LymeOnline Digital Edition - May 1 2020

A special digital edition of your favourite local paper!

LymeOnline STAY HOME, STAY SAFE AND HELP SAVE LIVES!

DIGITAL EDITION

FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME & CHARMOUTH ● FORTNIGHTLY ● MAY 1 2020 ● www.lyme-online.co.uk

LOCAL CATERERS FEEDING NH S HEROES SE E PAGE 9

More funding for local councils but Dorset warns it is still not enough

LYME Regis and Exmouth lifeboats search for the missing diver, with HMS Tyne also pictured in the background

Photo by Andy Butterfield

Divers fined after rescue for breaking lockdown

HELICOPTERS, LIFEBOATS AND ROYAL NAVY SHIP INVOLVED TWO divers were fined for breaking lockdown rules, after a major search and rescue operation was launched when one of them went missing.

Coastguards received a call at

3.23pm on Saturday, April 25 from a friend of the missing man who had been diving off the same boat, five miles south of Lyme Regis.

The two divers, one from Cornwall and the other from Edinburgh, had both been staying in

Bridport and were diving for scallops when one of them became detached from his surface buoy/marker. He had been diving without a buddy.

The marker buoy was discovered by the other man aboard the boat with no diver attached. He

then contacted the coastguard to inform them of his missing friend.

Lifeboat crews from Lyme Regis and Exmouth were launched, as well Lyme Regis coastguards and the search and rescue helicopters CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

LOCAL authorities across the South West have received an extra £160million from the government to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic, but Dorset Council has already warned this will not be enough.

The government is providing an additional £1.6billion to local authorities across the country to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with the pandemic.

This is in addition to the £1.6billion already announced in March and represents an unprecedented level of financial support in recent times.

Dorset Council will receive £10,411,613 in the latest round of funding, in addition to the £10,665,165 it received in March – a total of £21,076,778.

However, it announced last week that it was incurring additional costs of £13million per month as it supports residents, communities and businesses through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Dorset Council’s first round of government funding was spent within the first month of the pandemic and the council warned that additional funds of a similar amount would not cover the shortfall.

REPORT, PAGE 8

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LymeOnline

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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Lyme mourns seven residents RNLI advises public not to go in water during lockdown CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE from St Athan in Wales and Newquay.

Several fishing boats also joined the search, as well as HMS Tyne, which was in Lyme Bay conducting routine maritime security patrols.

After nearly two hours searching, Sub Lieutenant Boyle from HMS Tyne spotted the lone diver, three miles from where he had entered the water.

He had surfaced but had lost sight of the boat and was recovered safe and well by the Exmouth lifeboat crew. He was then passed to Lyme Regis lifeboat where the crew brought him back to the safety of the harbour.

The diver, who did not want to be named, said: “I came up to the surface with my bag of scallops and was shouting at the guy in the boat but the swell had picked up, the waves were bigger and he was up wind so couldn’t hear me.

“I saw the helicopter fly over and some of the other boats searching. I was very relieved when the lifeboat crew arrived and pulled me out of the water.

Thank you to everyone involved.”

Both of those onboard had been diving as a leisure activity and were fined by the police as they were deemed to have been in

breach of the lockdown guidance.

A coastguard spokesperson said: “The government has been clear that during this coronavirus pandemic we need to stay home to save lives.

“Leisure diving is not considered essential and every 999 call made could put our frontline responders at risk of COVID-19 and places avoidable pressure on our vital NHS services.”

The RNLI has also issued advice that the public should not use the water for exercise during this time.

Lyme Regis lifeboat operations manager Nick Marks said: “We are glad that the diver is safe and well, however the RNLI is recommending that you should not go in or near the water during this lockdown.”

This was the first time that Lyme Regis lifeboat crew has been called out since lockdown measures were introduced.

Dorset Police has issued 118 fines over the past month to those found making non-essential journeys or blatantly flouting social distancing regulations - see page 8 for full details.

LYME Regis is mourning seven respected citizens who lived in or had strong associations with the town.

Born and bred in Lyme, Maureen Wheeler (nee Hallett) was a member of one of Lyme’s oldest families. She lived in Cloverdale Court but died, aged 84, after a long illness in Fairfield House residential care home.

Maureen was the second daughter of Mr and Mrs Rex Hallett. Mr Hallett, the first Lyme man to enlist when the Second World War was declared, was killed in Italy towards the end of hostilities.

Educated at St Michael’s Primary School and Lyme Regis Grammar School, Maureen appeared in a number of Lyme Regis pantomime productions.

She married a local man, Bob Wheeler, and the couple moved to London where Mr Wheeler, who died several years ago, had a distinguished career with the London Fire Brigade, being awarded the MBE for his many years of service.

Mrs Wheeler moved back to her hometown after retirement and enjoyed an active social life, being a keen member of Lyme Regis Bowling Club. She was also secretary of the Woodmead Halls Management Committee for many years.

She is survived by her partner Ben and two children, Clare and Michael.

The town was saddened to hear of the death of Bernard Liddicoat, aged 88, who lived in King’s Way. Mr Liddicoat came to Lyme when he was serving in the Royal Air Force on the Marine Craft Unit.

He married a local girl, Shirley Franklin, and made his home in the town, working as a milkman before running Staples Stores for many years with his wife, to whom he was married for 65 years. He is also survived by a son, Steve.

Former Lyme Regis Borough Council plumber Colin Larcombe, who lived in Lym Close, died aged 94 after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Eve and son Garry.

Accomplished singer and stage performer Edwina Piper, who lived in Cloverdale Court, died at the Shire House care home, aged 87. She was chairman of Lyme Regis Operatic Society for a number of years.

The town is also mourning John Hart, 81, who lived in Charmouth Road and was buried in Uplyme yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.

Margaret Curtis, the wife of former Lyme Regis Borough Council head gardener, Philip, who lived in Fivehead, near Taunton, for several years has also died.

Pat Loveridge, aged 92, also died at his home in Anning Road on March 30. He is survived by a son and daughter, Michael and Trisha.

Canadian visitors unsure how they will get home AN elderly Canadian couple who visit Lyme Regis every year are unsure how they will be able to return home because of the coronavirus restrictions.

Ron and Rita Baker, who are both 88 years old, have been staying in a holiday flat in Ozone Terrace since the end of December.

They were both born in Britain but have lived in Ontario, Canada, for 50 years. Lyme Regis is one of their favourite places to visit because Mrs Baker’s parents honeymooned in the town.

They have spent three months in Lyme every year for the past ten years to escape the severe winter in Canada.

Mr and Mrs Baker are hoping they can get a flight back to Ontario on May 31 but they are not sure whether this will be possible because of the lockdown.

They were visited earlier in year before the coronavirus crisis started by their son and daughter, who keep in regular touch with them. They also have a niece who lives in Bampton, Devon.

Mr Baker told LymeOnline: “We are okay, we have made lots of friends but, of course we are not mixing with them at the moment.

The local shop has been very kind to us and everyone is very friendly.

“We just don’t know what the situation is about getting home but we are hoping to get on a flight at the end of the month. We would like to come back to Lyme again but we are getting on in years and we will have to see. But we love Lyme Regis.”

Mr and Mrs Baker have been befriended by former mayor Sally Holman who lives at the Cobb and who keeps an eye on the couple to see that they are okay.

Friday, May 1 2020 3

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Consultation over dogs Throw a stay at home garden on beaches extended party for VE Day anniversary A PUBLIC consultation on regulations regarding dogs in public spaces has been extended until later this month.

The consultation on Dorset Council’s Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), which includes regulations for dogs on beaches, has been extended by three weeks to ensure those who were unable to obtain a paper version of the consultation from libraries or the council offices can do so.

Dorset Council recognises that these premises were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and wants to give those that could not attend due to self-isolation or shielding to be able to do so by contacting them directly.

This is a consultation on rules about dogs in public spaces and will help with the development of the new Dorset-wide PSPO. The consultation is a chance for people – residents, business owners, organisations and visitors – to have their say on where and when they think there should be restrictions on dogs in public places, including beaches. It will also cover topics such as fouling and lead length.

Cllr Tony Alford, Dorset Council portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services, said: “These orders are to make sure that everyone – with or without dogs – can safely enjoy public spaces.

“We want to hear a wide range of views from as many people as pos-

sible. We know that some people hold very strong views on the topic, and we aim to reflect a balanced and fair perspective within the new order.”

The subject has become one of the most hotly debated topics in Lyme Regis over the past year.

Under the current PSPO, dogs are not allowed on Lyme Regis front beach – including the sand and shingle – from May 1 to October 1.

Until May 1 dogs continue to be allowed on all Lyme Regis beaches without a lead, but after this date they are usually confined to Church Cliff, East Cliff and Monmouth beaches. However, during the current lockdown, Dorset Council has said it will not enforce restrictions.

Lyme Regis Town Council has appealed for dogs to be banned from the sandy beach and Cobb Gate shingle beach all year round, but a well-supported petition was launched to argue against this.

The consultation will now remain open until Tuesday, May 12 and is available online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dogspspo To have a paper copy of the survey and the maps of the areas it covers, call 01305 251010. This can be emailed to you or, on your request, posted and should be returned as promptly as possible to ensure your comments are included.

RESIDENTS of Lyme Regis, Uplyme and Charmouth are being encouraged to throw a ‘stay at home garden party’ to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday, May 8.

A whole weekend of events to commemorate the anniversary was scheduled to take place in Lyme Regis, but has had to be postponed until September due to the coronavirus outbreak.

But the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion is still encouraging residents to mark the special day in their own homes, commemorating 75 years since Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender at the end of the Second World War. Residents are being encouraged to decorate their gardens in red, white and blue and enjoy a picnic between 2pm and 4pm.

Those taking part are asked to observe a two-minute’s silence at 3pm, and then take part in a mass singing of the National Anthem from their gardens.

Wartime songs will be played during the afternoon from various sound systems around the town.

To adhere to government guidelines, those taking part should only host a garden party with members of their own household and respect social distancing with neighbours.

The chairman of the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion, Ian Marshall, will be laying a wreath at the town war memorial on his own to mark VE Day. Uplyme will also be holding its own celebrations for the VE Day anniversary.

Uplyme Stores is hosting a children’s baking competition to mark the occasion, with entrants asked to make up to six small cakes or sweets.

Entrys should be brought to the store on a paper plate, marked with your name and contact details, on Thursday, May 7 or Friday, May 8 where they will then be sold to raise funds for the Royal British Legion and NHS Charities.

A winner will be announced at 4pm on the Friday. Social distancing guidelines will be adhered at all times.

LymeOnline plans to give full coverage to the VE Day celebrations, so please send photos and videos of your stay at home garden parties and events to edit@lyme-online.co.uk

Former pizza restaurant to be converted into house

A PLANNING application to convert a former pizza restaurant on Marine Parade in Lyme Regis into a residential dwelling has been approved.

The ground floor of 18 Marine Parade, formerly Poco Pizza, will be converted to exthe existing residential tend accommodation on the first and second floors.

Poco Pizza formerly operated from 18 Marine Parade before recently moving to larger premises just across the road, above Jane’s Café.

The owners now intend to extend their residential accommodation at number 18 to the ground floor, making no external alternations. The building, including the ground floor, was previously used as a house before being converted into a shop and then the restaurant.

Dorset Council has granted permission for the change of use. You can view the full application at https://bit.ly/2RSki0b

Stay up to date with all the latest news on the LymeOnline website www.lyme-online.co.uk

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK 4 Friday, May 1 2020

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VIEWS OF LYME REGIS TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH!

A STUNNING view from Cobb Road, captured by Ashley Ball

A LONE fishing boat out in the bay, taken by Phil Bailey

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS OF LYME!

A PRETTY countryside scene on the outskirts of Uplyme, taken by Sian Harper

JEANNE Goodridge captures sunrise at Lyme Regis harbour

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BLUEBELLS in full bloom at The Spittles, taken by LymeOnline editor Francesca Evans

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ASK THE MAYOR: Your questions answered 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’ ● DO you have a plan for the council staff to return to work? Also, have you considered staging virtual council meetings? If they can do it parliament with 600 members, surely you can do it with 14?

It would also be a good way of showing the public what council meetings are like and encourage more people to come to your meetings and get a better understanding of what the council does.

There will naturally be a point when the virus and an easing of restrictions enable a return to something more like normality; quite when that is or whether phased and to what level is a matter for government to determine.

The ability to hold meetings or public gatherings will be a matter of our council being told by government when we can. There is a level of council business which is continuing but as has been previously stated, it is much lower than normal and many of the things we would normally do is in suspension - hence the reason for some of the council staff being furloughed.

The reduced level of activity also means there is nothing at present of real consequence that warrants council members’ decisions. However, members are kept informed on a daily basis of anything of substance and

they can and do express their views of it.

I’ve discussed the potential for virtual meetings with the clerk and we both took part in a DAPT facilitating exercise a couple of days ago, along with councillors from other places, to understand aspects of its use in a council public meeting, should the need arise.

However, moving to virtual meetings is something that will depend on the continued length of lockdown and the kind of matters that may arise, and in the event the public will be able attend. At present there is no need to hold virtual meetings for the reasons I’ve previously outlined. ● I READ in LymeOnline that Dorset Council workers will removing the weeds from Marine Parade this week.

I believe the council employs a lengthsman but some of Lyme’s smaller roads are in a dreadful state.

Does the lengthsman spend 100 per cent of his time making these roads look tidier because there is not much evidence of this and are there are plans after lockdown for this work to be carried out?

Lengthsmen are by historic definition staff who maintained footpaths and highways ‘along the length’ of an approach to a town.

Dorset Council is the highways authority and are responsible for maintaining roads, verges

newsfromwestminster

A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder

ON a rather sensitive issue this week, following on from my challenge to South Somerset District Council about the situation at Yeovil Crematorium, where the chapel is closed, I have corresponded with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office regarding the stance of the Church of England on funerals, closing its doors to even the smallest number of mourners.

I accept that churches are closed to congregational services but government has never instructed that small-scale funerals should not take place – nor that flags should not fly. You can read my column published in The Times about this at www.chrisloder.co.uk/press In other news, government has announced a welcome £10million fund for England’s fishing and aquaculture sectors, which includes £1million to assist fishermen to sell their catch in the local communities. It is hoped this will provide a lifeline for more than 1,000 fishing businesses, including those in the Lyme Regis area, so they can continue to maintain and operate their boats during this challenging time.

During my weekly conference call with Dorset Police it is clear that, despite a general downturn in local crime, drug dealing and trafficking continues. Added to which, the devastating impact of ‘County Lines’ so often exploits young people and the vulnerable. Please report sus-

picious behaviour to Crimestoppers, anonymously and free of charge, on 0800 555 111.

Many of you have asked when household recycling centres will be back open and I am lobbying government for this to happen, as the situation with irresponsible fly-tipping is unacceptable. I have also asked for a controlled reopening of our garden centres, which I believe would bring immense benefits and sense of wellbeing here.

Also this week I have cosigned a letter with fellow MPs to the Chancellor, regarding second homeowners who have registered their properties as holiday lets to avoid council tax; some have additionally claimed the government’s Coronavirus Small Business Grant worth £10k. We believe this funding would be better spent supporting other areas of our local economy through this crisis.

Finally, this week I’ve discussed a range of issues with Dorset councillors, including business grants, PPE, care homes and emergency dentistry provision. We now have an Urgent Dental Centre at Dorset County Hospital - patients should telephone their usual dentist or 111 to be referred. I would like to pay credit to all our local councillors who have demonstrated a real strength of tenacity as we tackle the effects of coronavirus together.

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

and highways.

We naturally want Lyme to continue to be maintained to the level we all want to see, and to a very large extent it is. Prior to the virus outbreak, we were looking at an arrangement with Dorset where we could potentially undertake some supportive work, e.g. highways verges and potholes etc. by agreement. This arrangement is not able to be progressed at present because of current restrictions.

It must be said, however, that the current state of Lyme’s highways is comparatively very good, much better than many other places, largely because we were very fortunate to have had practically the whole town’s roads resurfaced in the last two years.

Friday, May 1 2020 5

Dorset remains one of safest places to live RECORDED crime in the Dorset Police area has remained stable while it has increased in many parts other of the country, new figures reveal.

Latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics, covering a 12 month period to December 2019, show a 0.3 per cent increase in crime for Dorset, against a national rise of 4 per cent.

Dorset remains one of the safest places in the country with the ninth lowest recorded crime rate and 11th lowest numbers of victims of crime. Both burglary and theft have seen significant reductions.

Deputy Chief Constable David Lewis said: “Dorset Police have excellent crime recording practices and although we have seen a very small increase in crime over the period, this is far lower than the rest of the country.

“Crime figures are only one measure of our performance and success, but our communities should feel reassured that they remain some of the lowest figures in the country.

“As always, we will be looking at the data to see where we can improve and learn, working with our communities to further prevent crime and, at times, a disproportionate fear of crime.”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “The figures demonstrate very clearly that Dorset continues to be one of the safest places to live, with a force that punches above its weight.

“Although dealing with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is clearly the priority, I will be examining these figures very closely and discussing with the Chief Constable what the force is able to do better.”

It is important to note that these figures cover a 12 month period to the end of 2019 so do not include any data related to COVID-19 or the time period of the 2020 restrictions.

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

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philip@lyme-online.co.uk

My lockdown daily diary Do these press briefing serve any purpose?

DAY 30 - APRIL 16

AN interesting exchange of posts on Facebook last evening by two of Lyme’s more astute observers – Matt Puddy and David Manners – who both admitted they had stopped watching the government’s Downing Street press briefing every afternoon.

I know how they feel.

This is my 30th day of self-isolation and I have been writing this daily blog since day six. I did it to add a little bit of levity to these lockdown days and to provide me with a focus to keep abreast of the fight against the coronavirus contagion.

On at least three occasions I have written about the dilemma I face as a journalist of 55 years experience, having worked at all levels of the newspaper industry, with a long-held suspicion of all politicians, who is struggling to support my fellow scribes in the manner in which they question the government spokespersons at these briefings.

I am left wondering whether they are serving any purpose at all, other than giving the government the chance to reiterate their overriding message urging the populace to “stay at home” and boost the egos of those we see daily on the TV news.

I have not been able to establish how many people tune into the BBC at around 5pm every day to listen to what is becoming a bit of a farce as the journalists, especially the TV big beasts, get more frustrated as the ministers do their best to avoid answering their questions with any clarity. But, like Matt and David, I’m pretty sure that thousands have already abandoned their daily does of what many are considering to be no more than propaganda In his Facebook post last evening David railed against the aggressive manner in which some journalists asked their questions which had persuaded him to longer watch the briefings. Matt advised his many followers on social media to do

I’M into my sixth 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... likewise and just adhere to the government’s mantra of staying home. Do so and an end will be in sight.

Question: should are parking wardens key workers?

DAY 31 - APRIL 17

UPROAR in the town yesterday when a traffic warden was spotted in Lyme. I should add “allegedly” to that sentence.

Whilst I have no reason to doubt the source of that information, Dorset Council responded with surprising alacrity to our request for confirmation of why parking wardens were still working when closed all their car parks were closed.

We contacted the communications team at Dorset Council after normal office hours yesterday following a spate of derogatory comments on Facebook condemning any attempt to punish motorists for ignoring the street parking restrictions when they had closed all their parks in Lyme.

They also questioned whether parking wardens could be considered to be “key workers”.

When Dorset Council announced they were closing the parks (Holmbush, Charmouth Road and Cobb Gate), they made it clear that the street restrictions would remain, although no one believed they would be dishing out tickets for parking in the street whilst people popped into the chemist for medication or did a bit of essential shopping.

Responding to our request the council did not confirm that there was a warden in town (so we

can assume there was) but they did explain how the wardens were being utilised during the coronavirus lockdown.

Their spokesman said: “Our parking attendants play a vital role in keeping traffic moving – which is more important than ever as we continue to enable key workers, emergency services and essential goods to travel freely through our roads.

“This is becoming increasingly challenging as we do our part and stay at home and cars compete for parking spaces on residential roads – some of which will have restrictions in place which should still be observed.

“We also need to monitor that essential dedicated parking bays for disabled drivers, ambulances, police vehicles and loading/unloading are not abused by inconsiderate drivers, and that taxi ranks and bus stops are not blocked.

“They are also on standby to assist the police and to be possibly diverted to other front-line duties to assist the public in these difficult times.

“Other officers in the team have for example, been utilised for the provision of drugs and medicines to vulnerable people, and the distribution of emergency food supplies. They are acting under guidelines from the government and Public Health England.”

So now we know, although we can discount the “keeping traffic moving” function in Lyme because there’s hardly any traffic moving through the town now. Some help with this during the summer might be helpful, however.

Facebook had calmed down overnight with some of the more critical comments being removed, but it does show the strength of feeling over Lyme’s traffic issues which at some in the future, when life returns to normal, has to be addressed by our councils.

In the autumn Dorset Council is committed to installing the new pedestrian crossing in Broad Street which will lead to the loss of a five parking spaces in the main street and which many believe will cause even more chaos during peak times.

Are parking wardens really key workers?

DAY 39 SATURDAY, APRIL 25

LIKE many others who run a business in this town, I’m spending an increasing amount of time wondering how we can recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Whilst the government is sticking to its guns over not going public on their plans to release us from lockdown until there is a decline in the number of cases and deaths, a strategy which, we are told, is starting to work, it is inevitable that we will soon know how this may play out.

The glorious weather is no doubt the biggest threat to the great British public’s continuing adherence to social distancing. There’s certainly been more traffic is passing through Lyme these last few days and that greater numbers are enjoying the delights of our seafront.

Dorset Police announced today that they have issued 118 fines in the last month to those who were ignoring the rules. There is no breakdown so we don’t now whether any of these were dished out in Lyme.

What I do know, however, is that Dorset’s parking wardens are handing out fines in Lyme Regis, despite having closed all their car parks.

I spoke to a local restaurateur who parked her car outside her closed premises, causing no obstruction, but was issued with a ticket.

I cannot see that parking wardens can be considered key workers. Recently, we received a statement from Dorset Council saying the wardens were helping the police with traffic control.

Really? In Lyme Regis? What traffic and what police?

Traders in Lyme are under enough pressure and I think it’s a disgrace to be fining people when there is obvious abuse of the parking restrictions in the town. Take a stroll around the back streets or onto the estate where there is wholesale abuse of residents’ parking.

DAY 41 TUESDAY, APRIL 28

WHILST there have been many set-backs and a number of mistakes in our fight against coronavirus, one of the great achievements has been the setting up of the Nightingale Hospitals to cope with the expected number of cases.

There are seven of them now, all over England, and the latest in Bristol was opened in a virtual ceremony by Prince Edward.

In all, the seven Nightingale Hospitals can cope with 11,000 patients, the biggest of which, the Excel exhibition centre in East London, can take 4,000. They were built in super-quick time at the cost of millions of pounds.

It was a huge logistical problem to locate suit-

able sites, build the wards and then equip them with all the sophisticated equipment necessary for a state-of-the-art hospital. Then to find the qualified nursing staff and volunteers to provide the care necessary.

There was a real Dunkirk spirit about this task and the government called on the British Army to front the operation. You know what they say – “if you want a job done properly and quickly, call on a soldier”.

And yet these ad-hoc hospitals, which seemed to appear almost over night, are only treating a handful of patients providing more fodder for those who are quick to condemn the government at every turn of the desperate fight against this deadly contagion.

One of the government’s greatest fears was that the NHS would be overrun by the number of patients, as indeed happened in Italy. The Nightingale hospitals were the insurance policy against this happening and as the chief executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens, said at the time: “It will count as a huge success for the whole country if we never need to use them.”

Can you imagine the hue and cry that would have gone out if the NHS had been unable to cope with the number of cases and the government had no back-up plan?

GIVE dismisses attack on PM as ‘grotesque’ DAY 34 - APRIL 20

A FURIOUS row broke out yesterday between the politicians and the press over how the government has managed the coronavirus epidemic, particularly in the early days with claims that Prime Minister Boris Johnson “went missing in action”.

The Sunday Times published a two-page ‘expose’ by its investigative team entitled: “Revealed 38 days when Britain sleepwalked into disaster” making a big play of the fact that the PM did not attend the first five Cobra meetings when the pandemic was discussed.

The ST’s Insight team have exclusively unveiled some major scandals over the years, winning many plaudits in the process. In my view, however, this was not their finest work. In effect, it was a total hatchet job on Boris Johnson. But it certainly riled the Cabinet with Michael Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, touring the TV stations to emphatically deny the allegations and to defend the government’s performance.

The usually ultra-polite Gove was clearly seething when he spoke to the Marr programme and Sky News when he said: “The idea Prime Minister skipped meetings that were vital to our response to the coronavirus I think is grotesque,” pointing out that it was quite normal for other senior Cabinet members to chair such meetings and then report to the PM. And he added, as the questioning got more intense: “So you can take a single fact, wrench it out of context, whip it up in order to create a j’accuse narrative, but that is not fair reporting.”

The Marr programme is compulsive viewing for me on a Sunday morning. He treats all politicians of whatever shade, with the same intensity – but I love it when they have a go back .

Imagine summer in Lyme without pubs and cafés DAY 37 - APRIL 23

YESTERDAY we were told that social distancing is likely to continue until such time as a vaccine is availability – and that’s not likely to happen before the end of the year.

This warning, delivered by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, underlines the fact that we are a long way off beating the coronavirus pandemic.

It will have come as a total shock to the hospitality industry which was expecting their lockdown restrictions to be lifted by the end of June.

But how can you operate social distancing as we know it - keeping at least two metres between people - when running a pub, restaurant or café?

It seems to work in a supermarket or shop, the formation of orderly queues outside the premises, observing the two metre-rule, and then letting in one shopper at a time.

Can you imagine a summer season with no cafés serving coffees and cream teas, no pubs to pop into for a pint and a snack, no places to enjoy a delicious meal out? It could cripple the town if Lyme’s burgeoning hospitality industry have to keep the shutters up until the end of the year.

Professor Whitty told the Downing Street press conference that it was “wholly unrealistic” to expect lockdown measures to be lifted soon, as restrictions could not be completely lifted until either a vaccine for COVID-19, or highly effective drugs to treat the virus, become available.

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Dorset warns government funding Dorset Police issues 118 fines to those breaking ‘stay at home’ rules is not enough to cover its shortfall OVER the past month, Dorset Police has issued 118 fines to those found making non-essential journeys or blatantly flouting social distancing regulations.

Officers are continuing their patrols on Dorset’s roads, key locations and beauty spots to ensure the public adhere to the government’s ‘stay at home’ rules to tackle the coronavirus.

Between Sunday, March 29 and Thursday, April 23, Dorset Police issued 118 fixed penalty notices to people who have been found to be making non-essential journeys or flouting the regulations. Just over half of the total fines issued, 60, were handed to non-Dorset residents.

Examples have included a group of five motorcyclists from Southampton out for a ride; people from Uxbridge and Hampshire who had gone for a drive because they were bored; someone travelling from Winchester to drop fishing rods to a friend; and someone transporting a vintage car on the back of his vehicle to deliver elsewhere.

Figures on the latest fines were released as Dorset Police released a message to the public, saying now was not the time to become complacent with the regulations.

Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “While our roads are far quieter than normal I am disappointed by the very small minority of people who continue to flout the rules. Now is not the time to become complacent and we all need to do our bit to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.

“Our officers will continue to patrol across Dorset to ensure that people are only making essential journeys. They will continue to engage with the public, explain the rules and encourage people to go home. We will only enforce as a very last resort.

“I appreciate these restrictions are not easy but it is essential that we all stick with it. I am aware there has been much discussion around recently issued guidance about the legislation and what

LOCAL authorities across the South West have received an extra £160million from the government to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic, but Dorset Council has already warned this will not be enough.

it does and doesn’t specifically prohibit.

“Our message remains the same – the legal aspects of the legislation are based on whether a person’s actions are reasonable or not. Our officers will continue to make individual judgements based on the specific circumstances presented to them. We all ask for people to stick within the spirit of the legislation and make every effort to stay at home.

“We continue to receive calls and online reports from members of the public reporting breaches and I’d like to reassure the public that we are responding to this information.

“Overall, I have been delighted by the positive response from the public in relation to these measures. The pictures of our empty beaches, parks, forests and high streets prove that our communities fully understand what is being asked of them and they are complying – so I’d like to say a very big thank you for this.”

A wide range of FAQs have been uploaded to the COVID-19 section of the Dorset Police website www.dorset.police.uk

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WE WILL BEAT CANCER SOONER

The government is providing an additional £1.6billion to local authorities across the country to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with the pandemic.

This is in addition to the £1.6billion already announced in March and represents an unprecedented level of financial support in recent times.

The funding is intended to be spent on essential services, such as adult social care and children’s services, while also providing support to people impacted by the coronavirus.

This includes protecting rough sleepers, with 90 per cent of rough sleepers offered safe accommodation so far; establishing shielding programmes for clinically extremely vulnerable people; and ensuring there is additional support available across a range of other vital council services.

This announcement builds on other government measures, including allowing councils to defer the payment of business rates to central government and providing them with a combined £850million in up-front social care grants that will help with their cashflow so they can continue to deliver vital services.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Councils are playing a central role in our national fight against coronavirus and the government continues to back them at this challenging time.

“That’s why I announced £3.2billion of support for councils to help them to continue their extraordinary efforts.

“Today I’m setting out how the latest £1.6billion of this will be allocated to councils in the fairest way possible, recognising the latest and best assessment of the pressures they face.

“We are backing local district councils and a clear majority will receive at least £1million in additional funding.”

Dorset Council will receive £10,411,613 in the latest round of funding, in addition to the £10,665,165 it received in March – a total of £21,076,778.

However, it announced last week that it was incurring additional costs of £13million per month as it supports residents, communities and businesses through the ongoing COVID19 crisis.

Dorset Council’s first round of government funding was spent within the first month of the pandemic and the council warned that additional funds of a similar amount would not cover the shortfall.

In February, the council set a budget of £304million for the coming financial year. This outlined projected income, expenditure and savings in balance to avoid any overspend by the end of the year.

But the size and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic was not known at this point so was not budgeted for.

Since March, Dorset Council has been responding to the pandemic as a category 1 responder under Civil Contingencies Act responsibilities. This includes a responsibility for planning and responding to the emergency with partners such as the NHS, police and fire service.

The financial impact of coronavirus on Dorset Council’s budget has been significant and has included the following:

● Additional unexpected expenditure on social care for adults and children, including a 10 per cent increase in fees for care providers, renting and converting rooms in a hotel into a social care base, providing staff and care agencies with extra PPE, additional staffing costs, and preparations for potential excess deaths. ● Lost income from suspension of car parking charges, closure of leisure centres and other commercial services, and lower than anticipated income from business rates and council tax. ● Savings which were planned to be achieved through transformation projects, which can no longer be delivered due to employee redeployment to support communities including shielded individuals.

If the crisis continues into the summer, the council is likely to incur additional costs of more than £54million in 2020-21 and the total government funding represents just 40 per cent of this, leaving a shortfall of £32.6million.

Dorset Council’s 2020-21 budget included reserves of £28million but even if all the council’s reserves were taken into account there is still a shortfall.

Uncomfortable position Cllr Tony Ferrari, portfolio holder for Finance, Commercial and Assets, said: “We are grateful to the government for the funding we have received to date.

“We feel that government ministers are listening to councils and responding to our concerns to ensure that the country’s COVID-19 response is as effective as possible. We are doing what the government has asked of us by supporting Dorset’s people and businesses through this crisis.”

Despite a budget overspend of about £16million in the new Dorset Council’s first financial year, Cllr Ferrari insisted that the move to a unitary authority in April 2019 was the right decision.

He added: “The decision to form a unitary council in 2019 is proving to be the right one.

Across the country councils have found it more difficult to manage the pandemic when there are two tiers of local government.

“Our own reorganisation meant that we entered this in a much more financially robust position than we would have been as a county council and five district and borough councils. Although our position is uncomfortable many councils are worse off than Dorset.

“We will continue to brief government ministers, civil servants and our local Dorset MPs on the council’s position.

“So far the government has done as the Chancellor promised, ‘whatever it takes’ to support the country. They do need to keep delivering on this promise.”

West Dorset MP Chris Loder has welcomed news of the £21million funding for Dorset.

He commented: “I’m pleased that the government has again acted following my representations to them to further support Dorset Council, which is doing an incredible job under extraordinary circumstances.

“Dorset Council will receive government funding totalling £21,076,778 to help ensure essential services are not impacted by the extra demands placed on councils by coronavirus.

“I will be working hard to ensure the benefits of this extra support filters through to our West Dorset communities, especially those most vulnerable who need it the most.”

For live updates on the latest coronavirus news and how it is affecting the local area, visit www.lyme-online.co.uk/coronavirus-updates

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Local catering company helping to keep our NHS heroes fuelled A LOCAL catering company is keeping NHS staff and other frontline workers well fed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The team behind Fossil Food Catering – led by Lyme Regis chef Steven Batey and his partner Kirsty Roberts – have been delivering free, hot meals to key workers every Thursday for the past three weeks.

Steve commented: “Since the virus outbreak we wanted to do something to help to others. We had a fully booked wedding season go upside down in the blink of an eye so we had the gift of time and wanted to use it wisely to help those

who are putting themselves in harms way for others.

“We turned to our skill set – food. We love how food brings people together so we set up our NHS and Front Line Worker delivery meal scheme. We are not taking payment – this is just a big thank you from us for all their heroic hard work!

“We hope this gives these people some time with their loved ones to enjoy a hearty meal together.”

Steve and Kirsty, who run the successful catering company from a farm at Trinity Hill, launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the cost of the

Coronavirus hits local events calendar LYME Regis Football Club’s annual Sausage & Cider Festival is the latest major event to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The festival - the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year - was due to be held on Saturday, July 4.

It joins an increasing number of local events which have been affected by the pandemic.

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, which was set to take place this weekend, was the first to announce it would be postponed and a new date has now been set for October 24 and 25.

Other events which were scheduled to take place this month included the May Fete and Jazz Jurassica, both

cancelled, and VE Day commemorations which have been postponed until September, although residents are still being encouraged to host their own garden parties (see page 3).

In Uplyme, the annual village fete and horticultural society’s summer show have both been cancelled.

Organisers of Guitars On The Beach, which is scheduled for June 27, announced in March they would go ahead with the event if possible but have made no further official statement.

Decisions on whether Lifeboat Week and Regatta & Carnival Week will go ahead as normal have also not been announced.

meals, and have almost reached their £1,000 target.

Among those to have offered their support to the appeal are Lyme Regis lifeboat crew, which donated £100, and Steve’s team mates from Lyme Regis Football Club, who donated £150 from their ‘fines’ fund, which is usually spent on an end of season trip. The football club committee then agreed to matchfund their donation to Fossil Food Catering, and the players also donated a further £150 to Lyme Regis Foodbank.

Members of both the football club and lifeboat crew have also been out helping the team deliver the meals, with more than 140 deliveries made this week.

Steve commented: “It seems we are not alone in wanting to say our thanks with many members of the local community donating to our JustGiving page and many volunteers from Lyme Regis lifeboat crew and Lyme Regis Football Club helping us with deliveries.

“Even one of our main suppliers James Hayden from RT Parris LTD has donated a huge delivery of dairy produce to use within our meals.

“Everyone’s kindness and generosity is really appreciated! We can’t thank them all enough!”

To donate to the appeal visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nh sfossilfoodcatering or for more details on Fossil Food Catering and how to order a meal, visit www.fossilfoodcatering.co.uk

Steve Batey and Kirsty Roberts from Fossil Food Catering, out delivering their meals for NHS staff and key workers Photo by Lyme Bay Photography

Lockdown Update on Holmbush Café We may be closed but we are working towards opening when we can. Things will be different!

We’ve drawn up our programme for opening as follows: Go and hug the grandchildren ● Hug the grandchildren again ● Deep clean the café ● Order fresh supplies ● Join the haircut queue - David’s silver locks are flowing and Trisha’s roots are showing their true colour! ● Re-open initially as a take-away with social distancing ●

We’ll be with you as soon as we can. Stay safe and look after each other.

David and Trish, May 2020

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RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE

THEN AND NOW: A packed Lyme Regis beach last summer and, left, virtually deserted now during the coronavirus pandemic

A LANTERN parade during last year’s Fossil Festival, which was set to be held this weekend but has now been postponed until October

THE bathtub race - one of the most popular events during Lifeboat Week. Will we see it go ahead this summer?

THE unique Guitars On The Beach was set to be held for the last time in June. Organisers announced in March they would go ahead if possible but no official statement on the event has been made since.

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RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE Summertime and the living is easy...

IT’S set to be a quiet summer in Lyme Regis and it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing crowds like these anytime soon, as some kind social distancing measures are expected to continue for months.

Lyme has become an all-year-round resort, in part because of its numerous events and festivals, but the coronavirus pandemic has already decimated the spring calendar.

The Easter Bonnet Parade - which always marks the start of events season - went virtual last month; the Fossil Festival, initially set to take place this weekend, will now be held in October; VE Day commemorations have been postponed and the jazz festival cancelled.

There’s still no official word on whether some of Lyme’s biggest crowd-pullers will go ahead later this year, including Guitars On The Beach, Lifeboat Week and Regatta & Carnival.

But one thing is for certain - we’re in for a year like no other in Lyme Regis, so here’s a look back at those carefree summer days which we can all look forward to when life does eventually get back to normal.

TENS of thousands descended on Lyme Regis for the last Red Arrows Day in 2017 - scenes which seem hard to imagine in current times. The RAF’s crack aerobatic team are pictured left performing over Lyme Bay, with the Flying Circus wing walkers pictured far left, appearing in 2018 for ‘I Love Lyme Day’

Lights, camera, action...

A YOUNG Noah Turner, son of local fire chief Virgil Turner and his partner Hannah Moses, pictured in Lyme Regis Carnival. Below, Lyme Regis Majorettes usually keep us entertained all through the summer

Lyme Sights & Sounds A new multi-media channel bringing your local news alive!

Videos of all major local events ● Topical podcasts on the latest news ● Colourful photo galleries ●

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ART | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS

Local musician to release new single Supporting some of the best young professional musicians in the UK

LOCAL blue-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Adam Sweet will be releasing the first single from his highly-anticipated album ‘Sink or Swim’ across digital platforms today (May 1).

Adam was planning the launch the new album at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis in June, but this has unfortunately had to be postponed until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.

However, his single ‘You or Me’ is now available on all major digital platforms, including Spotfiy, and as a download from his website www.adamsweetmusic.com This will be the first single to be released from his album, which showcases a major step forward in Adam’s career with a sound that he’s developed by working closely with new band members Ian Jennings on bass and Gary Knoll on drums. The album also features on the UK’s finest blues harp players Ian Briggs.

With the tale of a chance encounter told via the internal dialogue of the listener, ‘You or Me’ anticipates a time when social distancing becomes a thing of the past.

“With brand-new paint and gleaming

chrome, in ‘You or Me’, Adam Sweet drives, foot to the metal, blues-rock straight at and through you. The engine is strong, the driver is sure, and Ian Briggs lifts the lid and wails with harpist’s glee through the open top of the car.” – Rob Brown (First Thursday Blues Club).

‘You or Me’ was written by Adam and fellow local musician Steve Black, produced by Josiah J Manning, recorded at Momentum Studios in Plymouth. and mastered at LOUD Mastering, Taunton.

To listen to Adam’s music visit his website above or YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/AdamSweetMusic

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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CONCERTS in the West has taken the decision to cancel the some of its scheduled 2020 tours, as it is likely that restrictive measures due to the COVID-19 crisis will still be in place.

Events affected include concerns by the Trio Klein, featuring Kamila Bydlowska, Shiry Rashkovsky and Riccardo Pes in May; the Ferio Saxophone Quartet in June; and Creating Carmen in July.

However, Concerts in the West plans to invite these musicians back to play in 2021 or 2022.

Catherine Maddocks, the founder and director of Concerts in the West, said: “As you know, like so many other arts organisations we have had to halt our concert tours due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have cancelled the April, May, June and July tours, which is very sad for all concerned – it’s the first time in 14 years that we’ve had to cancel any tours.

“We are not yet in a position to make a decision about September, October and November, but we will keep everyone updated. In the meantime we will work on planning the 2021/22 series and hope that our wonderful musicians can come and play for us again.

“We really appreciate your loyalty and look forward to welcoming you to our concerts when normal life has resumed.

“Finally, can I say, this is a frightening time for all musicians, many of whom have faced cancelled work and a crippling loss of income over the coming weeks and months. We have offered them some compensation and if you feel you can help, please donate via our website www.concertsinthewest.org.”

Catherine Maddocks has made recommendations for music you can listen to while the lockdown is in place, including some of the players who have already performed for Concerts in the West or who were due to play.

“So many musicians have been working hard to bring their music to us via the internet. They are truly inspiring with their courage to keep playing and working,” said Catherine.

“At a time when so many lives have been put on hold and much of the world is self-isolating, communication has never been more important.

A daily posting of live music can help to remind us that we are not alone in facing this crisis.”

You can find Catherine’s full list of recommendations on the LymeOnline website.

This month at the Marine Catch up with Lyme’s Little Theatre by the Sea

NOT so much ‘a month at the Marine’ as a month ‘not’ at the Marine as the COVID-19 lockdown continues.

But as the saying goes, you can take the girl out of the Marine but you can’t take the Marine out of the girl.

Did you see the HMS Dauntless anchored a little closer than we usually see naval vessels in Lyme Bay? Being the early bird I am, frequently in to work before 8am, I’m amongst the first to see these overnight arrivals that are often en route to a naval base and they use the bay as a safe harbour from storms out at sea. But by all accounts, the ship had docked closer than usual so it could send a boat ashore for provisions.

There was a comment on the Lyme Regis Noticeboard Facebook page, “lock up your daughters, the Navy are in town”. I did wonder, given the impact of the lockdown, if that warning was more for the sailors’ protection.

Anyway, sailors aside, I have been keeping the love alive for our little theatre by the sea with anyone who cares to listen to my ramblings when I’m out on one of my walks. I’ve been interested to hear what the supporters of the theatre are doing for the war effort.

Polly, one of our wonderful volunteers and theatre member, who also heads up a number of local environmental groups, told me she was part of a team who were making scrubs for medical teams.

I also met Susan and David. We obediently stood two metres apart on opposite sides of the road just near the Roman Catholic church, they are keeping busy with outdoor pursuits but looking forward to the theatre reopening.

I was absolutely delighted to see theatre member Jo who has been strong supporter of the Marine for years.

He was chatting in his affable and charming way to someone queuing outside the butcher.

Always ready with an array of compliments, he asked how I was keeping and hoped it wouldn’t be too long before he can return to enjoy a show at the Marine.

Then there’s the very lovely Fiona from the Tourist Information Centre who I have seen several times hurtling down Broad Street on her bike. She has kept me laughing over the last few weeks with some hilarious online film clips… I’ll never look at an Easter egg in the same way again.

Keian of The Galley Café has been giving advice on how to make the best soda bread and when I met the Pilot Boat’s Robin and his family, me on the top level of the seafront esplanade, they on the lower, he told me they are still doing the regular veg boxes and we reassured each other that when everything returns to normal, it will be marked with a big celebration.

I can’t help but wonder if when the lockdown is lifted and we can all get much closer than two metres, we might see a similar outcome of post-World War… maybe we should warn the visiting naval ships in advance.

Sophia Moseley

Theatre manager

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when we were young(er) 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!

ABOVE: Members of the Lyme Regis Get Together Club visiting a new sheltered housing development in Bridport.

LEFT: Phil Street and Mike Higgs in the Regatta pram derby.

RIGHT: Strolling along the prom - Corrine Hopper, Sally Hammett, Linda Evans, Linda Wiscombe and Helen Young.

LEFT: Some familiar Lyme faces when they were younger, lining up in the Scouts’ football team.

BELOW LEFT: The 1968 pupils at St Michael’s Junior School with teacher Bill Creber.

BELOW RIGHT: St Michael’s School athletics team, circa 1950s, pictured after winning the West Dorset School’s shield.

Send us your photos of having fun in happier days

14 Friday, May 1 2020

Rotary supports charities through COVID pandemic DESPITE the lockdown restrictions, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis is still managing to meet regularly via a video sharing app and has continued its charitable work.

A spokesperson for the Rotary Club said: “These are unprecedented times that we all find ourselves in and we must all contribute where we can. This month the Rotary Club have decided to support a number of very worthwhile causes.

“We have again been pleased to support the Yeovil Freewheelers part of the national Blood Bikes group, which regularly serves local hospitals in delivering urgent and essential supplies.

“They are a group of 55 volunteer motorcyclists who are now helping the NHS in their fight against coronavirus by transporting blood samples through the night to new test centres recently set up in the area.

“Unfortunately, this additional workload comes at a time when they have seen a large drop in donations due to the cancellation of many of their fundraising activities. We are therefore pleased to have been able to donate £250 to this very worthwhile charity.

“We are also pleased to have been able to support LymeForward in its operation of the local foodbank with a donation of £250.

“The foodbank covers the Lyme Regis , Charmouth and Uplyme areas with more than 20 volunteers. It opens once a week on a Wednesday between 10am and 12noon at The Hub in Lyme Regis, providing provisions for individuals and families from the area who are in much need, particularly at the current time when already difficult circumstances are increased many fold.

“The West Dorset Scrubers are a group of proactive local volunteers who have got together to support the NHS in Dorset by sourcing and making medical scrubs, wash bags and masks.

Two members of our local club are involved in the collection and making of some of these items and members have been collecting and donating materials for their use.

“We have also been able to donate £250 to this fantastic effort to go towards them buying specialist material for the medical scrubs.”

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Support needed to keep Marie Art society Curie Nurses on the frontline to host virtual MARIE Curie has launched an emergency appeal following a devastating loss of income from hundreds of cancelled fundraising events and the closure of their charity shops.

Meanwhile, Marie Curie Nurses are still working tirelessly, caring for terminally ill people in their homes.

Last year, Marie Curie provided care and support to more than 1,600 people in Dorset, allowing them to die at home where they wanted to be.

The charity says that now more than ever, end of life patients who do not want to be in hospital need to be moved to a more appropriate setting, as beds in critical care units are urgently required for patients who need lifesaving treatment for coronavirus.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the charity has also increased the opening hours of its Support Line to seven days a week and is gearing up to care for hundreds of additional patients requiring end of life care, in order to relieve the unprecedented pressure on the NHS. As experts in providing end of life care in the community, Marie Curie can help, but only if it continues to raise the donations needed to fund its vital work.

Susan Gale, a volunteer for Marie Curie in Lyme Regis, had planned her annual collection for the Great Daffodil Appeal to take place in the town on Saturday, March 21. Sadly, this had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 and her willing band of helpers, over two dozen, were stood

down.

One of the regular volunteers to help with the annual collection in Lyme Regis is Joshua Denning (pictured) and his mum Annette. Joshua is 16 years old and attends Mountjoy School in Beaminster.

Annette said: “Joshua loves helping raise money for different charities. He is struggling at the moment because he can’t do what he loves to do, so on behalf of Joshua please support Marie Curie.”

The volunteers will now be lending their support with an online collection through JustGiving, which will be waiving its usual charges.

Stephanie Sterndale-Bennett, Marie Curie community fundraiser in Dorset, said: “At a time when our services are needed most, we’re facing a fundraising crisis.

Hundreds of our Great Daffodil Appeal collections were cancelled, our charity shops have closed, and local fundraising events have stopped.

“We are lucky to have many loyal and longstanding supporters in Dorset, and it is now that we need your support more than ever. Please consider donating to our appeal today.”

To donate to Susan’s virtual collection online, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/susandaffodilday If you, or someone you know, is affected by a terminal illness and concerned about coronavirus, the Marie Curie Support Line team are ready to help with the information you need. Call free 0800 090 2309 or you can find more information at mariecurie.org.uk/coronavirus

exhibition

LYME Regis Art Society members had been looking forward to holding its annual exhibition at the Town Mill later this month, but due to coronavirus restrictions the event had to be cancelled.

Instead, members of the society have been keeping busy during lockdown creating new pieces of artwork which will now be displayed in a virtual exhibition.

The virtual exhibition will be available to view online from May 23 to June 20 by visiting www.lymeregisartssociety.org.uk/lras-virtualart-exhibition-2020/ A spokesperson for the society said: “We are lucky enough to have enlisted the expertise of Devon artist Hannah Twine to judge the exhibition and as always all our members will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite.

“As with our regular exhibition, most of the work will be for sale. Visitors to the website can ‘Pledge to Buy’ any work of art. This will be a pledge to either buy the work at the end of lockdown, when things return to normal, or to enter into a direct discussion with the artist to arrange payment and delivery on a one-toone basis as the lockdown continues.

“In this way we are aiming to keep creativity and motivation going during these difficult times, as well as promoting the sale of local art work.”

NEWS FROM CITIZENS ADVICE

BRIDPORT and District Citizens Advice continues to provide a service by telephone, email and web chat to replace the face to face appointments during the coronavirus emergency.

A local number is available so clients can now phone and leave a message on 01308 456594 or send an email to advice@bridport-cab.org.uk and they will be called back. Additionally, calls to Dorset Adviceline 03444 111 444 are staffed by advisers and webchat is available on Citizens Advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk Figures from Citizens Advice show around six million people in the UK (18 per cent of the total workforce) have already seen their hours cut, been laid off or made redundant.

Dame Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Last month we helped millions of people. Behind each enquiry was a family struggling to pay rent, someone self-employed who could no longer afford their bills, or a person attempting to claim benefits for the first time.

"These personal stories combine to paint a bigger picture of how lives have been interrupted by coronavirus.

“Not only will we continue to help as many people as we can with their individual problems, we’ll use that bigger picture to advocate for change to make sure no one is left behind.”

New research from Citizens Advice reveals one fifth (20 per cent) of UK adults say they have applied or expect to apply for benefits as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. This rises to 68 per cent of people on zero-hours contracts.

The findings come as government data on April 21 shows over 1.5 million households made a Universal Credit claim between March 1 and April 12.

The swift redeployment of staff by the Department for Work and Pensions has helped respond to an unprecedented surge in demand on the benefits system and ensured people can access financial support.

However, insights from frontline advisers at Citizens Advice show the claims process remains problematic for some groups, such as those who don’t have ID or a bank account or

those without an internet connection. Accessibility issues have been exacerbated by the necessary temporary closure of libraries and job centres.

Meanwhile 15 per cent of people anticipate having to borrow money from friends or family to cope with the five-week wait before payment if they do have to apply for Universal Credit.

Advisers at Bridport & District Citizens Advice can support clients over the phone with general benefits queries and problems. For Universal Credit there is a dedicated national Citizens Advice service called ‘Help to Claim’ which can be accessed via the Citizens Advice website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universalcredit/claiming/helptoclaim/#h-our-help-toclaim-service or by phoning 0800 144 8444.

The website also has a Benefits Calculator for people to check entitlement.

Employment Since the charity started recording coronavirus problems a third of the queries have been related to employment issues. The local economy is dependent on tourism and has been particularly hard hit by the crisis with many hospitality businesses closing down and people being laid off rather than furloughed. Those who are self-employed or on zero hours contracts have also faced serious challenges and Citizens Advice can help people in these situations find a way forward.

One of the most viewed pages on the Citizens Advice website is ‘If you can’t pay your bills because of coronavirus’ which indicates the deep anxiety felt by people facing financial hardship.

Bridport and District Citizens Advice can support clients with housing and rent problems, general debt management guidance, utility payment plans and energy issues. Referrals can also be made to local foodbanks and charities providing grants to the most vulnerable.

Friday, May 1 2020 15

local services www.lyme-online.co.uk

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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, May 1 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.

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AL-KO petrol mower, £60 - 01297 445376.

ASH Hoover, £15 - 01297 445376.

CONFIDENCE FITNESS Power Plus Treadmill, £60 - 01297 445376.

www.lyme-online.co.uk

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.

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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.

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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

Your name: .......................................................................................................................

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

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LymeOnline Sport

email your sports reports to edit@lyme-online.co.uk

football

Once a Seasider, always a Seasider How I fell in love with football - by former Lyme Regis FC captain Stuart Broom Part three of a four-part series

W

h i l s t most of my memories have been happy, my most disappointing experience happened after I had retired.

For nearly my entire career, home games were played at Sidmouth Road.

Right on the county boundary, the pitch was actually in Devon. It was one of the best surfaces in the area, let alone the league. Quite big, flat apart from a couple of ripples, the only draw backs were the wind and the fog. On top of the hill, we often had to battle with gale force winds or reduced visibility.

The club moved there from Ware Lane in the early 1930s, and in 1935 builder A. G. Case & Sons erected a small stand at a cost of £120.

Among the men who helped build it was my father Gordon, who had just joined as an apprentice carpenter. It boasted two smallish dressing rooms and a boiler which produced scalding hot water, a luxury in those days!

The natural drainage was superb and I don’t remember a game called off because it was waterlogged. At the time we didn’t really appreciate how lucky we were.

The ground served the club for 50 years before the farmer called time on us and eventually, with the help of the town council and a lot of hard physical work from club members, we moved to our new home at Davey Fort.

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.

Despite being cut from the cliff face and needing to divert a number of water courses, we started playing on it at the start of the 1976-77 season.

It had its challenges, the biggest being that it was very small, only just over the minimum regulations, which from a tactical point of view hampered the opportunity to exploit the wings which we had done on the old ground, but more importantly restricted the possibility of playing at a higher level.

There was also a lack of sporting facilities in the town for young people and no provision at county level to include Lyme in its future planning.

The Davey Fort was, in fact, meant to be a sports centre with facilities for bowls, a running track and a rifle shooting alley. But cutting into the side of the cliff proved to be foolhardy for the old Borough Council and it ended up with one small, flat surface.

It was the return to the town of Pip Evans in the mid 1990s, however, that sparked a challenge to try and change this. By then the club

The new grandstand is lowered into position at the Davey Fort, phase two of Lyme Regis Football Club’s Project Fortify

THE Lyme team which lost 4-2 to Hilton in the semi-final of the Dorset Minor Cup in 1963. Back row (from the left): Freddie Smith, Chris Govier, Jack Loder, Reg Emmett, Adrian Childs, Ricky Holt. Front row (from the left): Tony Messer, Ron Ghost, Stuart Broom, Kerry Habgood, Richard Branwhite comprised of 11 teams, including a ladies side and four youth teams.

He led a campaign to build a £1.2million new sports complex a mile up the hill on land owned by Lyme Regis Town Council adjacent to Charmouth Road, just above Dragons Hill and opposite the current park and ride, which we named ‘Strawberry Fields’, simply because that was what grew there many years before.

The idea was to build three pitches of different sizes to suit both senior and junior football, an all-weather multi-use games area (MUGA) and a clubhouse. The MUGA was intended to provide tennis facilities as well.

Some thought it was an over-ambitious project but Dorset FA considered Lyme to be one of the clubs deserving of a ground where they had more than one small pitch.

I was one of Pip’s lieutenants and know just how much work he put into the project. I have files full of letters, applications, submissions and plans; the hours he spent trying to get approval were colossal.

The club raised £40k in one year, in addition to the cost of running the club, on a geotechnical and environmental report and had spent an inordinate time raising money towards the project before plans were to be submitted.

The scheme was backed with a promise of significant grant aid from the Football Foundation, but the project was aggressively opposed by a notoriously difficult planning officer, Gerry Hughes, who later emigrated to America. He bluntly refused to meet club officials to discuss what might be acceptable.

Most of the concerns revolved around the provision of floodlights in an area Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

There were a number of NIMBY’s (not in my

back yard) living in Rhode Hill, Yawl and Harcombe who objected to the use of floodlights on the MUGA claiming they would be obtrusive from their homes 1½ miles away.

With Lyme’s two district councilors, Owen Lovell and Ken Meech, who were chairman and vice-chairman respectively of the planning committee, not allowed to represent our views, it was clear that the scheme was never going to get approval. To have appealed would have cost a fortune and the club decided reluctantly to drop the scheme.

The application involved using the latest state-of-the-art downlighting to reduce any glare on a facility which would shut at 10pm anyway. Tests showed that they would only be seen as an insignificant dot from that distance. Ridiculous!

Those selfish, misinformed people, many of them I guess now long gone, were a major reason for Lyme not having what would be a wonderful legacy to the town and sport now.

They should be ashamed of themselves!

I played two seasons at the new Davey Fort ground before retiring, but then lost touch a bit with all the travelling I did for my job. I tried to support them when I could and of course was heavily involved in the Strawberry Fields project.

But the club didn’t let that disappointment deter them, and they concentrated on making the Davey Fort club one of the best and most successful football clubs in the area winning many trophies along the way.

In the final part of this series in the next digital edition of LymeOnline, I will recall a few anecdotes during my years with Lyme FC.

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LymeOnline Sport

18 Friday, May 1 2020

May 1 2020

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NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER PREMIER LEAGUE

Davey Fort

Clubhouse closed until further notice

football

Seasiders appoint new managers TWO PLAYERS TO SHARE DUTIES Mark Bailey and Julien Simier would share the first team duties between them.

Mark Bailey is highly regarded in local footballing circles. He has played for Lyme for 19 years and has always stayed loyal to the Seasiders despite having the talent to play at a much higher level.

During his time at Lyme he has stood in as manager and captain and has scored 142 goals.

By PHILIP EVANS LYME Regis Football Club has appointed a new management team for the 2020-2021 season, whenever that may start.

Long serving Gerard Hitchcock stood down after Lyme’s last game, before Devon & Exeter League football was halted because of coronavirus, due to family commitments, leaving the first team in fifth place in the Premier Division, equally their highest position ever.

Reserve team manager Dominic Rowe has also relinquished his duties after running the side for a season in which they were placed in seventh season in Division Three when the season ended, but he has indicated that he intends to continue as a player.

The club’s management committee met via the Zoom video conferencing app on Tuesday evening when it was unanimously agreed that two of the Seasiders’ most respected players,

gig racing

LYME rower Lisa Watt competing in the world visual championships

Top coach

JULIEN SIMIER - an excellent coach and tricky ball player

Julien Simier hails from the Normandy village of Creully, which is twinned with the Lyme Regis club. He has played for the Seasiders since 2009.

A tricky ball player very much in the European mode, Simier has filled the role of coach at the Davey Fort in recent times.

Chairman Howard Larcombe told LymeOnline Sport: “We are delighted that Mark and Julien have accepted our offer to jointly manage the first team next season. They are a good fit.

Lyme rowers compete in visual championships WITH the annual World Gig Club Championships in the Isles of Scilly cancelled this year, rowers from Lyme Regis Gig Club took part in the next best thing – a virtual rowing championships.

Held over four days, competitors rowed a series of fixed-time heats on their rowing machines, in gardens, garages and living rooms – wherever they could find space.

The field was then split into groups of 12 and each day competitors rowed a ‘short-race’ to try and gain promotion to the group above or avoid relegation to the group below.

Competitors from all over the world including Hong Kong, Australia and the Netherlands, as well as those from across the South West, including current world champions for the women and men, Falmouth and Looe, took part in the event.

Lyme Regis Gig Club had five rowers pulling virtual oars in a field of over 300 competitors. All Lyme Regis rowers posted impressive results and maintained their positions over the weekend,

with only one group relegation.

Tony Ford, Lyme’s highest placed rower finished fifth in the vets (over 40s) category and 33rd overall in a field of 191. Lisa Watt, Lyme’s highest placed women, finished 45th in a field of 137 women. In the crew competition, which comprised the top three rowers, Lyme Regis finished in an incredible 10th place, ahead of Falmouth A in 11th place, and the top crew in Dorset.

Men’s captain Dan Dunford, who took part in the event, said: “It may not have been the sandy beaches and clear waters of the Isles of Scilly but these championships reminded us of why we do gig rowing - incredible spirit, determination and commitment shown by everyone who competed was a big part of the success.”

The event raised more than £1,200 NHS Charities Together to support our NHS front line staff.

Lyme Regis competitors were Lisa Watt, Caroline Duval, Tony Ford, Andrew Russell and Dan Dunford.

Full report on the LymeOnline website

MARK Bailey receives the Nicholas Marie memorial trophy at Lyme Regis Football Club’s last visit to their twin club, US Creully-Commes in Normandy “Mark has many contacts in local football and Julien is a top coach.”

No replacement has yet been found for Reserve team manager, although the club are talking to a number of possible candidates.

Excellent season

Rob Larcombe will continue to manage the third X1, Lyme Rovers, who enjoyed an excellent season and could well have won promotion to Perry Street Division One had the fixtures been completed.

He shared the duties last season

in an excellent partnership with Niall Davis, who has stood down due to personal commitments.

Larcombe, who was offered the Reserve team managership but turned it down because he wants to continue playing with the Rovers, will be assisted by players Declan Ellis and Wallace Blackmore.

The committee were informed by secretary Rob Thom that no indication had been given by the Devon & Exeter League when the new season would commence.

LAST season’s joint managers of Lyme Rovers, Niall Davis and Rob Larcombe, celebrate a cup victory. Larcombe will continue as the Rovers manager this season

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