LymeOnline Digital Edition - January 20 2023

Council backtracks on

who run the RNLI lifeboat shop in Lyme Regis are celebrating a record year with sales beating every one of the charities’ other 172 traditional outlets

The retail branch at RNLI headquarters in Poole was the only location to beat the Lyme Regis total, and the tiny harbourside shop on the Cobb has recorded a best-ever total for the ‘traditional’ outlets

Treasurer Brian Cursley told a meeting of the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Supporters that the

shop had achieved profits of £111,000 in 2022 and this had beaten the previous record in 2013,making the harbourside store the most successful in the UK and Ireland

Mr Cursley said the total raised for the charity in Lyme Regis during last year including the shop, lifeboat week and other donations was £207,000

Volunteer manager of the shop, Krys Lavery said: “These results are a massive tribute to all

LymeOnline

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Lyme Regis poet a warded King’s Gold Medal for Poetr y

Selima Hill follows in footsteps of first ever recipient, Sir Laurence Whistler, who also lived in Lyme Regis

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Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online co uk 07810 221 420

Managing Director: Philip Evans MBE philip@lyme-online co uk

Contributors Richard Austin edit@lyme-online co uk

LYME Regis poet Selima Hill has been awarded His Majesty’s Gold Medal for Poetry 2022 from King Charles III

Selima is the first recipient of the Gold Medal for Poetry to be presented in the King’s name since His Majesty’s Accession last year

The Poetry Medal Committee, chaired by the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, recommended Selima as this year ’ s recipient on the basis of her body of work, and what continues to be a flourishing and strengthening creativity, with special recognition for Gloria: Selected Poems, a compilation from her first ten collections, published by Bloodaxe Books in 2008

The Gold Medal for Poetry was established by King George V in 1933 at the suggestion of the then Poet Laureate, John Masefield, and is awarded for excellence in poetry, on the basis either of a body of work over several years, or for an outstanding poetry collection issued during the year of the award

Each year ’ s recipient is from the UK or a Commonwealth realm

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LymeOnline recognises climate change and environmental concerns as one of the most important current issues faced by our local community and across the globe

We are committed to continued, fair and accurate reporting of environmental news and events, as well as taking action to reduce our own impact on the environment Print and paper is used by news media publishers to produce their print titles Newsprint is uncoated paper made out of mechanical pulp or waste paper, which is used to produce newspapers

Newspapers are not responsible for rainforest depletion; the hardwoods from tropical rainforests are simply not suitable for newsprint production

Newsprint is an environmentally sound, renewable resource which comes from managed softwood coniferous forests, mainly in North America and Europe For every tree cut down, two or three more are planted Between 2005 and 2015 European forests grew by 44,160 sqkm

The newspaper industry has a voluntary agreement with the government on the recycled content of UK newspapers, which is supported by our printers Newsquest which is committed to purchasing newsprint responsibly to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve resources

In 1991, the UK publishers set a target of achieving 40 per cent recycled content in newspapers by the year 2000 The industry met this target four years ahead of schedule

In 2018, the recycled paper content of UK newspapers was 69 2 per cent

Selima follows in the footsteps of the first ever recipient of the Gold Medal for Poetry, awarded in 1934 to British glass engraver and poet Sir Laurence Whistler, who also lived in Lyme Regis, at Little Place in Silver Street Other previous recipients have included John Betjeman and Simon Armitage Selima published her first book of poems ‘Saying Hello At The Station’ in 1984 and has produced a further 19 collections since then

Over those decades, her work has become immediately recognisable on the page, often characterised by short, observational poems employing vivid and sometimes absurdist imagery

The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, said: “Selima Hill is an inimitable talent The mind is fragile and unreliable in her poetry, but is

The Snail

By Selima Hill

I used to keep a snail in a tank, a long glass fishtank, all along one wall I tried to give him everything he needed and make his life as comfortable as possible

The first thing I would do every morning was see where he had got to in the night, I’d peer into his little faceless face and wonder where he came from and how old he was and whether he could dream, or feel lonely, and all the time I knew him and cared for him

he never complained; on the contrary, he seemed quite happy in his glass home and didn’t seem to mind being watched, or being offered curious fruits; courteous and grateful, he would sit beside his little rock for hours on end as if to say, or chant, who needs plans? It’s true he wasn’t cheerful exactly but to me he was, and always will be, sinless and beautiful, like you

also tenacious and surprising, capable of the most extraordinary responses, always fighting back with language as its survival kit

“Life in general might be said to be her subject, the complications, contradictions and consequences of simply existing Nevertheless, Hill’s writing is eminently readable and approachable, even fun at times, the voice of a person and a poet who will not be quieted and will not conform to expectations, especially poetic ones ” Selima Hill grew up in a family of painters in farms in England and Wales, and has lived in Dorset for the past 40 years

She received a Cholmondeley Award in 1986, and was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter University in 2003-06 Selima won first prize in the Arvon International Poetry Competition with part of The Accumulation of Small Acts of Kindness (1989), one of several extended sequences in Gloria: Selected Poems (Bloodaxe Books, 2008), which also includes work from nine of her other collections, including Bunny (2001), winner of the Whitbread Poetry Award

Selima’s most recent collections include The Hat (2008); Fruitcake (2009); People Who Like Meatballs (2012), shortlisted for both the Forward Poetry Prize and the Costa Poetry Award; The Sparkling Jewel of Naturism (2014); Jutland (2015), a Poetry Book Society Special Commendation which was shortlisted for the 2015 T S Eliot Prize and was earlier shortlisted for the Roehampton Poetry Prize; The Magnitude of My Sublime Existence (2016), shortlisted for the Roehampton Poetry Prize 2017; Splash like Jesus (2017); I May Be Stupid But I'm Not That Stupid (2019); and Men Who Feed Pigeons (2021), shortlisted for the 2021 Forward Prize for Best Collection, the 2021 T.S. Eliot Prize, and the Rathbones Folio Prize 2022

Her 21st book of poetry, Women in Comfortable Shoes, will be published in June 2023

■ CORRECTION

APOLOGIES for a number of errors about the Lyme Regis Welcome Café, which were published in the December 23 issue of LymeOnline

This is a Welcome Cafe, not a club, and meets on the third Wednesday of the month at Lyme Regis Football Club, from 2pm to 3 30pm – not at timings previously advertised

The cafe is organised by Lyme Regis Development Trust to tackle social isolation and loneliness and all are welcome to attend for free

DEATH NOTICE

RATTENBURY, STEPHEN ROBERT

Passed away peacefully at home on 2nd January 2023 aged 73 years. A dearly loved husband to Sue, son to Celia and the late David, Dad to Kirstin and Alistair and a much loved Pappy/Grandpa, Brother and Father in law. Stephen will be greatly missed by all his family and many friends.

Funeral service to take place at East Devon Crematorium on Tuesday 24th January at 12.15pm. Family flowers only please and donations if desired for either the RNLI or The Royal British Legion may be made online at www.ajwakely.com or be sent c/o AJ Wakely & Sons 7a Silver Street, Lyme Regis Dorset DT7 3HR.

Lyme Regis poet Selima Hill (photo by Maisie Hill)

Council backtracks after excluding Uplyme residents from discount card

LYME Regis Town Council has u-turned on its exclusion of Uplyme residents from its Gateway Card discount scheme

The town council recently relaunched its Gateway Card, which offers residents discounts at participating businesses and on some council services and amenities, but agreed that it would be for Lyme Regis residents only and not for those living in adjoining Uplyme as they did not pay council tax to Lyme Regis Town Council

The decision sparked backlash from Uplyme residents, who said they considered themselves part of the Lyme Regis community and regularly used Lyme Regis shops and businesses Uplyme Parish Council said it would consider launching its own discount card for village residents in response

But the town council has now said it will launch a separate Gateway Card for Uplyme residents, which will offer the same discounts at local shops and businesses, but not on town council services and amenities, such as weddings at the Guildhall, beach hut bookings and mini golf, which Lyme Regis residents benefit from Cllr Cheryl Reynolds, chair of the Tourism, Community & Publicity Committee, said all

FRANCESCA EVANS francesca@lyme-online co uk

the participating local businesses has agreed they were happy to roll out their discounts to Uplyme residents as well

She said she wanted to keep “ some kind of community spirit between Lyme Regis and Uplyme” and hoped the new card for Uplyme residents would be a good compromise.

But council officers expressed concerns that this “halfway house” discount card would spark even more backlash and reflect negatively on the town council, as it was the only participating organisation that would not roll out its discounts to Uplyme residents

The council’s support services manager Adrianne Mullins said it was good that the council had recognised that they had “made a mistake” in excluding Uplyme residents, but the scheme should be “all or nothing”

Cllr Reynolds and the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, both argued that the discounts on council services and amenities were their way of giving something back to Lyme Regis residents who paid their council tax to the authority

Lyme Regis councillors request new on-street parking restrictions

LYME Regis councillors have agreed to request that parking restrictions be introduced on several residential roads in the town

The town council will be asking highway authority Dorset Council to consider road markings on sections of Sidmouth Road, Roman Road, Springhill Gardens and Clappentail Lane to prevent parking

These roads are often inundated with visitors parking in the busy summer season, in some cases considered to be a danger to other road users and pedestrians

A request will also be made for road markings at the bus stop at the Lyme Road/Clappentail mini roundabout, which is not currently officially marked meaning cars often park there

The request for Dorset Council to consider introducing restrictions comes after numerous approaches to the highway authority, meetings and walkabouts in the town to discuss parking issues

A report to the town council’s Town Management & Highways Committee meeting this week said: “To officers’ knowledge there has been no further movement from

Dorset Council Highways either on the Dorsetwide town highways and parking review or the bus stop markings, although there has been a review of off-street parking ”

Some of the issues in Lyme Regis have been raised as far back as 2018 and councillors expressed frustration with the lack of action taken from Dorset Council

Cllr David Sarson said: It s just so frustrating that they don’t seem to care ”

Cllr Belinda Bawden said she had been wanting to discuss a “holistic approach” to traffic and parking issues at the Town Management & Highways Committee for months, but she had always been “blocked” from putting it on the agenda However, she agreed that they should make the request to Dorset Council for these specific areas

LymTaiChi

Man arrested after threa tening Tesco staff with knife

A MAN was arrested in Lyme Regis on Tuesday night, after making threats towards staff at Tesco Express with a knife

Dorset Police received a report at 9 44pm on Tuesday, January 17 of a man in possession of a knife making threats toward staff in the Broad Street supermarket

Officers attended and the man was located outside the store There were no reports of any injuries

A knife was recovered and the 26-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a bladed article in a public place and affray Enquiries are ongoing

Will librar y opening hours be cut?

IT has been revealed that a review of Dorset Council’s library services could potentially see opening hours reduced at Lyme Regis Library

Dorset Council has been undertaking a comprehensive review of its library services for some time, with two stages of public consultation having been completed before Christmas

The consultation did not include any proposals for change; it sought the views of library users and non-users, partners, businesses, and employees to understand how the service could better meet the needs of residents now and in the future

Lyme Regis Town Council said it was understood “that there were no implications for the library in Lyme Regis and that no library would close as part of the review”

FRANCESCA EVANS francesca@lyme-online co uk

Whilst this model could involve a service at least as good as the existing, it could also result in a reduction of hours and/or days and/or staff, with no current clarification of precisely what is proposed for Lyme Regis

The council’s support services manager Adrianne Mullins said: “Up until last week we knew very little about what the implications were for Lyme Regis Library and it wasn’t until the manager of the library asked us if we’d be commenting that we set about trying to find out what the proposals were, and we have had great difficulty finding out what the proposals are

libraries, and I do think it’s a really good idea that we respond showing our support for the library because the risk is, potentially within that structure, that they could turn around and say ‘ you ’ re open five days a week currently, you could be open four days a week’, or ‘ you could have volunteers rather than staff’, and that’s not what we want to happen

“Currently at Lyme Regis Library they have B Sharp running a pre-school music group, they have shared reading, digital champions, a Read Easy session, craft and chat and cuppa and company as part of the Warm Spaces initiative

“Considering its a very small library, with relatively low working hours, they do a remarkable amount of stuff ”

Met

office consultant to give talk for Friends of Museum

EMMA Dyer, a scientific consultant at the Met Office, will give a talk for the Friends of Lyme Regis Museum on Thursday, February 2

Emma works across industry, with particular expertise in the rail sector and the use of climate data for undertaking risk assessments She will be speaking on ‘Supporting Industry – Whatever the Weather’ at the Woodmead Halls, starting at 2 30pm

Entry costs £2 for members and £4 for visitors - all welcome

However, a report issued to the town council just before Christmas revealed that it was Dorset Council’s intention to classify the Lyme Regis Library as a ‘Library’, as opposed to either a ‘Library+’ or a ‘Library Connect’

This is Dorset Council’s preferred model for Lyme Regis because the area has been identified as having a relatively lower level of community need than some areas served by Dorset Council’s 22 other permanent libraries

Lyme Regis Library was ranked 15th out of 23 libraries in terms of need

This designation involves a different operating model than that currently employed in Lyme Regis

Currently, the library is open for 20 hours, five days per week staffed by one full-time and one part-time member of staff

The new possible range of operating hours for a ‘Library’ is 15-22 hours per week, including volunteer supported opening hours, spread over four or five days per week

“It’s not really very readily available on Dorset Council’s website and has not been brought to our attention anywhere ”

Cllr Belinda Bawden, who also sits on Dorset Council, said she was a member of the working party looking at the review of library services and it was a “ very positive strategy” with no suggestion that any libraries will close “Having said that, there is a budget deficit of £29million and nobody knows how that is going to be resolved,” she said

“This is strategy is one that is meant to enhance and improve and extend the role of the

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, spoke against opening hours being cut saying that she had been approached by several library users who were concerned about this possibility

“They do a really good job and I would hate to see any of that lost,” she said

Town councillors agreed to respond to the public consultation, requesting that the level of service at Lyme Regis Library remains at least the same as currently provided, or be improved further

Rare biogra phy of famed fossil hunter Mar y Anning published

L u g g e r s d o n a t e £ 3 3 5 t o f o o d b a n k

year in 2022, returning to playing at many local events and raising £335 for Lyme Regis Foodbank

The Luggers celebrated the end of the year in their traditional fashion last month, with an open mic challenge and Christmas singalong An eclectic range of artists were covered at the event from The Singing Postman to Taylor Swift, and all stops in between!

Over the course of the year the Luggers enjoyed a return to playing in front of an audiences after the Covid pandemic from the Sausage and Cider Festival at Lyme Regis Football Club to entertaining the residents at a local care home and many more Not only did the group members enjoy the events, particularly after a quiet few years, but they also received £335 in donations,

In

If you would like to get involved they would love to welcome you to any of their regular, weekly meetings

No musical experience is required and beginner lessons can be provided, along with a loaned ukulele if needed The ukulele is easy to get started on, but can lead to a lifetime of learning and joy!

For more information about the Luggers, email Neil at luggers2020@gmail com

The four-page biography, held in the university’s archives and thought to date from between 1837 and 1846, was written by fellow Lyme Regis resident, George Roberts, who ran a private school opposite Anning’s fossil shop

It was reportedly intended for a book but was altered into an obituary after Anning’s death in 1847, but was never previously published in full It describes how she was struck by lightning as a baby and went on to become “lively and intelligent” child, fossil hunting from the age of 10 and selling her first find – an ammonite – to a woman passing in the street for half a crown

The biography also details her other finds of scientific importance, including the first full ichthyosaur skeleton

Professor Michael Benton, of the University of Bristol, described the biography as a “valuable” memoir

It has now been published online by the University of Bristol, along with Professor Benton and Dr Michael Taylor’s study of the document

Mary was born in Lyme Regis in 1799 to a poor working class family and lived on the site of Lyme Regis Museum, which includes a wing named after the fossil hunter

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

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

It is famously said that Mary was struck by lightning as a baby and was the inspiration for the tongue-twister ‘She Sells Sea Shells on the Sea Shore’

More recently, she was depicted by Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet in the movie ‘Ammonite’, filmed partially in Lyme Regis and Charmouth in March 2019

A statue of Mary was unveiled in Lyme Regis in 2022, following a successful campaign to raise £100,000

A RARE, contemporary biography of Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning has been unearthed and published by the University of Bristol

Hundreds gathered for the unveiling of the Mary Anning statue on Lyme Regis seafront in May 2022

Photo by Paul Starck

Who was Mary Anning?

The Luggers are now looking forward to playing at more local events in 2023 and will shortly be choosing their charity of the year to support

October, the Luggers will be celebrating their 10th birthday and plan to celebrate in style

ALL OVER THE TOWN

with

LymeOnline

editor Francesca Evans

A time to reflect and to look forward

ABELATED happy new year to all of our readers After the Christmas holiday, we took a little break from publication of our printed newspaper, allowing me to get into the swing of things covering a new, larger patch – from Seaton in the West to Dorchester in the east

It also gave us time to reflect on another busy and successful year for Lyme Regis, and you can read our Review of the Year picking out some of the top stories of 2022 on pages 18 and 19

Over the last few weeks I have been able to spend time in all five of the towns I now cover and have picked up on some great news stories to kick off 2023

Last week I visited Ric's Kitchen in Axminster which has just reopened following a six-month closure It's great to see chef Ric Edgell giving his dream to run his own restaurant a second chance, having initially been hit hard by the cost of living crisis, and from the initial public response I'd say it's going to be a soaring success!

We've also published features on The Railway Kitchen in Axminster, which has been affected by recent train strikes, and an update on Axminster Arts Cafe which has been closed since a

fire in October 2020 It seems there's real support for these local, independent eateries on our high streets

From East Devon to West Dorset I met with Lesley Windsor, Bridport’s Co-op Member Pioneer, who told me all about the great local causes Co-op are supporting this year and plans for upcoming events including Fairtrade Fortnight - watch this space!

I also popped into The George Hotel for lunch,where Robin and Angela Collyns and their family, who previously made a success of the renovated Pilot Boat in Lyme Regis, have just taken over They are also now looking forward to soon reopening the Bridport Arms in West Bay We can't wait to see it back up and running!

The past two weeks has also seen me return to the council chamber after the Christmas and New Year break, with items currently high on the agenda including the ever-present issue of parking difficulties in Lyme Regis and reaction after the council chose not to include Uplyme residents in its Gateway Card discount scheme (see page 3)

One of the highlights of the past wee was a delicious dinner at Lyme Regis Golf Club, a late Christmas celebration for the Lyme Regis/St George's Twin-

ning Association The food was excellent and I'll definitely be returning for the club's poplar Sunday carvery

Having been lucky enough to join the twinning association on one of their visits to St George's in Bermuda a few years back, this is a local group that I like to stay in touch with Twinning links across the country have suffered in the last few years due to the pandemic, but the Lyme Regis association is keen to continue its historic links with Bermuda

Perhaps one day I can go back to beautiful St George's!

Last weekend I also enjoyed celebrating winter and scaring off those evil spirits for a good harvest at the wassailing celebrations at Bridport Community Orchard

It was my first visit to the orchardwhat a great community space for the town and I look forward to going back when the trees are in blossom later this year It would be great to see something similar set up in Lyme Regis

Even with a month to prepare, deadline day for the LymeOnline newspaper seems to have come round in a flash and there’s always a mad last minute rush to get everything finished and sent to print!

Our break form publication also gave us an opportunity to

taken the

this

a

basis, rather than fortnightly, for the first three months of the year This is due to increased printing costs and it being a particularly quiet and difficult time of year for many of our regular advertisers

This means our next two publication dates will be February 17 and

I know this decision will disappoint some of you who have come to rely on the LymeOnline newspaper for your fortnightly update on all that’s going on in the area, but we will still be providing daily news coverage on our website, and our weekly video news bulletins every Friday, available to watch at www lyme-online co uk

Watch Francesca’s weekly video news bulletins, every Friday morning on the LymeOnline website

prepare for the year ahead, and we have

difficult decision to print

newspaper on

monthly

March 17, and after this we will review the situation and may return to fortnightly publishing

Members of the Lyme Regis/St George’s Twinning Committee at their post Christmas celebration at Lyme Regis Golf Club

A dedicated public servant

LYME Regis has lost a loyal and committed public servant in the recent death of local building consultant and town councillor John Broom

John was the only son of the late Henry and Lilian Broom, who lived in Providence Place, between Sherborne Lane and Hill Road John was born in Seaton but educated at St Michael's Infants' and Junior School and then the former Lyme Regis Grammar School be-

A TRIBUTE

by Philip Evans

fore joining Broom & Evans, the local building firm run by his father and Mervyn Evans

John retained his interest in the Grammar School (later to become the Woodroffe School) by holding the chairmanship of the

Tales From Lyme’s Past

A glimpse of our history with Peter Lacey

Turbulent Times

THE town’s coastal existence was, and to a certain extent still is, a precarious one, but none more so than in the medieval period

In circa 1341, gales and sea surges are reported to have “destroyed the greatest part of the land and the tenements of the town” However, there was worse to come, in November 1377; the storm damage was described as “the most fatal in our annals”

It is hard to imagine Lyme with a population of just about 125, but that was the situation when the weather abated Some 77 houses were destroyed and many others damaged by gale force winds and surging seas

The magnitude of the destruction is almost beyond comprehension; the Cobb was in ruins, repairs being estimated at a minimum of £300

The Cobb at that time was constructed of a wooden palisade, infilled with rock and was little more than a breakwater It is described as being able to shelter “two or three bargea” (merchant vessels), and its shape, size and exact location is unknown

A report stated that “15 large and great ships, along with 40 boats of which 20 were fishing boats, were carried away and altogether destroyed” The report must refer to shipping at anchor or beached on the shore

Many townspeople and ‘rich merchants’ died as a result of the storm and a number of those that did survive left the town It would seem (in a petition to the king) that only some eight merchants remained There is no other point in the town’s history, that it came so close to being abandoned Why did the storm wreck so much of Lyme? The answer might be in a description of the town which stated that “it had a great frontage towards the open sea” It has long been held that the land at one time extended seawards from below the church, what we know as Broad Ledge may have been part of that extension

Quarrying in previous centuries reduced the height of the ledge; previously it may well have provided a natural rocky breakwater and shelter for shipping This would be in keeping with Lyme’s maritime hub which was probably centred close to the mouth of the river and having jetties and quays from which to load and discharge cargo Roberts in his History confirms “that the town extended much further towards the

south and that the land declined in a shelving manner to the foreshore” Land sloping towards the sea would have been at risk from south-westerly winds which can create powerful surging waves

Buildings constructed of wattle and daub would have not stood a chance against such waves, hence the havoc

The late 14th and early 15th centuries were turbulent times for the town; apart from storm damage there are references to ‘des enemys and pestilence’ The former refers to coastal raids by the French; according to Roberts “they landed and set fire to the town” on more than one occasion The reference to pestilence is the ‘Great Plague/Black Death’ of 1348 and its later spasmodic outbreaks

Seventy years after the first storm of 1341 the town was still in dire straits A petition of 1410 states “the port is destroyed and the petitioners have begun to make a new port, which cannot be accomplished without special favour from the king” The king responded by reducing the amount of money they paid to the crown for the next ten years

HISTORY SNIPPETS

I found this almost unbelievable account in Roundell Greene's 'Electric Lyme' “In 1931 the town council gave the RSPCA permission to erect a lethal gas chamber for unwanted dogs and cats It was a coin-operated gas oven in which the user placed the animal, after a delay the body could be taken to the gas-works and incinerated”

Old Boys' Association for many years He led the campaign to stop the iconic School Song being shelved

As a young man John was very much involved in community affairs, helping his father run the annual children's sports on Regatta Day and many other activities John was an active Round Table and was also chairman of the management committee at the former Cheshire Homes in Lyme Regis (now Fairfield Care Home) and at Buckfield House He was also a member of the Axe Valley 41 Club

He was very keen on motor racing and once took part with local garage proprietor Brian Dale in the Monte Carlo Rally He was also a keen and fearless sailor and excellent badminton player He also enjoyed playing cribbage

John followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a local councillor Mr Broom senior was an active borough and town councillor, serving as town mayor for three terms, and he also represented Lyme on West Dorset District Council John served on the town council for several years and was chairman of the Town Council Management Committee and took over as deputy mayor following the death of Stan Williams

John also represented Lyme on the Dorset Association of Town and Parish Councils and was deputy chairman of the Western Area Committee and also on the DAPTC Executive He knew the workings of the council well, having worked as a building consultant for many years I knew John throughout my adult life One unforgettable memory I have was his love of speed, demonstrated whenever he drove us to Round Table events around the south west, an experience not for the faint hearted In more recent times, John served as my

John Broom followed his father Henr y, a for mer mayor, in ser ving the community as a councillor vice-chairman when I chaired the Woodmead Halls Management Committee and was a huge help to me, especially in getting us through the difficult COVID lockdown periods

He adopted a very pragmatic approach in the council chamber, listening intently to the both sides and steering well clear of the internal arguments between councillors which have plagued the council in recent years

Lyme loses member of much respected family

LYME Regis has been saddened by the death of Stephen Rattenbury, a member of one of the town’s most respected families Steve, 73, died at his home in Windsor Terrace, surrounded by his family after an illness, borne with great fortitude

He was the oldest son of Mrs Celia Rattenbury and the late Mr David Rattenbury and the grandson of Alderman Albert Lane, former town clerk and Mayor of Lyme Regis

He is survived by his mother, w Sue, children Kirstin and Alistair four grandchildren and four brothers - Brian, Stuart, Andrew and Simon

Steve was educated at St Michael’s Infants and Primary School and the Woodroffe School He left school at the age of 15 to join the Royal Navy as a Boy Rating serving for 10 years during which time he sailed into most of the major ports in th world

After leaving the Navy, Steve worked mainly in engineering for such firms as JH Shand of Axminster

Steve was a respected member of the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion and the Montague Lodge Freemasons

with Creully in Normandy

Steve’s funeral service will take place on Tuesday, January 24 at the East Devon Crematorium at Whimple at 12 15pm

Philip Evans writes: “All five Rattenbury brothers are renowned for their sense of humour Being in their company, you were always assured of an hilarious night out

“Some of their antics of five brothers growing up in the in Rattenbury family ome in Summerhill is the stuff of legends

“Entertaining runs in the Rattenbury family, their grandad Albert Lane being a great raconteur Brother Andrew is a well-known actor and talented script writer and Brian is one of Lyme’s most popular stage performers Stuart and Simon share the family sense of humour

“In recent times Steve became a mber of the Community Players and demonstrated that he was no slouch in comedic delivery

■ Our history columnist peter Lacey is keen to hear from readers any subjects of particularly interest that they would like him to research and write about in his ‘Tales From Lyme’s Past’ contributions If you have any ideas, please email edit@lyme-online co uk and they will be passed on

He retained a life-long interest in sport, being a popular member of both Lyme Regis Football Club and Uplyme and Lyme Regis Cricket Club and was included in the squad which took part in the cricket club’s 100th anniversary game at Lord’s He was also an enthusiastic supporter of the football club’s twinning arrangement

“Steve was extremely well read, making him an excellent quiz team member, and could hold a conversation on virtually any subject you might want to mention, always enhanced by his unique dry humour

“We will miss him greatly at the football club where our after-match drinks were always enhanced and made more enjoyable by Steve’s presence

“His passing is a great loss to Lyme and the sporting fraternity in particular ”

Peter Lacey

Local author and historian

Early 16th century drawing of the Cobb

New Year’s Day lungers

HUNDREDS of swimmers got the new year off the splashing start at the annual Lyme Lunge

Now one of the biggest events of its kind on the south coast, the Lyme Lunge saw hundreds dash into the sea on New Year’s Day

Many wore fancy dress for the occasion, and they were cheered on by crowds of thousands who lined the seafront

Swimmers paraded around the beach to show off their costumes before taking the plunge as

the

were

Volunteers from Lyme Regis lifeboat crew oversaw the safety of swimmers

The event was organised by the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis and this year raised funds for the British Heart Foundation and Mencap It is not yet known how much the event raised

bagpipes

played The event was officially started by the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, accompanied by her consort Alan Ellis and town crier Alan Vian

A cast of colourful characters including bees, ducks, jockeys, Christmas

decorations, dinosaurs, a slice of pizza and a bottle of ketchup lunged into Lyme Bay on New Year’s Day to raise funds for Rotary charities

are piped into the waves

NEWS FROM COUNTY HALL

with Belinda Bawden, Dorset councillor for Lyme Regis & Charmouth A belated Happy New Year to you all!

Balancing the Budget

Dorset Council directors and staff had a very busy Christmas and New Year, following the government’s announcement on December 21 for the Local Government Financial Settlement The forecast overspend of £29 million in the previous proposals for Dorset Council’s 2023-2024 budget has been discussed, considered and negotiated between the different council departments to reach a proposed balanced budget

The proposals would see essential frontline council services continuing to be provided to residents and businesses, protected from cuts Dorset Council provides around 450 different services to just under 380,000 residents

The council proposes to increase council tax next year by just under two per cent and to levy the adult social care precept of 2 per cent This is less than the maximum five per cent increase outlined in the Government’s Spending Review in December 2022

The increase would be equivalent to £1 41 extra per week for a Band D property Councillors attended the second of two all-day Budget Cafes to see presentations from all the different operational areas of Dorset Council on January 4 to hear their proposals and understand their challenges Then, last week, the public could attend the two Scrutiny Committees where elected members could examine, test and challenge the budget proposals and suggest alternatives

Christmas collection tops £1,500

The next public meetings to discuss the proposed 2023-2024 budget are:

• Monday, January 23, 10am - Cabinet

• Tuesday, February 14, 6 30pm - Full Council

‘Efficiency savings’ are being sought across all operations while protecting council services and fulfilling the Council’s key priorities set out in the Dorset Council Plan

It is possible the opposition parties may feel increasing council tax by three per cent might be preferable to relying on efficiency savings if there was a danger any council services could be at risk, bearing in mind the inflation assumption of six per cent

2030 Vision Community Conversation

Closer to home, the 2030 Vision Community Conversation is focusing on the priorities identified in the public engagements last year and from the Lyme Area Climate Heatmap at https://lyme2030vision commonplace is/

An animation project is underway at St Michael’s Primary School to enable the younger children to show what they would like to town to be like when they are teenagers in the 2030s

The issues raised on transport, traffic, parking and speeding will be considered in a public meeting in February or March and, in the meantime, the Community Speedwatch Co-ordinator from Dorset Police will be running a training session for volunteers on Monday, January 30 from 10 30am to 12pm at The Hub in Church Street

We are hoping enough volunteers will join

forming groups to gather data in three areas of Lyme and in Charmouth

The Lyme Area Energy Champions will be hosting a Home Energy workshop on Saturday, February 4 from 10 30am to 12 30pm in the Woodmead Halls with Healthy Homes Dorset and the LEAP Local Energy Advice Partnership

We’ll have case studies showing how thermal imaging can help to identify cold spots in your house and Turn Lyme Green will be showing us how to make their lovely draught excluders

Refreshments will be available Contact energychampslyme@gmail com

Please do join in the 2030 Vision initiatives, share your ideas and join future project planning events

Councillor

Surgery Dates

• Monday, January 23, 2pm to 4pm, Charmouth Library

• Thursday, January 26, 10am to 12pm, Community Café at The Hub, Church Street

• Monday, February 6, 2pm to 4pm, Charmouth Library

• Thursday, February 16, 10am to 12pm, Community Café at The Hub, Church Street

Contact me on 01305 216511 or cllrbelinda bawden@dorsetcouncil gov uk if there are Dorset Council matters you’d like to discuss

Belinda Bawden Green Party Councillor for Lyme Regis & Charmouth

Improving end of life care

A LYME Regis resident is looking to improve end of life care in the area, following the death of her husband

Dr Sophie Olszowski, whose husband Simon died in March 2021, is working with local and national groups to explore how end of life care can be boosted in the local area

She would be grateful to hear from anyone with experience of end of life care who would like to answer the below questions:

• Have you/a loved one experienced local end of life care services?

• What sort of care was provided/by whom?

• Any comments about what worked well, or could have been better?

All replies will be treated in confidence with the aim of the survey being to gain an overall picture of what works well and what could be improved.

Responses can be sent to sophie@spzassociates co uk or can be dropped into the Lyme Regis or Charmouth medical practices, marked for Sophie’s attention, care of the Patient Participation Group

THE Rotary Club of Lyme Regis surpassed expectations, with this year ’ s Christmas collection raising more than £1,500

The money was raised during street collections in Lyme Regis and Charmouth in the run-up to Christmas, and at the annual Carols Round the Tree service – one of the town’s longest-running festive events – when hundreds gathered in Broad Street to sing traditional carols

It was the first time in three years the event hadbeen able to go ahead due to COVID

Singers were accompanied by Lyme Regis Town Band, with town crier and Rotary Club president Alan Vian acting as MC for the event, and the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, and her consort Alan Ellis, among those taking part

The Rotary Club was still able to fulfil its aims at the Christmas collections and Carols Round the Tree, despite several members having to pull out due to illness

Record-breaking duck race

river

At

For

in many years, volunteers from Lyme Regis lifeboat crew did not help usher the ducks down the river, due to the reported high level of sewage pollution in the water

Instead, volunteers Virgil Turner, John King, Edward Nolan, Stuart Wain and Noah Turner helped to ensure the race ran smoothly

LYME Regis Christmas Lights Committee hosted a record-breaking duck race on New Year’s Day, raising £2,200

An incredible 2,200 ducks were sold for the biggest race ever seen in the River Lim, sponsored by the Marine Aquarium, which was also thought to be watched by record crowds and completed in a record time of three minutes, 30 seconds, due to the fast-running water after heavy rain

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, was assisted by her consort Alan Ellis and town crier Alan Vian in tipping all 2,200 ducks into the

from the Woodmead Road bridge.

the finish line outside Jordan Flats at Mill Green, the winners were announced as Ross Parker, Peter Rendell, Phil Dean. Taylor Hollister won the last duck home

the first time

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Michaela Ellis, starts the New Year’s Day duck race (photo by Rob James)

The mayor Cllr Michaela Ellis, consort Alan Ellis and town crier Alan Vian lead the Carols Round the Tree singing in Broad Street, organised by the Rotary Club

Should jet skis be allo wed in Lyme?

TALKS have been held about allowing jet skis to operate from Lyme Regis – although nothing has been agreed

Lyme Regis and Charmouth councillor Belinda Bawden told a Dorset Council committee meeting in Dorchester that there had been concerns in the town that the machines would be allowed

Her question came after a line was spotted in the harbour budget proposals for the coming financial yea, mentioning fees from personal water craft – a phrase which usually relates jet skis

Portfolio holder for harbours, Cllr Ray Bryan, said that there had been no application for a licence to operate jet skis in Lyme Regis, although he said there had been discussions with the harbour consultative group about the issue, around whether a limited number of permits could be allowed operated through the power boat club, with tight restrictions on their use “It’s an ongoing discussion and has yet to be concluded,” he said

By Local Democracy Reporter Trevor Bevins

Volunteers needed for new Community Speedwa tch

All are welcome to an event to find out more about a new Community Speedwatch programme in Lyme Regis

It is hoped a new Community Speedwatch programme will be launched in the town using volunteers to tackle speeding, with particular areas of interest being Queen’s Walk, Kingsway, Sidmouth Road and Haye Lane

An informal event to find out more will be held at The Hub in Church Street at 10am on Monday January 30 All those interested in volunteering are welcome

Seafront properties plagued with leaks and drainage issues

plaint that the disabled lift, from Marine Parade to the Langmoor Room and level above, is not working

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Having spent some £650,000 resurfacing the flat roof area above Marine Parade in 2021, after which it was reported that water was still pooling on the surface, a number of other issues have now been reported in the seafront shelters complex and neighbouring Antiques & Craft Centre and SWIM – all of which are owned by the town council

The council has budgeted £60,000 to address water ingress in the Jubilee Pavilion on Marine Parade, to make the building fit for use, with plans to let it out commercially in the future

Work has been undertaken to identify the cause of the water ingress and it has become clear that there are significant structural problems affecting the rooftop stone parapet

Cracking and movement are evident at each corner and along the frontage and work is urgently required to investigate further and to then take down, repair and rebuild some of the stonework, which could take 10 to 12 weeks and will require a full scaffold

The work is very weather sensitive so this is likely to be undertaken in the spring or possibly after Easter

The Lister Room, above the Marine Parade shelters, is also suffering from water leaks It was agreed to let the former community room out as a commercial food takeaway, but this has been delayed due to the leaking issue

Further investigation, which involved removing all the gravel material from the seaward side of the lower ‘ green roof’, has identified the likely causes of the leaks and this centres around the general design of the roof itself and detailing to the base of the seaward window glass

Expert advice has been sought and a plan of repair will be agreed and implemented as soon as weather conditions permit

The neighbouring Langmoor Room is likely to require similar remedial work, although there are no current leaks

The council has also recently received a com-

The lift suffered regular faults after being installed as part of the Marine Parade shelters redevelopment in the 2000s and has not worked for several years

Operations manager Matt Adamson-Drage has been asked to prepare a report to explore whether it is worth replacing the lift, with some concerns that removing a disabled access facility would go against equality laws

Investigations also continue to resolve the intermittent leaks into the Antiques and Craft Centre on the seafront, below the flat roof area that was resurfaced in 2021

Most recently, leaks through the front wall have been traced to the failure of an historic damp proof membrane and its protective concrete fillet Work has been undertaken to seal the failed areas and this will continue to be monitored It is possible that further works will be required to find permanent solution

Meanwhile, seafront bar and restaurant SWIM, the premises of which is also owned by the town council, is suffering from ongoing drainage issues

Deputy town clerk Mark Green said this property had suffered such problems “seemingly forever ” , resulting in blocked toilets and drains outside which had become worse as the business had grown in popularity

Councillors have now agreed to making a financial contribution of 25 per cent, up to a maximum of £10,000, towards the tenant’s cost of repairing and improving the current drains and associated works

A report to councillors said: “The problems have become so acute that the current tenant, SWIM, has decided to close the premises for about two weeks and spend about £40,000 on works to address the problem

“This work will include digging up the floor in the affected areas, replacing drains with replacements of an appropriate size and to a compliant fall and renewing all connections into the adopted drains in Marine Parade ”

CONTINUING our series commemorating the anniversaries of the deaths of all Lyme Regis men who gave their lives in the Second World War, this week we remember Alfred Newton and John Spurle With thanks to Vernon Rattenbury of the Royal British Legion for the research

ALFRED STANLEY

NEWTON

Able Seaman, Royal Navy Service No D/SSX 13847

Born December 1913 and died January 8 1943 onboard

HM Submarine P311 HM Submarine P311 was lost with all hands, presumed sunk by Italian mines, while engaged in Operation Principle en route to La Maddalena, Sardinia, between December 30 1942 and January 8 1943

The son of Emmanuel and Ethel Newton of Charmouth, Alfred’s name is recorded on the Charmouth war memorial and on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, panel 79, column 3 His name appears as S A Newton on the Charmouth War Memorial

JOHN WILLIAM

FRANCIS SPURLE

Private, East Kent Regiment Service No. 14210012

Born in 1922 in Lyme Regis and died on January 31 1943 in Tunisia John Spurle took part in the North African landings, Operation Torch, in November 1942 He was killed in action two months later during the advance to Tunis

He is commemorated on the Medjez-ElBab Memorial, Tunisia, face 15 He is also commemorated on the Lyme Regis war memorial and also on the memorial in the parish church

Award for local painting firm

A Seaton-based painting and decorating firm has picked up a national award

Actionline Decorating, owned by Nick Dodge, won the Exterior Project category at the Dulux Select Decorator Awards after completing a project in Sidmouth

Nick picked up the award at a black tie ceremony at the National Painting and Decorating Show in Coventry Actionline Decorating –which carries out a lot of heritage work on National Trust and listed buildings as well as private homes –has been a Dulux Select Decorator for the past 10 years, meaning it is assessed and approved by international brand Dulux

Nick himself has more than 30 years experience in the trade and was praised by award judges for his eye for detail

The job at Jacob's Ladder in Sidmouth (pictured left in advertisement), for which he was nominated, saw him correct errors made by another contractor, and judges said his planning for the project included "one of the most detailed specifications they've ever seen"

Nick has many of his local employees – both men and women – himself

For more information on Actionline Decorating, visit www actionline-decorating com, email Act20001@aol com or call 01297 20001 or 07785 345 904

He said: "I'm really proud of my team for being part of the Dulux Selector Decorators network and winning the award with competition from much larger organisations that work worldwide "

Nick Dodge (left) collects the award for exterior project on behalf of Actionline Decorating at the Dulux Select Decorator Awards

ADVERTISER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

LEAKS and drainage issues are plaguing Lyme Regis Town Council owned buildings on the seafront

Why should I be paying towards council staff ’s gym membership?

■ I READ LymeOnline’s front page story about the town council’s budget just before Christmas (December 23) and took particular interest in one specific line – that £10,000 had been budgeted for “council employee benefits”, including wellbeing benefits such as gym memberships

A lovely Christmas present for council employees not sure about the rest of us

I rent a small flat in Lyme Regis I work fulltime but earn below the average wage for my industry because I have chosen to remain in my hometown and be close to my family After bills, the weekly food shop, other essential costs and some semblance of a social life, I often run out of money at the end of each month

I like to keep as fit and healthy as possible, not least for the benefit of my mental wellbeing I do this through free methods, i e walking, running and swimming in our beautiful surrounds I’m sure many of us would love to take up a gym membership but additional luxuries like this are simply not an option for so many these days, especially for those on a single person income

So if I can’t even afford a gym membership for myself, why should I pay towards someone else’s through my council tax?

Some senior council employee wages are re-

portedly three-times my own, and I know at least two of the most senior members of staff don’t live in Lyme Regis, so they do not pay towards council tax here themselves

Town council staff do not work for a large commercial corporation - Lyme Regis Town Council is essentially a small, parish council, albeit a rich one

Some may argue that it is not heavily reliant on public funding through the council tax precept, because of its other lucrative assets But if that’s the case, why did the council turn down a suggestion that it should scrap the precept for one year to help residents through the cost of living crisis?

For the council to deny this support for residents and then offer their own employees unnecessary luxuries such as gym memberships is practically a slap in the face to those struggling to make ends meet in these difficult times

I’d expect my hard earned money to be put to better use in our town If you ’ ve run out of ideas on how to spend your £1 5million reserves, perhaps consider further support for residents who are having to choose between heating or eating, for whom gym membership is likely a far-fetched aspiration

Rosie Williams (by email)

Should creationism be taught on our beach?

■ I WOULD like members of Lyme Regis Town Council to consider the anomaly of allowing the United Beach Mission to use our sand bar to promote to children their anti-scientific view of how life on Earth began

The United Beach Mission are young earthers who believe God created our planet only 6,000 years ago This is not a matter of opinion; it runs counter to all biological and geological scientific knowledge, and will confuse impressionable children, who come to Lyme Regis and would otherwise learn that the fossils they find on the beach or see in our museum are tens of millions years old Lyme Regis, after all, is where, 200 years ago, scientists and philosophers began to reflect on contradictions between the biblical narrative, and the geological evidence

To give some balance, I asked the council to grant me a similar site from which we would teach children about evolution However, on reflection, I think it is best if this public area is not used for either promoting or countering any fundamentalist religious activity

I hope that when this concession comes before you for approval, it will be unanimously rejected

Carl Salter, Cobb Road, Lyme Regis

■ EDITOR’S NOTE: The Tourism, Community & Publicity Committee considered concessions at Wednesday night’s meeting but this discussion was held in private committee due to the financial nature of the business

Parking charge hike will impact businesses

■ THANKS for LymeOnline It's good to keep in touch with what is going on in our favourite town where we have visited for many years with many friends in the area One thing we picked up in 2022 was the fact that many tourists were very annoyed at the huge hike in car parking charges and said they would visit less regularly whilst on holiday in the area It's a great shame

as I'm sure it will impact local business Talking to local business friends, the general consensus was pretty much the same In the current climate, surely you wish to encourage rather than chase away the potential income for Lyme Regis

Alan Heath (by email)

NEWS FROM CITIZENS ADVICE

NEW analysis from Citizens Advice shows that a third of UK adults are just £20 away from falling into crisis

The figures show some groups are particularly hard-hit, including people in receipt of benefits, those on prepayment meters and people of colour

People resorting to desperate measures to get by

The charity’s new analysis found one in four people have spent more money on essentials than they’ve had coming in over the last three months, with many resorting to short-term fixes to get by

Citizens Advice also found that overall, one in three UK adults has had to dip into their savings in the last three months to make ends meet More than half of this group have either already run out of savings, or expect to do so within the next three months

Worryingly, 15 per cent of UK adults have reported eating cold meals this winter to reduce their electricity costs The impact on people’s mental health has also been profound, with many adults losing sleep each week over their financial situation

Last month, Citizens Advice supported record numbers access to crisis support like food bank referrals and emergency charitable grants It warns that many more will be pushed to the financial brink in the coming months due to a triple whammy of soaring energy bills, inflation and interest rates

Citizens Advice says it is absolutely vital that support continues to reach those on benefits and others struggling with energy costs

It is also calling for a clear plan from the government on how to target support to those currently just about scraping by, but who could fall into hardship as the cumulative strain of rising costs takes its toll

Help from Citizens Advice

People are encouraged to contact Citizens Advice to check what help is on offer and whether they are eligible for support In West Dorset there is a wide range of local charities

and bodies which can give assistance and Citizens Advice can help with accessing funding or signposting to communit initiatives providing suppo

The government has committed to providing extra support but information about what is and will become available can be confusing The payment schedules for the next round of cost of living support has been announced

For example, those on means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits will receive three payments across 2023/24 and there will be separate payments a) for disabled people in summer 2023, and b) for pensioners receiving Winter Fuel allowance next winter Citizens Advice can help those who want to find out more about these payments

We await details of any new round of funding from the government for the Household Support Fund previously accessed via Dorset Council and provided in the form of supermarket vouchers

Additionally Bridport & District Citizens Advice is involved in an Energy Advice Project which can offer appointments to help people who are particularly struggling with energy bills and cost of living rises because they are vulnerable and on low incomes Specialist advisers can check eligibility for benefits and offer advice on grants and financial support as well as practical assistance relating to energy-related issues

For further help with cost of living rises including benefits, debt, food bank referrals and emergency charitable grants contact Citizens Advice From January 2023 we are running an appointments-only system at the Lyme Regis outreach on Wednesdays 10am to 3pm at the town council offices, Church Street, DT7 3BS Call us on 01308-456594 to make an appointment

yearinreview

JANUARY

COVID cases continued to rise at the start of 2022, reaching their highest level in Dorset since the pandemic began ‘Party gate’ dominated national headlines with West Dorset MP Chris Loder saying he was “deeply embarrassed” by the revelations of No 10 antics during national lockdowns

As always, Lyme Regis residents and visitors started the New Year with a splash, with the annual Lyme Lunge raising more than £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Weldmar Hospicecare

Planning permission was granted for the statue of Mary Anning to be sited on the corner of Long Entry and Gun Cliff Walk, and later in the month the first glimpse of the statue was revealed as it was prepared to be cast in bronze Sea swimmers launched their eye-catching ‘No More Poo’ campaign, calling for South West Water to address sewage pollution in the River Lim and bathing waters Stan Williams, former Mayor of Lyme Regis and the town’s longest-serving town councillor, died aged 87

FEBRUARY

UKRAINE was invaded by Russia and Lyme Regis publican Tom Litledyke became known in the local and national press as the “hero landlord”, as he made several trips to Ukraine in his minibus filled with supplies

Storm Eunice battered the UK with rough seas and trees falling in Lyme Regis, but avoiding any serious incidents or injury

It was announced that the Royal Lion Hotel in Lyme Regis had been sold to independent brewer Hall & Woodhouse

Lyme Regis and Charmouth’s county councillor Daryl Turner resigned with a damning indictment of Dorset Council’s leadership

Calls were made for Lyme Regis Town Council to be scrapped in a local governance review amid persistent infighting, claims of bullying and lying, most of it spiralling around LymeForward which was refused its grant funding

MARCH

LYME Regis continued to support Ukraine, packing dozens of boxes of supplies, many taken to those in need by landlord Tom Litledyke

Palmers Brewery said redevelopment of the Three Cups Hotel was now back on the cards following the coronavirus pandemic Meanwhile Travelodge announced it would be interested in acquiring a site in the town

Four candidates announced that they would be standing to replace Daryl Turner as Lyme Regis and Charmouth’s representative on Dorset Council

The long-running debate over dog restrictions on Lyme Regis beach continued, with both sides reporting increased abuse, but the town council refusing to budge on its support for Dorset Council’s policy

Lyme Regis restaurant Tom’s was awarded an AA Rosette, just over a year after opening

APRIL

LYME Regis celebrated Easter with events such as the Easter Bonnet Parade able to go ahead in person for the first time since 2019

Belinda Bawden became Lyme Regis and Charmouth’s first Green Party county councillor, winning 43 8% of the votes against Conservative Vicci Stocqueler, Independent Cheryl Reynolds and Labour candidate David Hart

Meanwhile, chef and restaurateur Mark Hix announced he would be running for election to the town council, against Green Party candidate Philip May

A resident of Lyme Regis spoke out against constant anti-social behaviour suffered in some residential areas of the town, saying it was destroying lives

Uplyme garage, shop and post office was saved from closure after managers Mark and Mel Holmes made a successful offer to buy the premises from Dave Ostler

Lyme Regis Abbeyfield was closed after financial difficulties during the pandemic, with only three residents living there

MAY

IT WAS all about fossils in May, with the staging of another successful Fossil Festival and the unveiling of the much anticipated Mary Anning statue, attracting a crowd of hundreds Other spring events also went ahead for the first time since the pandemic including the May Fete and Blessing of the Boats Green energy champion Philip May won the by-election for a seat on Lyme Regis Town Council, beating famed chef and restaurateur Mark Hix

Short-term plans to open a cafe and meeting space in the foyer of the Regent Cinema were announced, but the owner said he was still in discussions over long term plans for the firestricken building

Ken Hitchcock, former council worker, town councillor and Lyme Regis Football Club stalwart died suddenly aged 80 and Uplyme parish councillor Neil Pullinger, also died after a short illness, age 70

Derek Hallet was honoured after retiring as a volunteer Lyme Regis macebearer for more than 20 years

We look back at some of the biggest stories and best photos from 2022

Campaigners protest against sewage pollution in the sea and river (Max Redwood)

The Mary Anning statue is unveiled on Gun Cliff Walk

RNLI volunteers during Lifeboat Week

Tom Littledydke and Georgia Wellman with their mini bus of supplies for Ukraine

yearinreview

JUNE

THE town celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with the BBC Big Band Orchestra playing on the beach followed by a spectacular fireworks display, amid other celebrations Other community events in June included Uplyme Village Fete and the community play at the Marine Theatre Stagecoach announced it would be stopping its 9A service between Lyme Regis and Seaton, sparking a public petition with Axe Valley Mini Travel later announcing it would take on the route

The first of the train strikes took place, starting what would be a disrupted remainder of the year for travel

The Rousdon Kitchen became one of the first victims of the cost of living crisis, announcing it would close down permanently

Delayed dredging work in Lyme Regis saw the main beach closed as a heatwave hit the town, sparking complaints from hospitality and tourism businesses

JULY

WEST Dorset MP Chris Loder was one of many Conservative MPs to say they had lost confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson

A summer heatwave swept across the UK with temperatures in some areas reaching over 40 degrees

Lyme Regis hosted its annual Lifeboat Week, raising £40,000 for the RNLI

Lyme Regis Football Club hosted its Sausage & Cider Festival – a huge success for the club – but it also suffered a spate of anti-social behaviour including a break-in, which later resulted in an apology from Dorset Police due to their lack of response

Lyme Regis post office closed doors “temporarily”, but has not opened since

A modern adaptation of ‘Persuasion’, partially filmed in Lyme Regis and starring Dakota Johnson, was released on Netflix to mixed reviews

Inspirational Woodroffe School art teacher Dot Wood died after a long battle with leukaemia

AUGUST

Colourful

The first post pandemic A-level and GCSE results were released, with the Woodroffe School again producing outstanding results

An action group was launched to clean up the River Lim amid increased pollution concerns

Drought was declared in Dorset after a summer of unprecedented dry weather

It was announced that an independent facilitator would be brought in to resolve ongoing personal disputes between Lyme Regis town councillors

SEPTEMBER

LIZ Truss was announced the new Prime Minister, with West Dorset MP Chris Loder welcoming the news

Lyme Regis joined the whole country in mourning Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and marking the accession of King Charles III

Lyme Folk Weekend and Hix’s Oyster Festival rounded off summer events

Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick admitted policing needed to improve in Lyme Regis, particularly with regards to anti-social behaviour and drug crime, and said Magna Housing had failed in its commitment to the community in not addressing continuous complaints from its residents some of whom said their lives had been ruined

Green Party Baroness Jenny Jones visited Lyme Regis and backed a local campaign for South West Water to clean up sewage pollution in the River Lim

OCTOBER

LIZ

Lyme

to see it downgraded

Lyme Regis Town Council’s Planning Committee recommended refusal of an application by chef Mark Hix to retain the decking area outside the Oyster & Fish House in Lister Gardens, which was permitted during the pandemic The decision sparked an argument which continued until the end of the year Town councillors’ behaviour in general was slammed in a report by the town clerk, listing the continued infighting as one of the biggest risks the authority faced

The West Dorset MP said he did not believe Dorset Police had sufficiently prioritised Lyme Regis amid continued concerns over anti-social behaviour and drug use, with officers saying they were stepping up patrols in the town

NOVEMBER

A SPECTACULAR fireworks display was held to mark Guy Fawkes Night, shortly followed by Remembrance commemorations

Two women were visited by police and questioned on their intentions after

Mark Hix was told the application to retain his decking would be refused by Dorset Council, sparking him to withdraw support for town council related events and tourism initiatives

The popular East Kitchen + Bar announced it would close down permanently after just one year of trading

Meetings were called between local politicians and authorities to address continued concerns over anti-social behaviour and drug crime in the town

Dr Forbes Watson said that the future was uncertain for GP services in Lyme Regis, due to staffing difficulties and increased demand on the NHS

The month ended with the town’s Christmas lights being switched on in torrential rain

DECEMBER

WORLD Cup fever swept across Lyme Regis as the town prepared for Christmas – its first festive season without COVID disruption, meaning traditional events such as the Over 70s Christmas Lunch and Carols Round the Tree could once again go ahead

The Jurassic Business Awards celebrated the success of local businesses amid challenging times, with Tom’s restaurant on Marine Parade being named Overall Business of the Year

The town clerk told councillors he was “sick to death of being stuck in the middle” of their arguments, as he warned them to come to a clear decision on the ongoing Mark Hix decking argument

The Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK ended the year on a high, surpassing a total of £200,000 raised since being formed in 2008

A SUCCESSFUL Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week raised £15,000 for local good causes and Candles on the Cobb became the most successful single-day event to be held in Lyme Regis, raising more than £22,000

former deputy mayor Jeff Scowen said he was planning to move back to the town and intended to win a seat on the town council again

Truss resigned as Prime Minister, making way for Rishi Sunak – the third person to hold the position in 2022

Regis residents were urged to stay out the toxic River Lim as shocking levels of E Coli in the water were revealed, as well as two E Coli spikes in bathing water off the main beach, which threatened

raising questions regarding sewage in the River Lim and bathing waters with West Dorset MP Chris Loder

Fireworks for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (James Loveridge)

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Richard Austin)

We look back at some of the biggest stories and best photos from 2022

villagenews

Parish council precept remains the same

UPLYME Parish Council has set out its budget for 2023-24 The figure contains net spending plans of £58,397

Council reserves and income from the cemetery will be utilised to finance the extra expenditure and a precept request of £51,515 has been made to East Devon District Council This means that the amount requested in council tax for Uplyme Parish Council remains the same as the 2022-23 budget

Council tax in Uplyme is made up of charges from Devon County Council, Uplyme Parish Council, the Fire Authority and the Police and Crime Commissioner The council tax charge relating to Uplyme Parish Council for 2023-24 will be £58 34 per annum per Band D equivalent household

The following services are provided by the parish council within the 2023-24 budget:

● Acting as the first tier of local government influence on all matters affecting Uplyme and its community wellbeing

● A dedicated parish pengthsman

● The playground on King George V field

● Maintenance of Millennium Copse, Stafford Mount, the cemetery and verges

● Funding the Christmas lights

● Parish centre services – planters, litter/dog waste bins and signage

● Grants to voluntary clubs and organisations

● Noticeboards

● Highways projects in the parish

● Flood and winter resilience

● Community networking – our councillors are elected to represent the parish council on groups and organisations in the parish

Recycling trees brings in funds for sea scouts

■ THE Powder Monkeys Explorer Sea Scouts, based in Uplyme, raised more than £600 for their unit by collecting and recycling over 100 Christmas trees from Lyme Regis and Uplyme

“The weather was really bad”, said Lily, one of the Explorer Scouts, “but in the end we pushed through and managed to collect everyone’s trees It was good fun ”

DORSET & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is looking for new on-call firefighters in Charmouth

The fire station on Bridge Road, Charmouth, has opportunities for anyone who could provide availability, with flexible contracts on offer for those who work shift systems or have childcare responsibilities

On-call firefighters live and/or work within the local community, and are expected to respond to emergencies during whatever periods of cover have been agreed

When the pager goes off, a firefighter can be called to a wide range of incidents, such as commercial and domestic fires, road traffic collisions, rescues from height or water, animal rescue or flooding

There will be a ‘have a go ’ event at the fire station on Monday, January 30 between 7pm and 9pm, when anyone interested in a fire service career can find out more and get ‘hands on ’ with some of the equipment used Station manager Darren Masini, said: “The role of a firefighter is very rewarding, and it requires determination, motivation, and a genuine desire to serve the community

“Successful candidates will become part of a well-trained workforce, earning additional income, and gaining transferable skills such as first aid, driving qualifications and health and safety knowledge – which can also benefit them in their primary employment ”

If you ’ re interested in applying to be an on-call firefighterplease visit www dwfire org uk/ on-call-firefighters, email oncallsupportofficers @dwfire org uk or leave a message on the 24hour recruitment line, 01722 691444

Callum Mitchell, Explorer Scout leader, commented: “They say young people have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, especially in bad weather, but tell that to the 23 Explorer Scouts who got up early to help ”

“Local people and businesses who used the service were extremely generous this

year, with many giving more than we asked for – and we are very grateful” “As ever, our thanks to our amazing Explorers for their hard work; to our supportive volunteers and parents who keep us going; and a special thanks to Fowler Hire and Sales in Bridport for their loan of the chipper, it makes a real difference ”

2023 is set to be a busy year for the Powder Monkeys, with some of its members off to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea and a cultural trip to the Czech Republic

Back home, they are hoping to support local events in the community and they look forward to repeating the Christmas tree recycling next year

Work to repair beach footbridge is underway

WORK is to taking place on the Charmouth beach footbridge so it can remain safe and accessible for years to come

The bridge’s boardwalk has come to the end of its serviceable life with some of the handrails and posts needing repair or replacement The work is underway and due to be completed on February 3 The bridge is closed during this time However, if conditions allow, it could be opened over weekends during this period, depending on the weather and the progress of work

All the boards forming the boardwalk will be replaced with new decking made from recycled plastic materials The new decking will have the appearance and feel of wood but will last for many more years

Parapet posts and rails that are unrepairable will be replaced with a sweet chestnut wood, replicating the original design

Signs advising of the closure and a plan showing an alternative route will be displayed Anyone wishing to visit the beach during this time should plan ahead accordingly

Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “The bridge has suffered from the effects of the weather since it was built in 2011 so the new boardwalk, made of longer-lasting materials, will help provide a structure that can remain safe and accessible for years to come

“Many thanks to the rangers for their assistance at the site and our specialist team who will be carrying out the work I’d also like to thank businesses, visitors and residents for their patience while we look after this important fixture

“Finally, please always use sense and caution when visiting any of Dorset’s beaches The Jurassic Coast is a wonderful place to visit, but it’s important to use common sense and caution – and always pay attention to warning signs and messages about staying safe ”

The work is being carried out by Dorset Council’s construction team from its highways department. Using government funding, the council is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of its 2,500 bridges.

CHARMOUTH Heritage Coast Centre (CHCC) is on the lookout for new volunteers with new ideas and skills to help further the development of the increasingly popular centre The aim is to encourage visitors to learn about the geology, fossils, landforms, tides, marine life, safety on the beach and much more about othe World Heritage coastline

CHCC is a magnet for visitors Volunteers are needed to support managers to develop and maintain its interest for visitors from all over the world

The fossils displayed are often priceless –meticulously cleaned and displayed by the fossil collectors of the area and include finds made by visitors

There is also a marine area explaining the flora and fauna of Lyme Bay and displays explaining the landscape of the coastline

To keep the centre thriving and updated a small team of volunteers work on the information and sales desk, meet and greet visitors, assist with fossil and seashore safari walks for schools and the public They also assist with backroom tasks, such as digital features, artwork, and photography, to help the managers keep the centre welcoming and updated

Anyone who feels they have skills which

would be helpful is invited to call into the centre and talk to the managers There is no need to know anything about fossils or marine life –all talents are welcome

The volunteers form a group known as the Friends of CHCC, and enjoy informative newsletters, winter lectures and annually a buffet supper, a cream tea afternoon, and a babr-

becue There is also an affiliated weekly walking group

The centre is a small educational charity Its success is achieved due to the volunteers who work with the skilled academic staff

For more information visit the website www charmouth org, telephone 01279 560772 or call into the centre

Members of the Uplyme Explorer Sea Scouts get to work turning the Christmas trees into wood chips

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LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL

Tributes paid to former deputy mayor John Broom

TRIBUTES have been paid to a ‘ man firm and strong in his beliefs’ with the death of former Lyme Regis deputy mayor, Cllr John Broom

Cllr Broom passed away aged 78 at Dorset County Hospital on the morning of Monday, January 2 Councillors have spoken of his good humour, the wealth of knowledge he brought to his council role, and his honesty, calling him ‘ one of the good guys ’

Leading the tributes, Lyme Regis mayor Cllr Michaela Ellis said: “Everyone at Lyme Regis Town Council is saddened to hear of John’s death He will be greatly missed for all the input he had in building and planning matters

“He brought a wealth of knowledge and skills to the council and we will miss his wise words and expert guidance ”

Cllr Broom joined the council in May 2015 and served as deputy mayor from October 2021 until May 2022

He took on several other senior roles within the council, including as long-standing chairman of the Town Management and Highways Committee, chairman of the Health and Safety Committee, vice-chairman of the Strategy and Finance Committee and vicechairman of the Planning Committee

Cllr Broom served as deputy mayor to former mayor Cllr Brian Larcombe, who has thanked his ‘remarkable’ friend and colleague for his service to the town and council

Cllr Larcombe said: “We’ve lost a councillor, a colleague, and a friend John was a remarkable, long-standing member of Lyme Regis Council and an executive member of its Dorset Association, Western Area group, vice-chair

“He previously worked for the council and subsequently as an elected member brought his life-long building knowledge and experience to the benefit of the council’s Town Management and Highways Committee as its chairman, and the upkeep of Lyme council’s public spaces and assets that forms the principal part of its brief

“John was a big man, firm and strong in his beliefs, stubborn at times but forthright and always with good humour He would counter another’s expressed view often with a wise ‘Well I’m sorry but ’ and brought sense and logic to the council at times when it seemed to escape others

“He was my deputy mayor and always very supportive and available despite maintaining a full-time commitment to his building business He would cram so much in the day, often driving to sites miles away in other counties and still be at Lyme’s council meetings, for all the committees he was on, papers read and thoughts prepped and formed

“He would ring practically daily and would always start the conversation with ‘Alright my son ’ followed by ‘What are they doing down there ’ and just the right advice needed

“Although he always reminded us that he

Community groups now invited to apply for grants up to £1,000

ARE you part of a local community group that could benefit from a funding boost?

We are now inviting applications for community grants of up to £1,000

The council has £15,000 available in 2023-24 to award to local organisations for capital projects that help and support the community Grants can be used for the purchase of materials and equipment, or to provide a service makes Lyme Regis a better place to live, work and play

The grants fall into two further categories: projects up to £500 and projects up to £1,000 Projects over £500 require 50 per cent match funding of the total project cost and more supporting documents

The council has helped many local organisations with small grants, which this year included the Powder Monkeys Explorer Sea Scout Unit to purchase tents and flags, Lyme

Regis Sea School to invest in new boats, and St Michael’s Primary School PFA to provide new books for pupils

More information and an application pack are available on the website www lymeregistowncouncil gov uk/grants or email adrianne mullins@lymeregistowncouncil gov uk

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday, February 27 and they will be considered by the council at a public meeting on Wednesday, March 29

was Devon born, he lived his life in and for Lyme, the town he cared so much about, following in the steps of his mother and father, Lilian and Henry, adding to the indelible part of Lyme their family was His and his parent’s house – Providence Place was aptly named

“John was a man of surprising pursuit, from cribbage and badminton to sailing across the Channel and other parts in boats with motley crews of Lyme friends and the things they got up to under wind, sail and wine-racing

“There’s so much that can be said of a man who was part of the fabric of the town and who was a very significant member of the council in a way his father, as a previous mayor, would have been proud of.

“Thank you, John Although it’s always said at these times, but it is absolutely true – you will be greatly missed as a member, colleague and friend, John God bless ”

Current deputy mayor Cllr Cheryl Reynolds has known Cllr Broom all her life but was pleased to be able to work alongside him as a town councillor

She said: “It is with great sadness I pass on the news of the death of my friend and colleague John Broom who passed away yesterday morning at Dorset County Hospital “I have known John all my life, we both went to grammar school, and I have had the pleasure of the last few years working with him on council

“I will miss his honesty and his helpfulness,

I will miss his support and him so much ” Other members have also paid tribute, including Cllr Richard Doney who has called him ‘ one of the good guys ’ , Cllr Belinda Bawden who described him as a ‘true original’, and Cllr David Ruffle who remembers him as being ‘forthright in his views, but thoroughly likeable’

All members and staff agree Cllr Broom will be sorely missed and is a great loss to the council.

The council’s thoughts and deepest condolences are with Cllr Broom’s family and friends

Helping to clean up pollution in our river and bathing waters

THE council has pledged it port to help clean up the R Lim by funding a detaile survey of its ecological state

The River Lim Action Group has been working hard to improve water quality and address pollution issues in both the river and on the beaches

The group regularly reports to our Environmen Committee and the coun previously funded test kit the group to gather the evidence it needed to raise pollution issues with South West Water and the Environment Agency

To further support the volunteer river monitors, the council has agreed to pay £5,000 for a freshwater ecological survey to provide important data on the ecological state of the river

It will also help the group measure improvement and provide recommendations on how to address some of the problems it will identify

We also agreed an additional £1,000 for the

i monitors to buy more test so they could continue o carry out their own tests for sewage indicators, and to help pay for publicity materials so they can engage with the local community about the project

The council would like to thank the River Lim Action Group for all its hard work in bringing hese issues to light, monring the river and hes and campaigning for improvement

More information about the group and how to join can be found on the website turnlymegreen co uk/water-pollution-and-rivers/

Vacancy for gardeners

ARE you green-fingered, enjoy working outdoors and like talking to the public?

If this sounds like you, you may be interested in two job vacancies we have for gardeners/maintenance people

More information and details of how to apply are on page 30

STARRING a talented local cast with enough razzle dazzle to light up Lyme Regis, the most talked about beanstalk comes to town during February half term Jack and the Beanstalk will be performed by Lyme Regis Pantomime Society at Woodmead Halls from Wednesday, February 15 to Saturday 18 at 7 30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2 30pm Director Sarah Causley commented: “This really IS the panto you’ve all bean waiting for! Come and join the magic and have some fee-fi-fo-fun with us “Enjoy a giant pantomime full of excitement, beanstalks to the sky, fairy magic and a dancing cow, all in a hilarious script where the sky is the limit!”

Join Dame Trott and her sons Jack and Simon in the classic tale of good vs evil Will Jack save the day and marry his true

love, Princess Melody? Will he be forced to sell Daisy the cow? Will the nasty Fleshcreep bring doom and gloom to everyone or will they thwart his plans with the help of Fairy Sugarsnap?

Tickets are selling fast, so, in the words of Daisy the Cow, you’ll have to moooooove quickly if you want to get the best seats!

Tickets available via the Lyme Regis Pantomime website at lymepanto co uk/tickets

Free school holiday drama days at the Marine Theatre

THE Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis has announced a new initiative that is sure to be welcome news for the local community during the cost of living crisis

During each school holiday, the local arts venue will hold a day-long drama event for primary-aged children It’s completely free, and there will be a free hot lunch and snacks for every child

At each event, the group of children will work together in a friendly environment to create a short performance, which will be shared with parents at the end of the day As well as being great fun, this will help children grow their confidence and build their skills This inclusive and welcoming event is aimed at those children who receive free school meals or who are from families who use the Seaside Store or foodbank

The workshops will be run by Lee Ellaway, the director of the Marine Youth Theatre course, alongside Tessa Morton, who directed last year ’ s successful community play written

by Andrew Rattenbury

Lee has worked for many years in the arts and is Associate Schools Development and Marketing Manager for the world-famous Italia Conti drama school

Tessa trained as a linguist and then studied at a London drama school for three years She worked in the profession for 10 years as an actress and a presenter working with Granada, Channel 5, STV, BSKYb and The English teaching Theatre

Marine Theatre director Gabby Rabbits said: “We’ve worked hard to secure funding for families in the town to enjoy these free drama days

“We think they will be great fun and I’m pleased that healthy food will be included I’ve personally overseen the menu to include some of my favourite dishes ”

Tickets can be booked online at marinetheatre com or in Lyme Regis Bookshop and Bridport Tourist Information Centre The first Drama Day is on Monday, February 13

Idlewild frontman to sing by the sea

RODDY Woomble is widely regarded as one of Scotland's finest singer-songwriters

The Ayrshire-born singer came to prominence as the frontman in indie rock band Idlewild

The much-loved band has recently celebrated 25 years together in that time they have released nine studio albums and have headlined worldwide tours, as well as providing support for bands such as R E M , Pearl Jam, and U2 Woomble will be at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Friday, May 5 as part of his latest solo tour

He is known for his sensitive, enigmatic lyrics, warm baritone voice and consummate gift for a tune

He has released five solo albums to date The latest album, ‘Lo! Soul’ is his most experimental work yet; it blends poetic reflections with electronica to create a sound that he calls ‘dystopian pop ’

Speaking of his solo work, Woomble said: “I have more creativity as a solo act My first few

albums were folky, then it was experimenting with different sounds and now it’s pretty much electronic “But I’m a melodist so it still has that melodic core – the tunes are always strong and the words thoughtful ”

Tickets for the marine Theatre gig are now on sale at marinetheatre com

THIS MONTH AT THE MARINE THEATRE

HAPPY new year and what a start to 2023! January is often a quiet month for theatre folk, but not here in Lyme The Marine has been buzzing with energy

Firstly, auditions took place for the first play in some time to be produced in-house by the Marine Its director Billy Geraghty was so impressed with the turnout and the standard The play is Glengarry Glen Ross - a powerful piece by David Mamet about four real estate salesmen in Chicago who try to con their clients into purchasing swamp land at inflated prices The cast will get working on it soon and the play will be shown in May Another wonderful initiative that launched this month was the play reading group This took place online over the pandemic, so it felt like a real step forward to start the in-person version

Chris Gill was delighted when 26 people turned up to read scenes from a new play called ‘Headless’, with the added bonus of the playwright Colin Dowland coming down all the way from London to be part of it Look out for next month’s play reading on February 13; it’s a free event but you will need a ticket so book to avoid disappointment

If January is anything to go by it's going to be a very busy and exciting year See you next month!

Tessa Morton

timeoutinLyme

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

Gateway’s February line ‘out of this world’

AVATAR: The Way of Water, is James Cameron’s long awaited spectacular sequel with even more special effects and out of this world cinematography

The first of four planned sequels, it is described as a “stunningly immersive experience”, Cameron gets the best out of his actors and is known for his technical achievements which are nothing short of brilliant in this epic blockbuster

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Ney’tiri (Zoe Saldaňa) now have a happy family life on Pandora, and are doing what they can to stay safe and together, but with Planet Earth dying, a familiar threat resurfaces and the Sully family become refugees and have to flee to the land of the Metkayina clan where they struggle against prejudice and ultimately their old enemy with tragic consequences

There will be an interval during this film, so you won’t miss a moment of the great adventure Friday, February 3, 7.30pm; Saturday, February 4, 7.30pm; Sunday, February 5, 2.30pm. Tickets £7.50, under 16 £6.50

Celebrate with your Valentine at The Gateway Valentine’s Gala Night, featuring the award-winning magician Simply Simon, and fantastic live music from The New West End Jerseys

This is going to be the perfect night of entertainment, whether you ’ re with a loved one or just people you love to be with, even if it’s on your own!

Magic Circle magician Simply Simon has captivated audiences across the globe with his charm, sleight of hand, and a touch of humour

and will definitely make you believe your eyes, or perhaps not

Then continue through the night with stars from the West End performing the incredible music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons From that first number one single, Sherry, to chart topping hits like, Oh What a Night, and Big Girls Don’t Cry, you won’t find a better way to celebrate this night of romance, no matter who it’s with

If you are planning to pop the question, let The Gateway Theatre know, they will arrange a special surprise for your loved one Saturday, February 11, doors 6.30pm. Tickets £20 rows, £23 tables

The brilliant Paddleboat Theatre is bringing the wonderful family theatre performance of Hansel and Gretel to the Gateway stage This is an interactive treat for families and anyone who enjoys a relaxed inclusive theatre experience Hansel and Gretel are venturing off into the woods leaving a trail of breadcrumbs so they can find their way home In search of the magical market in the heart of the forest, the mischievous siblings need to be careful, or they may just find more than sweets awaiting them in the deep dark woods

With an enchanting woodland set, playful characters and poetic storytelling, this inclusive version is a sensory story full of magic, gentle interaction and integrated signing, is perfect first time theatre experience for younger children Saturday, February 18, doors 2.30pm. Tickets £8 adults, £6 under 16, £26 family (2+2)

COMING UP AT

BACKSTAGE AT THE GATEWAY THEATRE

HOW was it for you? I reckon you were ill for at least part of it, weren’t you? I was It’s always the same, the moment I stop work and relax BAM! It’s like it’s waiting in the wings for just the right moment

But here we are, a new year underway, payday is still well over a week away, and all your resolutions have been forgotten, but don’t beat yourself up about that, because there’s the Chinese New Year this Sunday, so not only can you celebrate another new year s eve, if you missed the last one because you were ill, but you can set yourself a load more new goals 2022 was a fantastic year at The Gateway Theatre Did you see our big news on social media? We had over 10k people through the doors which is phenomenal at the best of times, but in a post-Covid world where everyone is still a little nervous, it’s flipping brilliant! It does mean the bar is set a bit higher for 2023, but looking at our programme for the first quarter, I don’t think we’ll have any trouble

Our New Year’s Eve party was a blast I ended up working, but it was such a brilliant atmosphere, it didn’t matter I’d forgotten all about the conga, yes, it is still a thing Theatre tech ace, Paul, managed to line up the Big Ben bongs and London fireworks at the exact right time There were hugs and kisses all round We had another visit from the local hoodlum with his/her marker pen, who decided to leave an illegible splodgy mess on the backstage door It was a real mess because the ink had run maybe they were using the cheap felt-tip pens from their school bag I was keen to find

the little twerps and make them scrub it clean with their toothbrush, but one of our fabulous councillors rolled up his sleeves and cleaned it off

I had a couple of firsts this month My first meeting at the re-established Seaton Chamber of Commerce Plenty of plain speaking and plans are afoot to give the town the boost it needs, with local businesses pulling together to make things happen, sans politicians

My other first was seeing Richard Foord MP at his surgery I was very flattered he remembered what I was wearing when we met last summer That’d be my paint and polyfilla splattered overalls, flip-flops, carrying a paintbrush and wearing most of whatever I was painting, on me Obviously created an impression then Talking of impressions have you seen Seaton now has a new tattoo parlour? In the spirit of all things new, I thought about having a capital ‘G’ for the Gateway, tattooed on my person I’m not very good with needles though and knowing my luck I’d end up with something more akin to Prisoner Cell Block H

But then maybe it would make me look well hard, and the local yobs who keep graffiti-ing the theatre will think twice, I’ll be waiting with my old toothbrush in hand

Sophia Moseley

THEGATEWAYTHEATRE FORE STREET, SEATON

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

This is the first in four of James Cameron’s long awaited, spectacular sequels to the blockbuster film, with even more special efects and out of this world cinematography. The Gateway will be holding a whole weekend of screenings.

February 3, 4 & 5 | Tickets £6.50/£7.50

VALENTINE’S GALA NIGHT

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones at The Gateway Theatre’s Gala Night, with Magic Circle magician Simply Simon and live music from The New West End Jersey’s with their tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

February 11 | 6.30pm | Tickets £20/£23

HANSEL AND GRETEL

The brilliant Paddleboat Theatre bring their interactive family production of classic fairytale Hansel and Gretel to The Gateway Theatre –a sensory story full of magic, the perfect first theatre experience for younger children.

February 18 | 2.30pm | Tickets £6/£8/£26 for family

timeoutinLyme

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

What’s on

Friday, Januar y 20

The Old School House Cafe

The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi

Lyme Regis Comedy Club

Marine Theatre, 7pm Headliner Robin Morgan is a Welsh stand-up, writer and actor who has appeared on TV comedy favourites, joined by David Arnold, resident compere Tom Glover and one more act to be confirmed Tickets £12 available on the website marinetheatre com

Saturday, Januar y 21

Live Music Night

The Nag’s Head 9pm Weekly live band at The Nag s Head from 9pm

Monday, Januar y 23 Cuppa and Company

Lyme Regis Library, 2pm All welcome to pop in for a drink, have a chat, read the paper, use the free wifi, and meet new people with free hot drink or squash and biscuits

Wednesday, Januar y 25

Talk: Heritage Vegetables Uplyme Village Hall, 7pm Garden writer and professional gardener Sally looks at the wonderful history and stories behind our oldest vegetable varieties Entry costs £3 including refreshments

LRTC Environment Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil gov uk

Thursday, Januar y 26

The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning affordable food and drink free wifi

Paul Jones and Dave Kelly

Marine Theatre, 6 30pm

A guitar, harmonica, two authentic, thrilling blues voices and an envious repertoire of songs and reminiscences most musicians can only dream of Tickets £25 available at marinetheatre com

Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association Doors open 7 30pm, eyes down 8pm

Friday, Januar y 27

The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street

every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi

National Theatre Live:

The Crucible Marine Theatre, 6pm A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma), screened live from the National Theatre in London Tickets £14 available at marinetheatre com

Saturday, Januar y 28

Henge Marine Theatre, 7pm Extra-terrestrial joymongers – Henge – have been delighting audiences in the UK and Europe since they landed on Planet Earth seven years ago Their music escapes definition, but occupies a space between rave and prog rock that nobody knew existed Tickets £15 available at marinetheatre com Live Music Night

The Nag’s Head, 9pm Weekly live band at The Nag’s Head from 9pm

Sunday, Januar y 29

The Sunday Sessions Marine Theatre, 2 30pm

This regular free entry event is the Marine Theatre s dedicated time to promote quality live music Enjoy local drinks and the best musicians If you’d like to play just turn up!

Monday, Januar y 30

Cuppa and Company Lyme Regis Library, 2pm All welcome to pop in for a drink, have a chat, read the paper, use the free wifi and meet new people, with free hot drink or squash and biscuits

Wednesday, Februar y 1

LRTC Strategy & Finance Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil gov uk

Thursday, Februar y 2

The Old School House Cafe

The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning affordable food and drink free wifi

Talk: Supporting Industr yWhatever the Weather, Woodmead Halls, 2 30pm

The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum host this talk by Emma Dyer, a scientific consultant at the Met Office, working across industry with particular expertise in the rail sector Entry costs £2 for members and £4 for visi-

tors

Lyme Regis Community Bingo

Woodmead Halls, 8pm

Bingo night every Thursday raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association Doors open 7 30pm, eyes down 8pm

Friday, Februar y 3

The Old School House Cafe The Hub 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi

Saturday, Februar y 4 Live Music Night

The Nag’s Head, 9pm Weekly live band at The Nag’s Head from 9pm

Sunday, Februar y 5 Little B’s Boogie Marine Theatre, 10 45am

This a baby and child friendly live music gig, for children age 0-8 and their parents/carers Come and dance with your little ones to familiar tunes from early years favourites to 90s classics Tickets for an adult with child £8 available at marinetheatre com

Monday, Februar y 6 Soup & Ploughmans Lunch Alexandra Hotel

The Rotary Club of Lyme Regis host their annual lunch in aid of Water Survival Box Tickets cost £10 from local Rotarians Cuppa and Company Lyme Regis Library, 2pm All welcome to pop in for a drink have a chat read the paper, use the free wifi, and meet new people, with free hot drink or squash and biscuits

Tuesday, Februar y 7 LRTC Planning Guildhall, 7pm

Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil gov uk

Thursday, Februar y 9

The Old School House Cafe The Hub 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi

The Shanty Sessions Marine Theatre, 7 30pm

Local group The Chantry Buoys sing traditional sea shanties and other well known songs Join them for a fun sing-along with local drinks, old seafaring melodies, and maritime frolics Entry is free Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday, raising funds for

Send your diar y dates to francesca@lyme-online co uk

Visit: www lyme-online co uk/events

local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association Doors open 7 30pm, eyes down 8pm

Friday, Februar y 10 Living Spit’s Puss in Boots Marine Theatre, 6 30pm

The hugely popular comic duo take to the stage for a hilarious interpretation of Puss in Boots, told entirely through song and rhyming couplets Tickets £15 available at marinetheatre com

Saturday, Februar y 11 Horticultural Society Coffee Morning, Uplyme Village Hall, 10am An informal coffee morning all welcome The containers and tubers for the summer show potato competition class will be on sale for £3

Lloyd Griffith: One Tonne of Fun Marine Theatre, 6 30pm After Lloyd’s last tour was interrupted by ‘you know what’ and ended up lasting eight years or so, he’s back with a brand-new fresh stand-up tour show for 2023 Stand up, impressions, and singing Tickets £20 50 available at marinetheatre com Live Music Night The Nag’s Head, 9pm Weekly live band at The Nag’s Head from 9pm

Sunday, Februar y 12 Love Is For Seniors Marine Theatre, 11 30am

The new Marine Youth Theatre share their work with senior members of the community, just in time for Valentine’s Day Free entry and refreshments Love Is Marine Theatre, 2 30pm This event is a showcase of work from the new Marine Youth Theatre This performance includes work chosen and - in some part - written by 7 to 18 year olds - all with the theme of love, just in time for Valentine's Day Tickets £8 available at marinetheatre com Jazz in the Bar Marine Theatre, 7pm Get in the mood for Valentines Day as singer Mitch Hiller and pianist Philip Clouts present a varied programme of romantic songs from the jazz greats as well as some music from Stevie Wonder and the Beatles Tickets £12 available at marinetheatre com Monday, Februar y 13 Cuppa and Company Lyme Regis Library, 2pm All welcome to pop in for a drink, have a chat, read the paper, use the free wifi, and meet new people with free hot drink or squash and biscuits

Play Reading Group: Romance Marine Theatre, 6pm Unleash your inner thespian! Would you like to read a part in a play? Would you like to listen to a play being read aloud?

All ages and backgrounds are welcome to this monthly group Entry free

Wednesday, Februar y 15 LRTC Full Council Guildhall 7pm

Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil gov uk

Thursday, Februar y 16

The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning affordable food and drink, free wifi

Lyme Regis Carers’ Cafe Lyme Regis Baptist Church, 11am

Stay all morning or just drop in Anyone who looks after a friend, relative, partner or neighbour is welcome You do not have to be a registered carer For more details visit lymeregiscarerscafe co uk

Lym Delta Rhythm Kings Marine Theatre, 7pm M u l t i - i n s t r u m e n t a l i s t s Marshall Stapleton and Glenn Ford hail from the further reaches of the Lym Delta, last survivors of the musical traditions once prevalent in those environs Tickets £10 available at marinetheatre com

Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association Doors open 7 30pm eyes down 8pm

Friday, Februar y 17

The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9 30am - 1 30pm

Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi

Lyme Regis Comedy Club Marine Theatre, 7pm Headliner Ignacio Lopez is a Spanish and Welsh comedian based in Cardiff As well as hosting TV shows headlining top comedy clubs all over the UK and Europe, Ignacio writes sketches, sitcoms, and tweets Also on the bill is James Dowdeswell one more comedian to be confirmed and resident host Tom Glover Tickets £12 available at marinetheatre com

Portraits of Golden Cap in museum exhibition

LOCAL artist Edward Hall draws his inspiration from the dramatic coastal and inland landscapes of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and will be focussing on Golden Cap – the highest peak on the south coast – for his new exhibition at Lyme Regis Museum

The exhibition ‘Portraits of Golden Cap’ opened in the museum ’ s Rotunda Gallery this week and will be in place until March 5

Edward’s formative years in rural Essex and Cumbria nurtured his love of the outdoors and a lifelong passion to explore and interpret the landscapes around him through painting

After a busy career as a chartered landscape architect that left little time for painting, he made a recent lifestyle change that resulted in a move to West Dorset

Living in Ryall, the village on the slopes of Hardown Hill, between Lyme and Bridport, he didn’t have to venture far from home for the inspiration that led to his series of paintings, entitled ‘A Year on Hardown Hill’, exhibited at the Sou’Sou’-West Gallery at Symondsbury in 2021

A key feature of those views from Hardown Hill was Golden Cap, and it was a natu-

ral progression for Edward to turn his attention to exploring this peak from different angles, seasons and times of day

He has created this all-new collection of oil paintings specifically to exhibit in the unique space offered by Lyme Regis Museum’s Rotunda Gallery The nature and arrangement of its walls suggested to him a series of vertical portraits, rather than the usual horizontal landscapes

Although the colours and textures in Edward’s latest works are characteristic of his style, he found that creating portrait paintings of landscape subjects presented a particular challenge and demanded a different approach to composition

While his previous work emphasized how the sky shapes our appreciation of the landscape, his latest paintings have instead resulted in a fascinating emphasis on foreground

‘Portraits of Golden Cap’ can be seen Wednesdays through Sundays until February 26, and Tuesdays to Sundays thereafter until March 5, and normal museum admission charges apply

For further information, visit www lymeregismuseum co uk or www edwardhallart co uk

NEWS FROM AXMINSTER | SEATON | COLYTON | BEER

axevalleynews

■ PLANS have been made to convert the former Cuts & Co hairdressers in Boxfield Road, Axminster, into a one-bedroom bungalow

An application to change the use of the building, which served as a hairdressers for many years up until October 2022, has been submitted to East Devon District Council

There are no plans to extend or change the footprint of the existing building, but to convert it into a private single dwelling comprising of one bedroom with an en suite bathroom and separate WC, sitting room, study, and kitchen and dining room

The existing parking area at the front of the property shall remain providing two parking spaces on the site Cycle storage and bin storage will be accommodated within the rear courtyard

Axminster Town Council considered the planning application this week Chair of the town's Planning Committee, Cllr Sara Leat, said that while is was sad to see a long-standing business close down, the conversion would help to address the need for single occupancy homes in Axminster East Devon District Council will now make a final decision on the plans

The full planning application can be viewed on East Devon District Council's Planning website (reference 22/2714/FUL) where comments are currently welcome from the public

■ AXMINSTER Town Council has granted more than £2,400 to Citizens Advice East Devon, saying their application to continue supporting local residents was very compelling

The council unanimously agreed to grant the service £2,422 20 after Citizens Advice applied for funding which will help it continue to run outreach services at Pippins Community Centre in Axminster

The latest figures show that Citizens Advice helped 209 residents last year, 78 of which in connection to benefits, and for each of these people they assisted in finding an average of £1,000 extra in benefits available to them

Citizens Advice can be accessed via Axminster Job Club on Thursday mornings, 9am to 12noon, at Pippins They provide free, impartial and confidential advice and information on a range of issues, including entitlement to benefits, employment, housing, and debt

More information is available at www cabdevon org uk or call the Devon Adviceline, open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, on 03444 111444

■ POLICE are appealing for witnesses of a crash on the A3052 near Branscombe Cross, in which a man died and a woman sustained life-threatening injuries on Tuesday, January 10

Emergency services were called at about 3pm to the collision, which involved a blue Toyota Yaris and a black Land Rover Discovery

The driver of the Toyota, a man in his 70s, died at the scene His passenger, a woman in her 60s, sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital

The driver of the Land Rover, a man in his 60s, was also taken to hospital with minor injuries

Witnesses or those with dashcam footage are asked to contact police by calling 101 quoting log number 0420 of 10/01/23

■ A COUNTY lines drug supplier has been jailed for three years after being caught by police near Axminster

Kareem Edwards-Lowton, aged 31, of London, was convicted last week at Exeter Crown Court for two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs

He was arrested by police after being stopped on the A35, near Axminster, in November 2018 and was linked to a drug supply gang bringing heroin and cocaine from London to Devon Dorset Somerset and Essex

It took 21 months to charge Edwards-Lowton with delays largely due to the amount of time it took to analyse phones found in the car

Frustration o ver ‘slow progress’ in reopening Axminster Arts Café

IN recent months, many residents have asked if and when the popular Axminster Arts Cafe –closed in October 2020 after a break-in and fire – will reopen

Leaseholders Jim and Hilary Reaney have expressed their frustration with building owners Axminster Town Council, over slow progress of the repair work and negotiations for an increased rent, but the council says it has to charge a "fair and equitable rate" for the benefit of council tax payers

Experienced in the hospitality trade, Mr and Mrs Reaney had successfully run the cafe, at The Old Courthouse in Church Street, for four years before the fire

The gates to the public courtyard outside the cafe had initially been locked at night, but on request from the public, were left open for six months prior to the break-in

Mr and Mrs Reaney raised increasing concerns over dog mess, underage drinking, drug taking and anti-social behaviour in the area They requested that the gates be locked at night again for fear of vandalism to their business, and in October 2020 staff arrived at work to find the cafe had been broken into and a fire started

Most of the damage was smoke related and Mr and Mrs Reaney had hoped they would be back up and running within six months, but it has now been more than two years

Speaking exclusively to Axminster Nub News, the couple said that most of the repair work had now been completed, and only small tasks that could potentially be finished in a relatively short time remained, such as fitting new counter tops, shelving, tiling and fixing the boiler

But they have expressed frustration with Axminster Town Council, saying progress has

FRANCESCA EVANS francesca evans@nub news

been slow with the finish date having been continuously pushed back Mrs Reaney said: "We are totally frustrated and desperate to get up and running again, and so is the town People ask us all the time when we will be opening

"We have lost our business after building it up successfully; it was well loved by our customers and provided jobs for local staff

"We just don't understand why they won't finish the last few bits "

A long-standing member of staff at the Arts Café said she was keen to return to her previous job, but said she believed the council had been "uncommunicative and uncooperative"

Mr and Mrs Reaney have not had to pay rent on the cafe while it has been closed, but have continued to pay overheads such as electricity bills, standing charges, machine rental and have paid their staff redundancy

They are now in negotiations with Axminster Town Council about rent payments for when the cafe reopens, but are not happy with the proposed increased charges, saying the council should be supporting local, independent businesses

In response, Axminster Town Council released the following statement: "The council is keen to see the café re-open as a public amenity to complement the garden space at The Old Courthouse but also recognises – as with all our leases – that we must charge fair and equitable market rates so that the taxpayers of Axminster are not subsidising any particular trader

"The inability of the two parties to agree on

lease terms and conditions has been partially the cause of delays in re-opening the venue

"The rental income from our property portfolio is key to our budgetary spending plans and so we are keen to see a resumption of rental income from this source naturally and the council sought independent advice on rents and service charges to ensure that what we proposed was indeed reasonable and comparable with other properties "

Mr and Mrs Reaney have also raised concerns that the outdoor tabes and chairs in the public garden had been taken away and would not be returned for their customers to use

They have also spoken against the planned removal of the damaged bandstand, which they hoped could instead be repaired

In response, Axminster Town Council said: "With regards to the bandstand and outdoor seating, the council has resolved to make better use of this space for the wider public amenity and also to take into account the need to ensure a safe environment for all users

"The lease of the Arts Café allows for the use of tables and chairs in the cobbled courtyard area but councillors decided not to permit the use of tables within the garden area as users preferred to have seating here; indeed, with the installation of new benches, an arbour and a significant amount of new planting, the council is keen to promote the garden space as a place of quiet relaxation and tranquillity, rather than an extension of the leaseholders curtilage

"Works continue within the Arts Café unit following the fire subject to ongoing negotiations between the two parties "

Rail strike causes ‘massive’ impact on new business

WOULD-BE entrepreneur Jack Price opened his first business in May last year just as the country was coming out of the trading restrictions caused by COVID-19, writes Philip Evans

The former Axminster Power Tools employee acquired the Railway Kitchen on Axminster Station and, after a comprehensive renovation and the creation of a new menu, the Mayor of Axminster, Cllr Jill Farrow, conducted the opening ceremony, describing it as "a fantastic new business for Axminster"

With new and extended opening hours Jack was delighted with the initial response and, since then, the Railway Kitchen has won many plaudits and attracted a number of regular customers, not just those travelling by train

After coping with the aftermath of the pandemic, Jack was more than pleased with how his first business venture had taken off, but his progress has now been interrupted by continuous rail strikes which have resulted in a 70 per cent decline in his footfall

Jack told Nub News: "As you can imagine the train strikes have affected us massively being based right on the platform

"We are fortunate that we have built up a good reputation locally and we have a lot of regular locals and visitors However, with the trains not running this has impacted on us massively Prior to the strikes, we enjoyed a really good summer "

One saving grace for his business has been the fact that the trains running through Axminster no longer have a refreshment trolley and this has led to a boost in trade, especially for those catching the early morning trains to London

Another great plus is that customers do not

have to walk into the station complex for refreshments, as at other stations on the ExeterWaterloo line, but can gain access straight from the car park

Axminster's Railway Kitchen is keen to support the community as much as possible and, in a bid to make up for lost revenue and to maintain the cafe's profile, Jack has put together a programme of events for the town's older generation

Jack is no stranger to organising events, especially through his long association with Axminster's stage societies, and the regular events he is hosting at the Railway Kitchen include bingo sessions every Wednesday (2 30pm-4pm); knit and natter every second Monday (2 30pm-4pm); and whist every Thursday afternoon run by the Axminster Whist Club

Burger nights are being run every Saturday evening throughout January (5pm-8 30pm) and he also hosts regular theme and quiz nights, details of which can be found on the Railway Kitchen Facebook page or by popping into the kitchen to chat to the staff

The Railway Kitchen is open Monday to Friday (7am to 2pm), Saturday (8am to 2pm) and Sun-

day (8am to 12noon)

It offers a range of breakfast dishes, from a full English to bubble and squeak, as well as a range of lunch dishes and sandwiches

They source local ingredients where possible and do their best to support local suppliers, such as Crema The Crop Coffee who are based in Axminster and roast their own coffee

Whilst Jack is hoping the rail strikes do not continue for much longer, he is confident that the Railway Kitchen will weather the storm and continue to be supported by those locals who look upon his quaint cafe as the ideal place for meeting friends, having a chat over quality coffee and a delicious snack

Jack Price pictured outside The Railway Kitchen at Axminster station

axevalleynews

Historic Bible taken to New World by Shute woman sold at auction for £20k

A RARE copy of the Bible, thought to be taken to new America by Axminster woman Elizabeth Pole in the 1600s, has sold at auction for £20,000

Ric’s Kitchen reopens

POPULAR Axminster eatery Ric's Kitchen has reopened after six months

The restaurant initially opened in October 2020 in Victoria Place, but despite proving a hit with customers, it closed down in July 2021 due to the cost of living crisis

Chef and owner Ric Edgell has spent the past six months working at other local hospitality businesses, but has now decided to give things another go and reopened last week

The reopening has been met with a great reaction in Axminster, with Ric hoping that residents will continue to show their support for the independent business He is currently working in the restaurant by himself so the menu has been simplified, serving homemade sandwiches, baguettes and light dishes for breakfast and lunch

The menu also includes gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options, and all food is now available to either eat in or takeaway Ric's Kitchen is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 2 30pm

The Geneva Bible, believed to date back to 1615, attracted huge interest from both sides of the Atlantic when it was sold at Bloomfield Auctions in Belfast this week, raising almost twice its asking price

The book is thought to have been taken to what is now Massachusetts in the US by Elizabeth Pole, who lived in Shute Barton, near Axminster She left England for the New World on the Speedwell pilgrim boat, leaving from Plymouth in 1633, and went on to found the town of Taunton, Massachusetts, believed to be the first woman to establish a town in North America Auctioneer Karl Bennett described Pole as an "inspirational woman " and said the interest in the Bible was testament to her "extraordinary life"

Pole was born in 1588, the daughter of Sir William Pole, who was knighted by James I in 1601, and Mary Peryam, the daughter of Sir William Peryam, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer Their descendants continued to live at the National Trust property Shute Barton until 2009

Pole sailed from Plymouth with two friends, 14 servants, goods and 20 tons of salt for fishing provision, intending to form a settlement and

Successful end to the year for Seaton and Beer RNLI branch

THE Seaton Beer & District branch of the RNLI enjoyed a successful end to 2022, and is now looking forward to another year of fundraising In December, the branch had an enjoyable and successful time as it took its RNLI Christmas cards, calendars, diaries and gifts to Christmas fairs in Seaton, Beer and Colyton

On Saturday, December 10, members of the branch took part in Seaton's Carnival's Christmas parade with mascot RNLI Ted in his lifeboat Secretary Wendy said: "The weather was very cold and damp and we had a great time dancing to Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer that was the music for the group behind "

A Christmas collection held at Seaton Tesco on Friday, December 23 raised £730 for the branch Mrs Cummins added: "Thank you to our ten volunteers who collected on the day, Tesco Seaton for their continuing support and to everyone who gave donations "

The branch's shop at Jubilee Gardens in Beer is now closed until April the committee would like

to thank all volunteers and customers for their support during 2022

The first fundraising event of 2023 will be the SOS Table Top Sale on Saturday, January 28 at the Marines Hall from 9am to 12 30pm

Doors open to sellers at 8am Table hire costs £6 for one and £10 for two with some spaces available - email wac500@hotmail co uk or leave message with your details on 01297 23040

There will be a variety of stalls and RNLI merchandise on sale, plus bacon baps, a raffle and card tombola

Looking further ahead, RNLI fundraisers will be at Beer Head Caravan Park on Sunday, March 5 running the Grizzly Race drink station with Beer Village Heritage

The branch's annual general meeting will also be in March with a date to be confirmed

The branch will also be taking part in the RNLI Mayday Appeal and Beer Lifeboat Weekend will be held over July 1 and 2

Repair works continue a t Flamingo Pool

WORK is currently being undertaken to repair a major structural fault in the main swimming pool at the Flamingo Pool in Axminster

The main pool has remained closed since Christmas, after a major fault was discovered and the pool had to be drained for further inspection

The hydrotherapy pool remains open, although booking is essential by calling 01297 35800

With the pool already campaigning to raise £250,000 to upgrade its facilities and make them more sustainable and cost effective, there were concerns the issue would come as a fatal blow to the pool

But offering an update to customers, the

Flamingo Pool said it had received "positive news " following professional and expert guidance on the issue, and "the outcome was promising"

"We are able to source and install new materials to reinforce the underneath framework of our aged pool," the statement said

"With work commencing this week, we are hopeful we can welcome all customers back soon

"The complete timeframe is still uncertain, but we will update you as soon as we know more "We thank you all for your patience and kind messages in this tough period for our pool "

convert the Native Americans to Christianity

Together with her brother William Poole, she acquired a large section of land from the native Wampanoag in 1637, which led to the development of the Taunton settlement the following year

She died in 1654 as a wealthy spinster who had built her own house with an orchard, occupied by her brother, as well as owning a second home purchased from Robert Thornton

She was one of the few women at that time who left a will, leaving her property, including a 40acre meadow, to her nephew John Poole, a merchant in Boston

The Geneva Bible has been described as one of the most historically significant translations of the Bible

It was the first mechanically printed, massproduced Bible available to the public and predates the King James Bible by 50 years

The Bible was presented to Elizabeth's father, Sir William Pole, by the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of his services to the church and the poor of Devon

When Elizabeth died, the Bible was returned to her family in Devon and it remained in their possession until the mid-20th century when it was sold to a collector from Northern Ireland

It was sold last week as part of a private collection

Elizabeth Pole, originally from Shute, in East Devon

FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer

classifieds&jobs

CAT FOOD, 45 assorted pouches, £12 - 01297 443930

MEN’S SHIRT, Marks & Spencer, tartan, size XXL, with tags and still in wrapper was £19 50, selling for £10 - 01297 443930

FULLY SUBMERSIBLE PUMP, Katsu 400W, 7500L/H 1 5”outlet complete with 10M 2” lay flat discharge hose polyvinyl, as new, £3507971 991 012

ELECTROLUX MULTI CLEANER, model z370, on wheels complete with all accessories, manual and in box, £25, Seaton area - 07971 991 012

TWO-SEAT SOFA, Willow and Hall grey, purchased in 2018, little used and unmarked, dimensions are 1700cm long, 94cm deep and 70cm high not including cushions, £45 ONO for quick sale - 07807 623 764

FIRST DAY COVERS ALBUMS, eight bespoke albums from 1973-2007, £80 - 07527 538 863

ELECTRIC LAWN MOWER, Bosch 600, Good working order, £40 - 01297 560006

LAUREL BUSHES x 3 50cm 70cm and 100cm metres high, £10 - 01297 678602

FRIDGE, Beko, silver, 145cm high, 54cm wide, £50 - 01297 442290

PLANTS, hydrangea and buddleia, £3 each01297 443930

WINE-MAKING DEMIJOHNS, £2 each - 01297 443930

STOCKING FILLERS, boxed Lledo cars, vans and buses, £2 50 each - 01297 24745

ITEMS FOR SALE

LOUNGE CHAIR, black, mahogany wood stand and legs, with matching footstool, very comfortable and in excellent condition, no marks, £60 ono - 01297 442198

A4 CONCERTINA FILES, brand new files, 34cm x 24cm x 11cm, carrying handle on the top with two catches to keep them securely closed, total of 24 slots for documents, etc with one central slot so they hold a lot of paperwork, £2 each or 12 for £20 - 01297 442719 or email gkwarr46@gmail com

LADIES BIKE, Trek, 17 5” frame, 15 gears, brand new cost £400 and selling for £199 ideal Christmas present - 01297 792545

TELEVISION, LG 28 inch screen, 18 months old, excellent condition, executor sale, cost £230, selling for £60 - 07936 046 434

BABY BOUNCER SEAT, used once, buyer collects, £10 - 07967 522 061

CHANGING MAT, and bowl, free, buyer collects - 07967 522 061

PLAY TENT, folding, pink, very good condition, buyer collects, £5 - 07967 522 061

RODENT CAGE, Cosypet RC03 36” x 26” x 70” high (including wheeled base), various levels and ladders, good condition, photos available, dismantled, buyer collects, now reduced to £70 - 07967 522 061

ENGLAND RUGBY SHIRT, new with tags, size L, cost £34 99, selling for £15 - 01297 443930

MEN’S SHIRT, XL, red tartan, brand new, cost £19 50, selling for £12, idea Christmas present - 01297 443930

MEN’S SHIRTS, XXL, M&S green check, pure cotton, in original packaging, cost £19 50, selling for £12 - 01297 443930

MEN’S SHIRTS, M&S, white 15½, blue stripe 15½, new, £10, ideal Christmas presents01297 443930

PAINT, 2 5 litre tin of sky blue silk finish emulsion by World of Colour £10 - 01297 443930

PAINT, 2 5 litre tin of ice pink emlusion matt finish, £10 - 01297 443930

BLOW UP BED, single, new and still in box, £10 - 01297 443930

DUVET & PILLOW COVERS, single, £3 - 01297 443930

WOMEN’S SHOES, M&S leather shoes, size 6, some unworn, some evening shoes, £5 per pair - 01297 443930

MEN’S OVERCOAT, wool, navy, chest size 3840 very good condition hardly worn cost £140 selling for £25 - 01297 446788

FIRE GUARD, Babydan, five sections including gate and wall fixings, £85 - 01297 560742

COT BED, mattress and fitted sheets, only used a few times, £80 - 01297 560742

SHEEPSKIN COAT, grey, size 10, £60 - 01297 560742

MOUNTAIN BIKE, specialized Rockhopper Comp, 26" diameter wheels, M frame, suspension forks regularly maintained good condition

£85 ono - 01297 561260

VICTORIAN WRITING SLOPE, secret drawers, fair condition, £75 - 07527 538 863

OLD STAMP ALBUMS, 12 in total, £20007527 538 863

WORLD STAMP ALBUM, Antigua - Yugoslavia, 60 - 07527 538 863

FULLY SUBMERSIBLE PUMP, Katsu 400W, 7500L/H 1 5” outlet complete with 10m 2” lay flat discharge hose polyvinyl as new £3507971 991 012

RODENT CAGE, Cosypet RC03 36” x 26” x 70” high (including wheeled base), various levels and ladders, good condition, photos available, dismantled, buyer collects, £85 ono - 07967 522 061

NEW WEDDING DRESS, size 12, stunning white ivory tulle and lace, unused with built-in boned bra, deep V-neck front and back court train, £150 - 01297 445451

Send your items for sale up to the value of £200 to LymeOnline, Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS or email listings to edit@lyme-online.co.uk

LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL

COMMUNITY GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANISATIONS

The town council has £15,000 available to meet grant requests for capital projects that help and support the community Organisations are invited to submit proposals for funding of up to £1,000 for the 2023/24 year

Grants can be used for the purchase of materials and equipment, or the provision of a service that makes Lyme Regis a better place to live, work and play

Applications will only be considered from non-profit making organisations who do not provide grants or donate monies to others, and funding cannot be used for retrospective expenditure

Applications must be returned by 5pm on Monday 27 February 2023 Applications will be considered by the council on Wednesday 29 March 2023

LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL

Two gardeners/maintenance people

27-47 hours’ per week, Monday to Friday between 7am and 5pm (hours vary by season)

Salary: SCP 10-13 (£23,620 - £24,948)

As part of the busy external works’ team, this role involves the care and maintenance of the council’s gardens, open spaces and properties, and use of machinery and equipment.

The successful applicants should have reasonable physical fitness, practical common sense, the willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions, and good communication skills.

The council is particularly interested in employing people who are ‘carbon literate’.

For an application pack email adrianne.mullins@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk or download a pack from www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/job-vacancies

For more information about the role, contact operations manager Matt Adamson-Drage on 01297 445175 or matt.adamson-drage@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 3 February Interviews will be held on Thursday 9 or Friday 10 February

IT may have been another wet, windy and wild Saturday but it didn’t stop the celebrations for the 250th parkrun event in Seaton

Since the launch event in November 2016 more than 10,000 different people have completed the 5k free timed run with more than 500 different volunteers helping With just a handful of cancellations as well as the ‘ pause ’ due to the pandemic, the event has averaged 189 finishers each week with many more volunteers and spectators all ensuring a wonderful atmosphere on the Esplanade every Saturday and contributing to Seaton’s friendly welcome

At Saturday’s event, Axe Valley Runner (AVR) Luke Reed was first finisher in 19:41 with Kerry Board, second female in 23:23 Chris Rathbone was third finisher and third on age-grade with his 20:02

There were milestone celebrations for Adele Girdwood and Bethany Laycock reaching their 100th parkrun and Matt Frost who hit the 25-mark Finally there was a brilliant personal best despite the

challenging wind for Helen Boehm. Don’t forget parkrun is only possible because of the wonderful volunteers and you can help at parkrun by emailing seaton@parkrun com

It is a great way to stay involved if you ’ re injured or unable to run

Perfect Grizzly training!

STARTING and finishing in Dawlish, the ‘Oh My Obelisk’ half marathon takes the trails up to the Mamhead Obelisk with c1,700 feet of elevation AVR’s Tim Lenton, Eleanor Wood, Jeremy Slade and Henry Smith took part on Sunday With so much rain it proved to be quite the mud bath so perfect Grizzly training!

Tim Lenton finished in an excellent seventh place in 1:35 41 also scooping first M45 Eleanor Wood was next AVR home in 2:02 59, an excellent ninth female and first F65 In 112th was Jeremy Slade in 2:25 21 with Henry Smith just behind him in 119th in 2:28 04

The race, organised by Dawlish Coasters, had 159 finishers with a further 86 running a 9-mile option

■ WITH the rainy day turning into a cold but dry, still evening an amazing 36 AVRs took part in the 5k Winter Series which uses the Esplanade and double Axmouth Bridge route

It takes place once a month from October

to March with an award for the most improved over the six months In the running with just two months left are Sue Chambers and Matt Orsman, both with two-minute improvements Results this season to date can be found at www axevalleyrunners org uk/winter5k-series/

Volly and Con Club leading the way

VOLUNTEER Lyme Regis and Axminster Conservative Club are sharing the lead in the Lyme Regis Winter Cribbage League on 39 points each But the Volly has the advantage of a game in hand In the Beer Leg, the Volly also have a one point lead at the top over Castle Inn Axminster Results (Monday, January 9): Gerrard Arms 2, Castle Inn 3 (Beer Leg 1-2); Barrel of Beer A 4, Volly Rejects 1 (B/L2-1); Volunteer Lyme 3, Barrel of Beer B2 (B/L 2- 1); New Inn Kilmington 3, Axminster Con Club 2 (B/L2-1)

Rebels have Flyers in their sights

FLYERS and Marksmen share the lead in the Lyme Regis and District Skittles League on 22 points each after 13 games

Roadrunners are in third place on 20 points but watch out for Rousdon Rebels who have two games in hand and could overtake the three teams above them

Results (January 14): Trappers beat President’s Men (game given); Hopes Wrecked 387, Clueless 376; British Legion 352, Flyers 368; Pin Pals 327, Marksmen 365; Wootton Wobblers v Rousdon Rebels (TBC); Alleytwits 351, Skittso’s 337; Roadrunners 350, Anthill Mob 322; Skittle Me Timbers 257, Hot Gossips 257 (drawn)

High scores: Fred Parsons 76, Lewis Hodder 74, Tim Mayers 72

CELEBRATING the 250th Seaton parkrun in the rain

m e O n l i n e S p o r t

Seasiders are hoping for dr y weekend

AFTER a month with no game at the Davey Fort, due to the weather and the Christmas/New Year break, Lyme Regis Football Club will be hoping to return to action tomorrow (Saturday)

The last two weekends have been washed out by heavy rain leaving the notorious wet pitch at the Davey Fort unplayable

The Seasiders are due to meet Kentisbeare tomorrow in the Devon and Exeter Premier division

Good support for Dave Smith Memorial Cup

THE

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Dave, a popular local barman in Charmouth and Lyme Regis, was secretary of

football

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enced players

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Another washed out weekend

THE second Saturday of the New Year was almost a disaster with just five matches taking place because of the wet weather

Premier and Division One were a total washout and the only game completed in Division Two was at their Broadclyst ground where Cranbrook won their major clash against Exmouth Spartans 3-2 Defeat probably now ruins the Spartans out of a top three finish but for Cranbrook it was a result they needed to stand any chance of catching the top two Lyme Regis 1st team should have been playing against Kentisbeare, their opponents at the Davey Fort (weather permitting) this coming

Saturday.

Division Three was another whitewash but the one game to survive in Division Four turned up a big surprise with Exeter United getting just their second victory of the season and climbing off the basement rung on goal difference They beat Uplyme first 2-0

The top two Intermediate divisions, Five and Six also suffered a blank day, but in Division Seven a big upset as Seaton Town came away from leaders Exmouth Rovers with a 1-1 draw

Division Eight had the luxury of two matches played and saw Bow AAC come away from their big game at Millwey Rise with a 4-1 win under their belts and a leap into second place

Lowly Farway United also won on foreign soil, well on the Ashbury Hotel 3G pitch, where they accounted for South Zeal United 2-0 Axminster Town’s home match against Torridgeside in the South West Peninsular Premier East Division was also postponed because of the weather

■ NEWS this week that four more teams could be leaving the Devon and Exeter Premier division next season

Crediton United, Elmore Reserves, Alphington and Kentisbeare have all submitted applications to join the Devon Football League for the 2023-24 season They will be subject to ground grading being carried out before being accepted

Alphington are currently leading the Premier division with a ninepoint lead over second placed University of Exeter 2nds Kentsibeare and Crediton are sitting in sixth and seventh place with games in hand and Elmore are down in ninth place but have only played five games which means they have 19 matches to play to complete their fixtures this season

Beer and Thorverton left the Devon and Exeter League this season to play in the Devon League with the Fisherman topping the North and East Division, having won all nine games Thorverton are not doing so well having won just two games in the 12-club division

Their away game at Kentisbeare last weekend was one of the fixtures postponed and there could be some doubt over whether the Davey Fort will be playable tomorrow if there is more heavy rain this week Lyme go into tomorrow’s game in third place behind leaders Alphington and second placed University of Exeter 2nds

Kentisbeare, one of the clubs looking to move up a step to the Devon League next season, are down in sixth place in the Premier division but they are never an easy side to beat

Uplyme did manage to get in some football last weekend but were beaten 2-0 by Exeter United who went into the game bottom of Division Four.

Tomorrow, Uplyme are at home to Alphington 2nds who are one place above them in the league Uplyme Reser ves are at home to Barrington Reser ves in Perr y Street Division

Three

Char mouth 1sts are at home to Shepton Beauchamp Reser ves who sit one place above them in the Perr y Street Division One

respect in which the late Dave Smith was held in local sporting circles was much in evidence last week when the memorial darts tournament in his memory was staged at the Nag’s Head in Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis Darts League and the Lyme Regis Skittles League for many years He was also a long-serving secretary of Charmouth Football Club

total of 28 darts enthusiasts turned out to compete in the quirky format that proved tough even for the more experi-

In the end it was whittled down to final two - Rob Millward and Darren Herbert Rob added to his trophy haul, having won the Christmas Cup at the Nag’s, beating Darren, in the final

Darts League gets back to normal following the Christmas break with games played on a Thursday evening