek Hallett, Arthur Smith, Roger Long and my brother Robert. They were all so supportive and that helped me settle in, none more so than captain Pat Rice when I was called up for my debut against Stokeunder-Ham because five regulars were attending a wedding. Pat, like me, could play as either a centre half or centre forward, but on this occasion he played left wing so I could lead the line. He scored twice, reacting quickly when the keeper could only parry my shots to give us a half-time lead. However, we fell behind, but with just eight minutes left were awarded a penalty for handball. Pat, the regular taker, turned to me and said, END OF A CAREER: Stuart Broom with the Axminster Hospital Cup 1978 “Go on you take it, no-
What a way to finish my career
MAKING HISTORY: Back (l-r) - Bill Reed (treasurer), Paul Wiscombe, Graham Golesworthy, Billy Wiscombe, Phil Hodder, Richard Austin, Pete Kirkman, Gordon Broom (chairman). Front (l-r) - Graham Williams, Tony Messer, Stuart Broom (captain), David Cozens (manager), Martin Rowe, Nigel Thompson and Stuart Rattenbury with Axminster Hospital Cup 1976 in front) body will worry if you miss.” Knees knocking and facing the current pick-of the league keeper, I sent him the wrong way to earn ourselves a point. Over the following seasons many of that successful team that won what was then the Division One title twice in the late 1950s and early 60s retired, and Lyme’s fortunes waned. We became a mediocre mid-table side that flirted a couple of seasons with relegation, but we still maintained a strong core of local players, something I always treasured throughout my career. Over the years I had a number of invitations from other teams to leave Lyme and play for them. Many were indeed very successful sides that dominated the local scene for a number of seasons, winning umpteen titles and cups. Playing alongside some of the best players in the area would have been wonderful and would almost certainly have improved my game.
I felt a duty to stay with the Seasiders
Bridport FC ,whose chairman was Len Parker, were among the list. He was also a director of Bridport Gundry, the company I joined straight from school in 1965, and he continually tried to get me to move to St Mary’s but I refused. I did agree though to sign dual forms to play for the Bees Reserves in the Dorset Premier League when Lyme didn’t have a game. I couldn’t go wrong playing alongside veteran inside forward Pat Donovan who fed me such wonderful passes. But I couldn’t leave Lyme. The Seasiders was my home team, and despite the fact that we rarely even got to a cup final let alone challenge for the title, I felt a duty to try and help the players starting their careers to achieve the best we could, just like the established players did with me when I started playing. The camaraderie was overriding and I don’t regret it one iota! I was resigned to always being the bridesmaid as far as winning trophies was concerned until 1976 when we won the Axminster Hospital Cup, although we did it the hard way. It took a Graham ‘Spoge’ Williams’ goal eight minutes from
the end of extra-time to beat Seaton in the semifinal, before having to do the same in the final against Chardstock. Trailing 1-2 with just 11 minutes to go, it was Williams again that popped up to send the game into overtime where Tony Messer and Nigel Thompson secured a 4-3 victory. That summer we moved from to Davey Fort from our Sidmouth Road ground, our home for over 50 years. I had decided to retire at the end of the 197778 season. I had played 16 years for the club, twelve of them as first team captain having, taken the armband from my brother Robert, and wanted to spend more time with my wife Jan and our young twins born the previous May. Ironically, fate would have it that the last game of my career was not only a winning one but it provided me with my second trophy, again the Axminster Hospital Cup! We were the underdogs. Critics at the time had been debating the relative standard of football between local leagues, and suggested that the Devon and Exeter League, which included our opponents, Senior League side Beer Albion, were superior to the Perry Street League counterparts, particularly as we had finished the Premier League season in a modest mid-table position. However, we proved the critics wrong on this occasion winning 2-1. After going behind in the first half, Richard Austin headed us level in the 72nd minute before Martin Rowe struck the winner just eight minutes from time with a superbly executed chip over Fishermen’s keeper Stuart Warren. Just like buses, I waited 15 years for a trophy and then two come along almost together. What a way to finish a career! In part three I will explain how my love for the Seasiders led to me helping the club find a new ground, only to be thwarted by a bunch of NIMBY’s in Yawl and Uplyme, and some interesting stories about some of the characters that helped make Lyme Regis Football Club such a great institution.
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