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Travelodge looking for site in Lyme TRAVELODGE has listed Lyme Regis as a potential site for a new hotel. The hotel chain has listed the Lyme Regis and Seaton area as one of its ‘target’ areas as it expands its property portfolio. Meanwhile, Palmers Brewery has said it is revisiting its plans to redevelop the former Three Cups Hotel, which has stood empty in Broad Street for more than 30 years. REPORT, PAGE 3
How to reduce your energy consumption
Boat building students celebrate at launch
AMID the rising cost of living, community energy champion Chris Lakeman Fraser offers advice on how you can reduce energy consumption in your home and save money in this special feature on our Green Page. REPORT, PAGE 10
Artisan Florist
Wild and Seasonal
Popular self-serve flower shed at 18 Woodmead Road, Lyme Regis DT7 3AD Or order online for daily deliveries
HUGE crowds turned out to celebrate with students of Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy, as they launched three hand-built craft into the harbour in very blustery conditions last week, following an intensive 40-week course. See page 13 for full report and more photos. Photo by Francesca Evans
We stand with Ukraine
HOW LYME REGIS IS OFFERING ITS SUPPORT AMID RUSSIAN INVASION THE Lyme Regis community has come together to show its support for those suffering amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
From local fundraising events to humanitarian trips to the war-torn European country, Lyme Regis has shown it is standing with Ukraine. Landlord Tom Littledyke is currently in
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Ukraine for the second time this month, having led a convoy of volunteers from his country pub, The Shave Cross Inn, near Bridport, on Monday. They have taken 14 vehicles full of essential supplies and will be helping to ferry refugees out of the country before leaving several of the
vehicles in the country to assist with the war effort. Back home, online raffles, bake sales and collections run by several local businesses are helping to raise funds for humanitarian aid. Uplyme Church has been lit up in yellow and blue, with plans to do the same in Langmoor Gardens in Lyme Regis. SEE FULL REPORTS ON PAGES 6 & 7
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LymeOnline Published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth. Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Managing Director: Philip Evans MBE philip@lyme-online.co.uk Contributors Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk
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Rotary lunch raises £1,600 for WaterAid THE Rotary Club of Lyme Regis was able to host its annual soup and ploughman’s lunch once again this week – the event having been affected by the coronavirus pandemic for the past two years. The lunch was hosted at The Alexandra Hotel on Monday afternoon, with more than 100 guests enjoying a soup and ploughman’s lunch in the dining room and orangery to raise funds for WaterAid. Among those attending was the Mayor of
Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, pictured above (second from right) with Rotarians Bill Taylor Richard Finch and club president Chris Buckingham. A spokesperson for the Rotary Club said: “A delightful event, with over 100 people attending, thanks to the huge generosity of the Alexandra Hotel. “It was all to support WaterAid, a charity that specialises in providing clean water, sanitation and good hygiene to people in
the developing world. WaterAid has helped more than 28 million people in something that we in the UK take for granted. “One in 10 people don't have clean water close to home – that's 785 million people. One in four people don't have a decent toilet at home – that’s two billion people. “We are delighted to announce that we raised about £1,600. Thanks to everyone who attended and to those who gave so generously in the raffle.”
newsfromwestminster WHILE war can bring out the worst in humanity, it can also bring out the best, and it has been heart-warming to see the selfless compassion of all those who have organised, helped and donated in aid of the people of Ukraine. All of these efforts have not gone un-noticed. I was fortunate to have met the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK on the 3rd of this month, and informed him of all the efforts taken by the people of West Dorset to support his country and its people. He was exceedingly grateful for all that is being done. The government’s launch of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme has been met with an unprecedented wave of support. Over 100,000 people have already expressed interest in housing a refugee family and I expect this number to rise significantly. Sajid Javid’s announcement over that weekend of the 21 poorly Ukrainian children having arrived in the UK to commence lifesaving treatment also made for heartwarming reading. The Government’s Economic Crime Bill is also a massive step towards clamping down on oligarchs and further turning off
A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder
the taps for Russia’s economy. The Home Office has also raised an additional 35 per cent tariff onto imported goods from Russia and Belarus – on top of the hefty sanctions already in place. It was a fantastic day in Lyme on Saturday, March 12 when I walked round knocking on doors with my friend Victoria Stocqueler and having a chat with local residents about the issues that matter to them, followed by some refreshment at the ‘Volly’. Thanks as always to manager Matt Puddy for his hospitality. I want to thank the residents here for their support in my campaigns to promote the cleanliness of our beaches, rivers and seas. The OFWAT investigation into Wessex Water is something I very much welcome. In November I questioned the water companies rigorously about the outflow statistics they provided. I hope this provides the impetus to invest in better technology to cut down on sewage discharge. While environmental issues are very important, we also need to tackle drug crime and antisocial behaviour, and I have had several residents get in touch with me about this. Several times in the House of Commons, I
have called for a review into the way police funding is calculated and am pleased that the government has now committed to one, meaning we should receive our fair share of resources to cope with these issues, especially during the summer months.
Visit www.chrisloder.co.uk for links to my social media channels and news, or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk if you are interested in a face-to-face meeting at one of my surgeries
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Travelodge hoping to expand into Lyme Regis area
Four stand for Dorset ...and Palmers Brewery revisiting plans for former Three Cups Hotel Council seat – but TRAVELODGE has listed none for town council
Lyme Regis as a potential site for a new hotel.
The hotel chain has listed the Lyme Regis and Seaton area as one of its ‘target’ areas as it expands its property portfolio. More than 80 new Travelodges have been opened across Great Britain in the past five years, and the company is now looking for further development opportunities. Tony O’Brien, Travelodge’s UK Development Director, said: “We are currently seeking development opportunities that could incorporate a new Travelodge hotel, either on its own or as part of a mixed-use scheme, and will consider new developments and conversions of existing buildings and hotels operated by other brands. “In 2021, we opened 17 new hotels, in locations including Bristol, Kendal, Leicester, London, Mansfield, Poole, Rochdale, Sandwich, St Albans and Witney and are looking to open a similar number each year. “If you have details of a site or hotel that is available and could be redeveloped as a Travelodge then please contact our Development Manager responsible for the region where the property is located. “Our interactive map below highlights our target requirements and provides contact details for our Development Managers. However, this list is not exhaustive and the DM’s will be delighted to consider any opportunities within their areas.
“You can make a site introduction either by contacting the relevant development manager directly. “Thank you again for taking interest in our hotel development programme.” More details about development opportunities are available at www.travelodgeproperty.co.uk/development-partnerships The announcement from Travelodge led to some speculation that the former Three Cups Hotel in Lyme Regis could be a potential site, having stood empty for more than 30 years. But owners Palmers Brewery, based in Bridport, have shown no sign that they intend to sell up. Instead, they have said they are now revisiting plans to develop the Broad Street site after they were put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Planning permission was granted for a major redevelopment of the site in 2015. However, after initial work was carried out, engineers and development consultants found the proposed scheme raised some technical problems. The latest scaled-back plans were revealed in 2020, including retail units with apartments above in the original building, and a flagship restaurant and letting rooms in the former car park behind. The plans were then put on the back-burner after the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, having a huge impact on the hospitality industry. Offering an update, Nigel Jones of Palmers Brewery’s property agent
Pictured above, Travelodge could be coming to Lyme Regis and, right, Palmers Brewery are revisiting plans to redevelop the former Three Cups Hotel in Lyme Regis which has been left empty for more than 30 years Chesters Commercial, said: “As we explained previously, due to the understandable difficulties of the hospitality business sector during the pandemic, Palmers Brewery put on hold work regarding the redevelopment. “As things are hopefully in that respect returning to some degree of normality, the brewery are again
revisiting the project and their consultant team are being re-engaged to move matters forward. “In the meantime, scaffolding is about to be erected on the front elevation to allow for the gutters to be cleaned to avoid water over flowing and damaging the front wall where extensive repairs were carried out two years ago.”
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FOUR candidates have put themselves forward for election to Dorset Council, representing the Lyme Regis and Charmouth ward. The vacancy was created by the recent resignation of Conservative councillor Daryl Turner, who held the post at Dorset Council since the unitary authority was created in 2019. Among those standing for the seat is his sister and Lyme Regis town councillor Cheryl Reynolds, who is standing as an independent candidate, and fellow town councillor Belinda Bawden, who is the Green Party’s candidate. Other candidates are Vicci Stocqueler (Conservative) and David Hart (Labour). The election will be held on Thursday, April 7. This was set to be combined with an election to fill a vacancy on Lyme Regis Town Council, created by the recent death of Stan Williams, but no candidates put themselves forward for this position. The position will now be re-advertised but the town council election will no longer be held on April 7. LymeOnline plans to hold a full election preview with profiles of the Dorset Council candidates in its edition on April 1. See comment by Philip Evans on page 11
If you have a story for LymeOnline, contact editor Francesca Evans on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
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NEWS IN BRIEF Coronavirus cases back on the rise
AFTER a sustained fall in COVID-19 case rates across Dorset over the past few weeks, infection rates have started to increase again. Cases have been rising across all age groups in the Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) area. However, with fewer people testing these numbers are unlikely to provide the complete picture. As of March 11, there were 1,615 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Dorset Council area, compared to 1,387 the previous week, and 1,781 in the BCP area, compared to 1,529. This means the case rate per 100,00 people was 425.2 in the Dorset Council area, up from 365.2,
and 448.6 in the BCP area, compared to 385.1 the previous week. There were 57 confirmed cases in the Lyme Regis area, an increase of 25 and case rate per 100,000 of 785.8. The number of people in hospital with COVID19 has risen slightly this week from 74 to 80. Although the legal requirement to self-isolate has now ended, the public health advice remains the same. Public Health Dorset urges anyone who tests positive or has COVID symptoms to continue to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. This will help to protect other people who may be more vulnerable to the virus.
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A round-up of news from the LymeOnline website visit www.lyme-online.co.uk for full stories
Harbour dredging work delayed until late April
HARBOUR dredging in West Bay and Lyme Regis will be delayed again this year – not starting until the end of April and continuing into May. The late start has led to complaints in previous years around the impact on tourism and hospitality businesses. The delay is down to problems in obtaining licences for the work from the Marine Agency. This means the beach replenishment work at Lyme Regis, another previous cause of complaint, will also now take place at the same time as the dredging. By Trevor Bevins (LDRS)
Ultra-marathon to pass through Lyme Regis area
Approval for Dorset Police’s new HQ
A 64-mile ultra-marathon will be passing through Lyme Regis and the surrounding area at the end of April. Starting from Offwell Village Hall, near Honiton, at 5.30am on Saturday, April 30, the East Devon Round will see about 100 participants take on the 64-mile route. This will include 10,000 feet of climbing and links both the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Blackdown Hills AONB, plus the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in one incredible day of running. Last year, the fastest competitor completed the course in 11 hours and 46 minutes.
A NEW Dorset Police HQ building at Winfrith has been approved by Dorset Council. The police have said they are unable to give a figure for the expected cost of their new three-storey building, but that it will save money in the long run. Work will start this summer and is likely to be completed by the winter of 2023/24. The approval comes despite that the building’s reflective surface could lead to bird deaths. By Trevor Bevins (LDRS)
Healthcare system close to ‘point of collapse’
‘Wonka’ filming helped to boost harbour income
HEALTH and social care in Dorset remains close to the “point of collapse”, Dorset councillors have been told. Many key services have been pushed to the limits of the system’s operational ability to cope since early February, with COVID infections currently rising again. Sherborne councillor Robin Legg said he worried that too many people remained in hospital beds for too long, because health and social care system are not coping with discharges. About 300 people in Dorset’s three acute hospitals are currently medically ready to be discharged but remain in hospital because there
FILMING of Hollywood movie ‘Wonka’ in Lyme Regis last year has helped the town’s harbour budget this year. Figures show that the harbour team expects to transfer £55,000 from its operating profit into reserves, boosting the figure held in that account to about £164,000. The boost in income for the year was attributed by harbourmaster James Radcliffe to the filming fees, increased harbourside car park income, new shop income, extra visiting boats and kayak storage fees. By Trevor Bevins (LDRS)
Dorset gears up for Queen’s Jubilee
More funding for victims of domestic abuse RESIDENTS who have experienced domestic abuse will receive further support with government funding of £650,000 to Dorset Council. The government grant will be used in the next 12 months to make residents who have experienced any form of domestic abuse safer in their own homes, or in supported accommodation, as well as provide specialist support for their children. The extra investment can be used to finance security devices to allow people experiencing domestic abuse to remain in their own homes along with the support of family, friends, to avoid the disruption of moving away. Funding
Great Dorset Beach Clean returns for 32nd year
THE Great Dorset Beach Clean is back for 2022 taking place over the week of April 2 to 10, coinciding with the first weekend of the Easter holiday. Litter Free Dorset is excited to announce this 32nd annual Great Dorset Beach Clean. This year will see 16 beach cleans, hosted by local organisations and community groups, right along the coast from Lyme Regis to Christchurch. The clean in Lyme Regis will take place on Sunday, April 3 from 10am.
are not enough care places available or support packages for returning to home. Cllr Legg asked if the system was close to the point of collapse – to be told by a senior officer that his remark was “fair comment.” He said that, at the same time, the local NHS 111 call system was falling short of meeting demand, while also being asked to field some of the calls from neighbouring council areas, also under pressure. The meeting was told that despite this the services remains the 10th best in the country and is currently recruiting more call handlers. By Trevor Bevins (LDRS)
will also help rebuild the lives and confidence of those who have felt the only way to escape domestic abuse is to move to a refuge. More children will also get help to manage the trauma of either witnessing abuse or coping with the psychological scars of living in a home where domestic abuse has occurred. Anyone affected can call the Paragon domestic abuse helpline on 0800 032 5204, 24 hours a day, search online for ‘DVA help Dorset’, or visit paragonteam.org.uk. Calls are free, but the number may show up on some itemised phone bills. In an emergency, always dial 999.
DORSET Council is encouraging local communities to plan events and parties for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday, June 2 until Sunday, June 5. The weekend will mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, with celebrations in towns and communities across the country taking place, including street parties. Town and parish councils across Dorset will be organising events, so check out the LymeOnline for regular updates.
Lyme residents invited to annual town meeting THE annual town meeting of Lyme Regis electors will be held on Friday, April 8 from 7pm in the Woodmead Halls. Lyme Regis residents are welcome to attend the meeting and raise local issues with town councillors. The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE (pictured), will be presenting the town council’s Corporate Plan for 2022 to 2027, and there will also be a report from Dorset Police. Those who wish to speak should notify the council in advance by emailing admin@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk
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ALL OVER THE TOWN Among the horror of war, Lyme pulls together to help
T
HE Russian invasion of Ukraine has continued to dominate the global headlines this week, and it’s been no different here in Lyme Regis.
We may be tucked away in a relatively safe corner of West Dorset, some 1,300 miles from the war zone, but the plight of the Ukrainian people – their determination and bravery – has struck a chord with us, as it has with so many the world over. Just as we saw in those very early days of the coronavirus pandemic, our community has not hesitated in jumping into action and asking ‘what can we do to help?’. Not a day has passed this week that I haven’t been contacted by residents asking how they can help, with news of more collections, donations, fundraising events and signals of support being announced every day. An online fundraising appeal launched late one night by local landlord Tom Littledyke and his partner Georgia Wellman, after a busy night’s service in their country pub, The Shaves Cross Inn, has now raised an incredible £22,500. Their initial target was just £1,000. Alongside financial donations, boxes upon boxes of supplies have been donated locally, with volunteers meeting in Lyme Regis Baptist Church last week to sort and pack them. Tom is now on his second humanitarian aid trip to Ukraine in the space of a month, this time joined by many more local volunteers in a convoy of 14 vehicles filled with supplies. They arrived at the Polish border with
Ukraine on Wednesday, with Justine Fraser offering the following update via social media: “It's been a rough old journey of nearly 1,300 miles, through several countries, over a couple of days. Some of our vehicles have died by the side of the road. They've been frozen, had not a lot of sleep and not much to eat either! “They've come up against a lot of complications and a lot of red tape. But.. they've made it and our heroes are all OK. “Our vehicles will unload their much needed precious cargo of food, medical supplies, etc. and then they'll aim, where possible, to assist with the movement of people. “It's all getting pretty hairy and there is a curfew, so they will have to be careful and quick! We all really appreciate the support and love shown to our team, it means a lot.” Back at home, buildings are being lit in yellow and blue, posters are appearing in windows, flags are flying. Next week the town council will be considering how best to show its support for Ukraine. The Scouts are baking cakes to sell, businesses are grouping together to organise collections and residents are signing up to take in Ukrainian refugees, digging out supplies and offering whatever they can to help raise much-needed funds. As our front page headline reads, ‘Lyme Regis stands with Ukraine’. We are a town that cares, a town that comes together when the call for help is made – whether it comes from near or far.
WE STAND WITH UKRAINE
THE PLACE TO BE: WITH the weather warming up and evenings getting lighter, why not enjoy a slice of the Mediterranean at Poco Pizza. The seafront pizza restaurant, with arguably the best terrace in Lyme Regis, has recently been taken over by Jason and Lyn Martin of the multi-award-winning Dorset House B&B. They say they plan to “keep the spirit of Poco alive - authentic Italian pizzas, friendly staff and a relaxed vibe”.
with LymeOnline
editor Francesca Evans
PHOTO OF THE WEEK:
■ IT’S really felt like spring is on the way this week. The weather is finally a little brighter, evenings a little lighter and our favourite springtime events are coming round quickly. The spirit of the season was captured perfectly in this photo by LymeOnline reader Joanne Martyr.
Catch us on the radio this morning! IF you’re quick to pick up today’s copy of LymeOnline and read this, then you may be quick enough to catch my national radio debut this morning! Along with my Dad, veteran local journalist Philip Evans, I’ve been invited to appear on Matt Chorley’s Times Radio show, being broadcast live from Lyme Regis today (Friday). Originally from Somerset and having started his journalistic career in Taunton, Matt has gone on to cover Westminster politics for the MailOnline, The Independent on Sunday and The Times, and currently presents the midmorning show for Times Radio, which we listen to daily in the LymeOnline office.
EVENT YOU CAN’T MISS:
THE Big Breakfast is back! The Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK will be hosting their most popular fundraiser of the year once again on Saturday, April 2 at the Woodmead Halls, from 8am to 1pm. Come along for a slap-up cooked full English, including tea and coffee, orange juice and toast with marmalade, or bacon and sausage sandwiches. Takeaways and deliveries are also available - see advertisement on page 14.
He is now touring the country with his second stand-up show and will be appearing at the Marine Theatre tonight. Ahead of the show, he’ll be presenting his radio programme live from the Lyme Bay Café Bar from 10am, with Dad and I set to appear at about 10.30am for the daily columnist panel section, discussing local and national headlines of the day. During the programme, Matt will also be discussing everything from the issue of second homes and affordable housing, to what Lyme Regis has become most famous for – the dinosaurs! Tune in live or catch up later online at thetime.co.uk/radio
IF YOU READ ONE THING:
THERE’S one thing that will be affecting us all over the next few months and that’s the rising cost of living. Lyme Regis is now training volunteer Community Energy Champions who can help you to cut your carbon emissions and Chris Lakeman Fraser offers some handy tips on how to make your home more energy efficient and also save some money on your bills on our Green Page on page 10.
Watch Francesca’s weekly video news bulletins, every Friday morning on the LymeOnline website
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Lyme Regis businesses collecting for Ukraine A NUMBER of local businesses are now holding collections to help those in Ukraine. Among those collecting for various charities supporting Ukrainians include Tom’s restaurant and Persuasion on Marine Parade in Lyme Regis and Uplyme Stores. Tom Robinson, chef and owner of Tom’s, said: “Like all of you we have been watching the news and learning of the harrowing war in the Ukraine. “Our hearts break for the men, women and children who are suffering and need our help. please join us in raising money for the Disaster Emergency Committee. Ask a member of our team to add a donation to your bill.” If your business is collecting for Ukraine please let us know by emailing francesca@lyme-online.co.uk LymeOnline has offered to cover the small cost of printing posters for local businesses and households to display in their windows, offering their support for Ukraine. Anyone who would like to display an A4 poster should contact Belinda Bawden on belindabawden@gmail.com or Francesca Evans from LymeOnline on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk You can also download and print your own copy of the poster at www.lyme-online.co.uk or cut out the smaller version below to display.
Scouts raising funds with bake sale
THE 1st Lym Valley Scout Group will be hosting a bake sale on at the Marine Parade shelters in Lyme Regis to raise funds for Ukraine. The event will be held from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, March 19.
Landlord leads second convoy of humanitarian aid to Ukraine LYME Regis landlord Tom Littledyke set off earlier this week on his second trip to Ukraine to provide supplies and humanitarian aid. The former Royal Marine Reservist, who runs three hospitality businesses in West Dorset, drove his minibus to Ukraine to deliver supplies and ferry refugees out of the country at the beginning of March amid the Russian invasion. After returning, he recruited a number of volunteers for a second trip and set off on Monday, leading a convoy of vehicles from his country pub, The Shave Cross Inn, near Bridport. Former Woodroffe School student Tom, aged 31, also runs The Shave Cross Cellar and Antonio’s Trattoria in Lyme Regis with his partner Georgia Wellman, who has been overseeing donations and organisation of the trip from home. The volunteers, including several other residents from Lyme Regis, have taken with them a huge amount of supplies, including non-lethal military equipment such as radios, armour and
helmets, warm clothing, blankets and medical supplies. The group plan to leave several of their vehicles, including out-ofuse ambulances, in Ukraine to help with the war effort. The second trip comes after Tom spoke openly about his experiences during his first trip to Ukraine. At a meeting to recruit volunteers, he described his “terrifying and heartbreaking” experiences, saying that it was “beautiful” to see how much the UK wanted to do something, and how proud he was of his hometown Lyme Regis for its support. “Lyme Regis came together. I am gobsmacked and incredibly proud of my hometown Lyme Regis,” he said. You can read Tom’s full account on the LymeOnline website. A hugely successful online fundraising appeal led by Tom and Georgia has now helped raise more than £22,000 to provide further supplies and aid where needed. You can still make donations online at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thom as-littledyke
Landlord Tom Littledyke sets off on his second humanitarian aid trip to Ukraine
Cut out and display in your window, or download a full-size A4 poster at lyme-online.co.uk
LYME REGIS
SUPPORTS UKRAINE #WeStandWithUkraine
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Lyme resident launches raffle to support Ukraine
ST Peter and St Paul Church, in Uplyme, part of the Axe Valley Mission Community, has been lot up in solidarity with Ukraine. Every night the tower can be seen in blue with the rest of the building in yellow. The centre is purple, the Church of England’s colour for Lent. Team vicar, the Reverend Nicky
Davies, said: “As the church is on a hill, it makes a great statement that we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people at this horrendous time. “In our prayers we pray for both Russians and Ukraines and for an end to this horrific invasion.” John Newton of Lyme Light pro-
vided the lighting. John, a retired priest, designed and runs the lighting In Langmoor Gardens in Lyme Regis. It is hoped these illuminations may also be changed to yellow and blue. John said: “I wondered what I could do to help and decided that using my lighting skills was my way of making a statement.”
■ THE recently relaunched Old School House community café, based at The Hub in Lyme Regis, raised £400 to support those in Ukraine last week. The volunteer-led, not-for-profit cafe is now open every Thursday and Friday morning for affordable hot drinks and snacks, with all taking from last week to be donated to the humanitarian effort.
LYME Regis resident Genevieve Wells and her friend Daisy Wilson have teamed up to launch a raffle for the Disasters Emergency Committee, which is providing aid to those in Ukraine. Two prizes are up for grabs in the online raffle. First prize is a night’s stay for up to four people at award-winning architectural designer Genevieve’s historic cottage in Farnham. The stay will include Champagne on arrival and a fullycatered dinner by prepared by Daisy, who has cooked for Prince Edward and the cast of ‘Star Wars’ and has worked as resident chef for TV programmes ‘Dancing on Ice’, ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘The Chase’. A breakfast hamper for the morning will also be included. The property is of ‘local historic merit’, famous as the local author George Sturt wrote about the gardener that lived there. It is made up of the original 1850s workman’s cottage, with a ‘potting shed’ style glass extension. The visit must be booked within three months, with more details and availability at www.airbnb.com/h/littlewillows Second prize in the raffle is an A2 size, framed, original acrylic painting of the famous Cobb in Lyme Regis, by Genevieve, pictured left. More examples of Genevieve’s work can be found at www.personalart.uk The painting was inspired by Devon photographer Tim White.
First prize is a night’s stay at an historic cottage in Farnham and, below, the second prize painting by Genevieve
Genevieve, who owns Inside Out Your Space based at the Town Mill in Lyme Regis, and Daisy said they felt compelled to do something to help those suffering under the Russian invasion in Ukraine. In particularly, they have been inspired the bravery and strength of Ukrainian women and wanted to combine their talents to show that women across the world supported them. They hope to raise at least £500 with their online raffle. All those making a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/fundr aising/genevieve-daisy-ukraine will be entered into the prize draw.
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Jubilee tree for Uplyme TO commemorate Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Uplyme Parish Council were given an oak tree sapling by the leader of East Devon District Council, Cllr Ian Thomas. The tree was planted by the tree team of East Devon District Council on land adjacent to the war memorial, with the kind permission of Barnes Meadow Management Committee. Cllr Chris James, chair of Uplyme Parish Council, offered thanks on behalf of the council to Cllr Thomas for donating the native species oak tree, which will be a lasting legacy for generations to come and a fitting tribute to the longest serving monarch in British history. Also in attendance at the planting were David Cox of Barnes Meadow Management Committee and John Duffin, tree warden for the parish council.
If you have a story for LymeOnline, call Francesca on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
‘Volunteering is good for you’, says Charmouth Scout Group IN an effort to reduce the number of young people on its waiting list, the 1st Charmouth Scout Group has embarked on a major adult recruitment drive. A key element of this was unveiled last week and has now been securely fixed to the group’s headquarters at Barrs Lane recreation ground. According to Karen Southcott, joint group Scout leader: “We decided to use a 3×1 meter banner, showing Bear Grylls, Steve Backshaw, Ellie Simmonds plus various other Scout Association Ambassadors, as our focal point. “Its key message is ‘Scouts was good for us, we think it could be good for you too’. “We hope everyone visiting the Barrs Lane recreation ground, in which our HQ is located, will notice it, recognise the ambassadors and consider offering to help out.” Melanie Harvey, fellow joint group Scout leader, added: “Volunteering works both ways. Our members get to do more activities, and adults gain in a number of important ways. “A recent Scout survey revealed that the most common benefits reported were: enjoyment
(93 per cent), a sense of personal achievement (90 per cent), and feeling that they were making a difference (90 per cent). Furthermore, 77 per cent agreed it improved their mental health and well-being. “Researchers also found that participants ages 16-24 and 55-74 were especially likely to benefit from volunteering, perhaps because of the opportunity to build social connections.” Anyone interested in finding out more about how they can help is invited to attend a ‘Volunteering is Good for You’ meeting at the Scout Hut on Tuesday, March 29th, from 7pm to 8pm, or contact Karen on 07799 500 720 or Melanie on 07890 540 979. Karen added: “Extra help is needed in four of our sections, so any volunteers can choose which age range, from 6 to 17, they would feel most comfortable working with.” The Scout Group is also putting Bear Grylls posters up locally and asking its current parents to hand flyers out to friends, colleagues and family members.
National tourism body salutes holiday park pioneers THE husband and wife team behind the multi-award-winning Monkton Wyld Holiday Park, near Lyme Regis, have earned praise and a special award from the park industry's official body. Joanna and Simon Kewley were thanked for their loyalty and services to regional tourism this month by the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA). The organisation presented them with a commemorative certificate marking Monkton Wyld's 25 years of active membership, and its helping to pioneer fresh air holidays in Dorset. The award comes just weeks after Joanna and Simon's park was crowned the overall gold winner in the camping and caravanning park category of the Dorset Tourism Awards. BH&HPA, as part of its 70th anniversary events, is celebrating the longestserving of its 2,400 members who are achieving the highest quality standards. It said that Monkton Wyld should be
rightly proud of its quarter-century of providing families with first-class holiday experiences. Joanna and Simon first started welcoming guests to their family farm in the early nineties, and its idyllic location and friendly atmosphere quickly won them a large following. Over the years, the couple have invested much time and energy into ensuring that the park offers families the perfect surroundings for a memorable Dorset holiday. They have always been keen to run their park along sustainable lines, and have been presented with the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for many years. Joanna and Simon have created many wildlife habitats in their 26-acre grounds where wild flowers flourish and provide foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The tranquil atmosphere is maintained by the park's division into small paddocks for camping, caravan and
motorhome guests who come from across Britain and mainland Europe. "Monkton Wyld has always been especially attractive to lovers of natural beauty, not least because of the stunning countryside and nearby Jurassic Coast," said Joanna. "It's wonderful being able to live and work in this unspoiled part of Dorset, and to be able to help other local small businesses by bringing visitors to the region. "We have always supported our trade association and all the help it gives to other parks like ours, so it's great to have them saying thanks to us in this way," she added. As well as pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents, Monkton Wyld provides luxury rented accommodation, including a 17C farmhouse, and holiday homes to own. There is more information on the website at www.monktonwyld.co.uk
Simon and Joanna, pictured via video conferencing, with their tourism enterprise award certificate from the British Holiday & Home Parks Association
Friday, March 18 2022 9
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Public consultation We events to share your 2030 vision of Lyme E
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can do it – together
Reducing energy consumption amid rising costs, by Chris Lakeman Fraser
NERGY prices have suddenly snapped into focus but not just for those on low incomes.
LYME Regis Development Trust is planning a series of ‘Lyme 2030 Vision Community Conversations’ starting on Saturday, April 9 and running up to the May Fete on Sunday, May 12 as the consultation or listening stage of the development of a 2030 Net Zero Plan for the town. The analysis of residents’ ideas, priorities and hopes for the changes needed to reach carbon neutrality will then be carried out between May and August, when it is expected that a few key issues will emerge which could subsequently be developed into project proposals, possibly with support from some of the expert stakeholders in the Royal College ‘Our Future Towns’ project, which some residents responded to in 2020. Solutions to reducing social isolation and improving access, mobility and the opportunity to shop and socialise locally while supporting the local economy more, through safer pavements and streets with less pollution and congestion, could emerge, for example. Residents’ ideas and visions for future sustainable transport options and priorities for school, college, work and leisure travel, as well as ways to improve access to green spaces and enhance biodiversity, or accelerate improvements to our homes, could then inform town council and Dorset Council planning. Almost 50 per cent of the territorial greenhouse gas emissions in Lyme Regis come from housing, according to the Impact Community Carbon Calculator, so the town council recently supported a financial contribution for five Community Energy Champions to be trained with the scheme run by Bridport Town Council in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (see right). The Lyme Regis area Community Energy Champions will be present at some or all of the ‘Community Conversations’ to offer advice and guidance on ways to reduce household fuel bills, on insulation, ventilation, energy efficiency measures and options for switching to renewable energy sources. Lyme Regis Town Council’s Environment Committee agreed a proposal to support the project with up to £10,000 from the budget allocation for climate and environmental action planning in the community in January 2022. The funding request was to ensure
widespread engagement with residents and to enable the continued involvement of the Royal College of Art and their stakeholders in the ‘Future Town’ project. A detailed project plan will be developed and presented to the full council meeting on April 6 for approval. The likely dates for consultation events will be: ● Saturday, April 9 from 11am to 3pm at The Hub ● Tuesday, April 26 from 5pm to 8pm at Lyme Regis Football Club ● Saturday, April 30 from 11am to 3pm at The Hub as part of the Fossil Festival ● Tuesday, May 10 from 9am to 1pm at Lyme Regis Football Club ● Sunday, May 12 from 1pm to 4pm at the May Fete on the Anning Road playing field There will also be engagement with the local schools at different stages of the project. Traffic gridlock, parking chaos and poor public transport provision were at the top of respondents’ frustrations in the ‘Future Town’ research project led by the Royal College of Art in 2020, with litter being the second. Surface transport forms 17 per cent of the town’s territorial emissions, according to the Impact Community Carbon Calculator, though this seems not to account fully for the visitor impact which can increase the population of Lyme Regis of less than 4,000 to as many as 40,000, many arriving by private vehicle. The Lyme 2030 Vision project also proposes taking part in a free three-month trial of the new Climate Heatmap community engagement platform and support service from Commonplace, one of the UK’s leading community engagement experts. This will enable residents to add their ideas, views and ambitions for the future development of the town onto a map of the Lyme area. The platform will also enable the project to provide updates and news on local climate and environmental initiatives and will automatically show the type of response by topic on a daily basis. The involvement of people who live here is vital to ensure that any changes proposed and undertaken are a result of listening to their priorities and hopes for a cleaner, greener future for everyone. Cllr Belinda Bawden Chairman, Lyme Regis Town Council Environment Committee
Finding ways to reduce our energy consumption has become a priority for all of us. How can we do it? An easy, inexpensive, DIY option is draught proofing: get to work on windows using foam, metal or plastic strips or brush seals for sash windows. Temporary secondary glazing is another option. Tackle exterior doors by fitting brush or hinged flap draught excluders along the bottom of the doors. Interior doors can be fitted with brushes or dust, noise and pest isolation seal strips. Flexible fillers or silicone mastic can be used to fill gaps in floorboards and skirting boards. When it comes to loft hatches, use strips of draught excluding material around the edges of the frame but make sure to insulate the hatch itself. Letterboxes should be fitted with new brushes or flaps to keep out the cold air. The next costing stage up from that is bringing in experts to insulate the loft. Loft insulation measuring 270 mm is the latest recommended standard. This could cost approximately £250 for an average sized building but would be cheaper if you were to do it yourself. Annual savings would be £15 per year and free or partfunding is available. Cavity wall insulation for homes built after the 1930s involves blowing insulating material into the cavity between walls and would cost about £500 with an average saving of £165 per year. Again, free or part-funding is available. A false floor suspended on joists and insulation blocks is highly effective. This would cost between £900 to £2,400 with an average saving of £70 per year. There is not usually funding for this option. If your windows are single glazed, installing double grazing could improve your home's insulation by between 70 to 80 per cent. Costs would depend on how many windows you need to replace. External wall insulation for older homes could cost £10,000 for external cladding with average savings of £300 to £700 per year. For similar older homes, internal wall cladding could cost £5,500 to £8,500 with average savings of £260 to £430 per year. This is good to do when rendering, re-plastering or re-doing electrics. Breathability must be considered. Where are all these figures coming from? They are being supplied by a charity called the Centre for Sustainable Energy which is running a course for the Bridport Town Council to train ‘energy champions’ to help the local community to be more energy efficient. This is part of a Climate Action Plan the Council set up after declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019. Who am I? I’ve had a lifetime involvement in natural history filmmaking; am an individual who is struggling to find ways to cut my heating bills; and also one of those ‘energy champions’. Do I know all the answers? No, but I’m in the process of finding out and will pass on the information to you. If you started to put some of these ideas into practice in your own home, would you be turning into one of those dreadful noisy protesters that you read about in the papers, who are always banging on about climate change? Well, no, because you’d be helping yourself by saving money on energy costs, but
yes because in your own quiet way you’d be helping to cut carbon emissions. And maybe those young protesters have a point. They are angry and frightened because they’ve been listening to the scientists who been warning us about the dangers of man-made global warming for over three decades. Their research indicates that unless we cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 we have no hope of limiting the increase in temperature to 1.5 C above preindustrial levels by 2050. We are in an emergency situation but there are ways through it. Financing sustainable natural fuel sources like solar and wind power is rapidly becoming cheaper and quicker to implement than continuing to pour money into fossil fuels. The widely held belief that whatever we do is too late is outdated. Scientists are saying that if we hit the net zero by 2050, emissions will not continue to rise for 40 or 50 years but will start to decline after three to five years. The oceans and forests will provide natural sinks for the accumulated carbon. Also degraded forest areas could regenerate within 20 years with our assistance. If you need help and advice on upgrading the insulation on your home and conserving energy, there are numerous individuals and organisations that can help you. If you can’t find a grant to help you, lobby your local councillors and MP. There are five Community Energy Champions in the Lyme Regis area undergoing the training, who plan to pass on the knowledge and advice through our local media, council websites and through community engagement events. Philip May is co-ordinating our group and can be contacted by email on philmayemail@gmail.com or by phone on 07740 974 304. The other champions, as well as me, are Alan Bristow, Robert Rickman and Belinda Bawden. Dorset Climate Action Network (DorsetCAN) is a network of community groups and individuals who have campaigned Dorset Council to revise its draft Local Plan in order to preserve the county’s landscape, wildlife and historical character as well as meeting the needs of Dorset’s population for the right houses in the right place at the right price – see www.dorsetcan.org Spencer Flower, leader of Dorset Coun-
cil, has listened to feedback from residents and is revising the draft Local Plan, saying: “Dorset could be a pilot for a new way of creating Local Plans, based on sustainability and local needs over the next 30 years, that also recognises the ambitions of our Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy.” Helpful contacts: Cllr Flower – 07917 674 814 or cllrspencer.flower@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset – 01305 818446 or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk Energy Champions Co-ordinator David Dixon (Bridport TC) – 01308 456722 or email David.Dixon@bridport-tc.gov.uk Healthy Homes Dorset – energy advice for anyone, free insulation and heating systems for some – 0300 003 7023 or visit www.healthyhomesdorset.org.uk The Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) provides free advice on draught proofing including the supply of seal strips underneath interior doors, heat reflectors to place behind radiators and the replacement of incandescent light fittings with LED bulbs – visit https://applyforleap.org.uk/contact/ The Green Homes Grant Local Authority Scheme is currently available for the installation of free loft insulation, ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms and free solar panels. It finishes at the end of March but there is a strong possibility that it will be extended. People eligible for the grant are those who have a household income of under £30,000 per annum (savings do not count in this calculation). A number of firms offer this scheme including Consumer Energy Solutions who have good reviews for the quality of their workmanship. - 07853 318 014 or email Nicky.Knowles@ces-limited.com Mark Chivers and Neil Smith’s Dorset 2030 Zero Carbon Report indicates that greenhouse gas emissions in Dorset are primarily driven by transport business and residential uses. More than a third of emissions are produced by homeowners and, in Lyme Regis, housing forms closer to 50 per cent of emissions. If all of us in Dorset insulate and conserve energy in our homes, we will not only save ourselves a great deal of money but also make a strong contribution to reducing emissions in the county by 2030. We can do it – together.
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Does it need 14 councillors to run Lyme Regis?
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O-ONE, it would seem, wants to serve on Lyme Regis Town Council. Now, there’s a surprise!
Following the recent death of Cllr Stan Williams, who served as a borough and town councillor for more than 50 years, a feat never to be repeated, sufficient numbers of electors called for an election rather than allowing the vacancy to be filled by co-option. A couple of days before the closing date for nominations, I asked three people I thought would make a good councillor if they were planning to put their names forward. These were their replies:
COMMENT
By Philip Evans “You’re having a laugh.” “You must be joking.” “Not on your Nelly.” In the end, no-one was prepared to stand. Can you blame them? In a long career of covering Lyme Regis council meetings, I cannot recall an occasion when there were no candidates for an election, at least not in the last 40 years.
Tales From Lyme’s Past
A glimpse of our history with Peter Lacey
The very fact that no-one wants to join Lyme Regis Town Council speaks for itself. Who would want to involve themselves in such crass behaviour - behaviour which has resulted the town clerk having to warn them that their actions were one of the “most challenging risks” the council faced. He also said that certain councillors were in denial about their poor behaviour but those councillors have not been named. I have always been against filling vacancies by co-option because it often ends up in factions within the council chamber electing their mates to increase their voting potential. The vacancy will be advertised again and if there are still no candidates, the council could well end up operating with 13 members until Lyme goes to the polls to vote in a new council in May 2024. Which begs the question: do we need 14 councillors to run Lyme Regis? In days gone by there used to be 16 members which was then reduced to 14. I think it could we reduced further to 12, especially as the attendance of some councillors is appalling. Only three councillors turned up for a planning meeting recently and just five for a meeting of the Tourism, Community and Publicity Committee, possibly the most important committee as Lyme depends so heavily on tourists. Attendance records should be recorded on the town council’s website but these figures have not been revealed. They could well have been affected by COVID-19 but the least a councillor should do is to attend meetings. They certainly would not get rich doing so as town councillors can only claim allowances of £40.75 a month (£489 per year). A list of those councillors claiming the allowance is included on the website.
LymeOnline is the only newspaper which covers Lyme Regis Town Council. The other two publications in the town will publish press releases from the council but do not attend meetings. There are some councillors, of course, who would prefer it if we did not attend so as not to witness the toxic atmosphere in the Guildhall. There are those who believe we aggravate the situation by reporting such antics but can you imagine how they might behave if they were never held to account? There are two definite factions within the council and we are accused that we show bias to each one. I’m not sure how that’s possible. Whilst there might not be a town council election, the people of Lyme will go to the polls on April 7 to chose a new Dorset Council member following the resignation of Daryl Turner. Four candidates have put their names forward – town councillor Belinda Bawden (Green Party), Victoria Stocqueler (Conservative), David Hart (Labour) and town councillor Cheryl Reynolds (Independent). Surprisingly, the Liberal Democrats are not putting up a candidate, although I understand they rejected one potential candidate. Town councillors will soon be selecting the mayor for the next financial year. The current incumbent, Brian Larcombe MBE, has completed the usual two years, although one of these was greatly curtailed by the pandemic. Will the council give him another term and if so, would he accept it? Or is there a challenger on the horizon?
Broad Street in 1920 – when parking was not such a problem! Lyme in the 20th Century, Part VIII BY 1917 the war was causing food shortages and a dramatic increase in the price of basic essentials such as bread, cheese, meat and sugar. Inflation was running at 25 per cent while wages for a town council worker only increased by 30 pence a week – this equated to a weekly wage of a £1 for a 48 hour week. In 1917 the government had no option but to introduce food rationing. However, visitors were still coming to the town; the guide book was advertising 222 bedrooms in some 67 apartments. A local paper suggested that “summer visitors might like to take part in useful patriotic work”. It did not specify what that might entail! The Bridport News reported a disturbance in the town when a crowd, which included a large number of females, were involved in a ‘scrimmage’ with a group of ‘Conscientious Objectors’. Evidently they had been jeering at wounded soldiers from the Rhode Hill Hospital. One of objectors “was in grave danger of being thrown into the sea by the very angry women”. A mob roamed the streets seeking out the offenders and clearing them out of the town and the police had to restore order. Lyme Bay shipping was subject to ongoing attacks from German U-Boats. During 1917 four large merchant ships were torpedoed and it was falsely rumoured that enemy submarines were using Pinhay Bay as a base. In March 1918 the cargo steamer Baygitano was torpedoed some two miles off the Cobb and the crew were rescued by the town’s lifeboat. Submarine commanders were under orders to interrogate captains; to avoid this the captain of the Baygiano turned his jacket inside
out in order to hide his rank. The crew of the Oakley (all Beer men) were not so fortunate they were machined gunned when they took to the lifeboats. During the war there was a shortage of both lifeboat crew and coastguards. Boy Scouts served on the lifeboat as supplementary crew while others assisted patrols being carried out by elderly auxiliary coastguards. If enemy vessels were sighted the young boys, being fleet of foot, would run back to Lyme and raise the alarm. During the later years of the war Zeppelins (bomber airships) attacked the southern coast. As there were no air-raid sirens it became the duty of the town crier to ring his bell and call out “take cover”. No airship was ever seen over Lyme but on Christmas Day 1917 an unidentified one was sighted over Rousdon. The war ended on the November 11 1918,. Ships sounded their sirens and throughout the land church bells rang out in celebration. As the war was drawing to a close, a flu epidemic swept across Europe. In Britain 228,000 people died – 7,500 in the first week. In Lyme a large number of children fell ill, but if accurate, only one child died. The years following the war saw Lyme undergo some changes; the Bay Hotel opened in 1924 and a year earlier saw the formation of the Yacht Club. In 1928 a major link with the town’s growth as a resort came to an end with the demolition of the Assembly Rooms at Cobb Gate. The 1930 town guide was stressing that Lyme “was a place to come and relax, it was not a little London by the sea”. This ends the series focussing on Lyme during the first three decades of the 1900s. Peter Lacey Local historian and author
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Silence from both local councils on parking issues ■ I WAS surprised and intrigued to read in the February 18 issue of LymeOnline that Dorset Council has committed to carry out a review of parking in Lyme Regis. Is this is yet another apparently dysfunctional attempt to resolve a decades old problem? My reason for saying this is that this planned review appears to further confuse and contradict a series of events over the past few years regarding parking issues with which I have been involved. They are as follows: 2018 – As a result of a personal 999 incident it was obvious that access to Roman Road and Springhill Gardens could be seriously compromised due to inconsiderate parking. Consequently I made a request, via Daryl Turner, to Lyme Regis Town Council, who supported and submitted a request to Dorset Council for parking restrictions in that area. 2020 – Being aware that it can take up to two years for a Traffic Regulation Order to be granted, I contacted Daryl Turner for an update on the 2018 application only to be informed, by email from Dorset Council’s highways department, that “no further progress on this one due to the low scoring it no longer features on the request list”. Even more astonishing was the fact that Lyme Regis Town Council were not even advised of this decision. I did email town clerk John Wright for a comment but, true to form, did not receive a reply. 2021 – Prompted by the installation of park-
ing restrictions in South Avenue, I raised the issue of Roman Road/Springhill Gardens again with both Dorset Council’s senior technical officer (highways), Dawn Heath and Daryl Turner. The outcome was a commitment to review the situation in June 2021. I contacted Dawn Heath in July 2021 and a reply was received via Daryl Turner as follows: “Dawn has been off for a few days and we did discuss this a few days ago in Lyme. In a nutshell the request for double yellow lines would go on an extremely long list of Traffic Regulation Orders and would be possibly many years in the making because of higher priority projects throughout the Dorset Council area.” Were Lyme Regis Town Council aware of this meeting? 2022 – I was made aware of a ‘meeting’ in Springhill Gardens on January 24 between residents of Springhill Gardens and an employee of Dorset Council concerning parking issues, presumably resulting from the three letters sent to the town council regarding issues in the area. This meeting clearly contradicts what I had been told six months ago. Considering my experiences to date. I sent an email to the chairman of Lyme Regis Town Council’s Town Management and Highways Committee questioning the reason for the meeting. The reply confirmed that he was not aware of any such meeting and said that he would contact two other councillors about it.
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LymeOnline Letters
Send your letters to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk Despite a further email from me, to date, I have not received any reply. In view of this I put the same question to Dawn Heath at Dorset Council on February 17 and to date still no reply. It clearly states on Dorset Council’s website that requests for new Traffic Regulation Orders need to be directed to the town council and that any such request should involve residents affected by a Traffic Regulation Order. The town council then submits a request to Dorset Council. It is clear that throughout recent years and currently, this procedure has not been followed. Furthermore, having not received, at the very least, any courteous acknowledge-
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ment of my emails, I feel that I am now being treated with contempt amidst a conspiracy of silence from both Lyme Regis Town Council and Dorset Council. Some may well be justified in calling for LRTC to be disbanded, but in view of my experience, Daryl Turner’s parting comments and the increasing number of complaints against them, perhaps Dorset Council should also put their own house in order and that all parties learn to afford some respect to those they are here to serve and who fund their existence. John Sullivan (by email)
Public transport to hospital needs improving ■ HAVING recently been referred to Poole General Hospital following a fall in my Lyme Regis garden, I was very disappointed to discover how inaccessible Poole is by public transport from Lyme Regis. It takes five and a half hours to get there, so without a group of very kind friends it would have cost me £250 each time for the return trip – always supposing there was a taxi
available. Fortunately I only had to do this once. I was very pleased to have been referred to a specialist unit where I received excellent care, but surely it should be possible for residents of Dorset to get to the county centre of excellence with more ease and less outlay. Gill Steinberg (by email)
Email your letters to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk or post them to LymeOnline, Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS. Please note, the views expressed in letters published are those of the author and not necessarily of LymeOnline. Publication of all letters is at the editor’s discretion. Letters sent to us for publication may be subject to minor amendments to correct spelling and grammatical errors, or to ensure they are not libellous or defamatory.
NEWS FROM CITIZENS ADVICE IS there anything I can do to save money on my energy bills? Given the rise in the energy price cap and the awful war in Ukraine, Citizens Advice and Energy Saving Trust have teamed up to explain what steps people can take to save money and what support is available to anyone who is struggling. While these steps won’t be enough to cover the steep rise in bills that many people will face, they could make a small difference. ● Check your thermostat: Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you around £65 a year. Only lower it to a temperature you feel comfortable at - as a guide, many people find this is between 18-21 degrees. ● Keep the heat in: Check your home for any gaps in the doors, windows and floors. Blocking any holes where you could get a draught could save you around £30 a year. If you’re renting, ask your landlord to ensure your home has good insulation. ● Turn off anything you’re not using: Turning your appliances, like TVs and washing machines, off instead of leaving them on standby could save around £40 a year. Turning off lights when you’re not using them – even if it’s just off for a few seconds - could save £14 a year. Consider using LED lightbulbs, which cost less to run. ● Watch your water usage: Cutting your shower time by just one minute can make a difference. If everyone in a four-person household with a water meter did this, you could save £45 a year. For more tips on saving energy, visit the Energy Saving Trust website. What support can I get? If you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, you might be able to get support from the government or your energy supplier. The first step is to call your supplier and ask them if they offer any grants to help with your energy bills.
You may be eligible for these schemes: ● Winter Fuel Payment: This is an annual one-off payment of between £100 and £300 to help you pay for heating during the winter. You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born on or before 26 September 1955. If you’re eligible, you should get this automatically but if you have not been receiving it contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre (telephone: 0800 731 0160). ● Warm Home Discount: This gives you £140 off your electricity bill if you’re on a low income. If you get the guaranteed element of pension credit, you should get the discount automatically. Check with your supplier to see if they offer the Warm Home Discount because not all of them do and new applications have now closed for this year. ● Household Support Fund: In England, your local council might give you vouchers to help pay for day-to-day essentials and each council runs their own scheme. Find your local council on GOV.UK and ask them about it. You don’t have to be in receipt of benefits to get this support. Even if you’re not eligible for grants, suppliers still need to support you to manage your payments based on what you can afford. Depending on your circumstances, they may also offer you a referral for independent debt support or energy efficiency advice. They may also be able to offer you temporary credit for your prepayment meter. For help with problems relating to energy costs or other issues, Citizens Advice in Lyme Regis has drop-in advice sessions on Wednesdays 10am to 3pm at the council offices in Church Street, DT7 3BS. Alternatively telephone Freephone 0800-144-8848 or send an email using the contact form on the website www.bridportca.org.uk
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Boat Building Academy students celebrate at launch STUDENTS of Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy celebrated the completion of their 40-week course by launching three handcrafted boats into the harbour last week. Despite the particularly blustery conditions, the launch events went ahead although students were only able to test out their vessels in the confines of the sheltered harbour, rather than out in the bay. Celebrations started inside the Boat Building Academy on Monmouth Beach, where a large crowd of supporters gathered for songs by shanty singing group the Lyme Bay Moonrakers, followed by speeches from academy director Will Reed and the Mayor of the Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE. A procession of the hand-crafted boats was then led from the academy down to the slipway. They included a strip-planked sailing boat, a traditional clinker outboard motorboat, and a heritage Orkney sailing boat. Students were helped and cheered on as they launched them into the harbour, many celebrating with Champagne on board.
The academy’s May 2021 class consisted of 11 men and women aged between 18 to 64, with wide varying backgrounds, who worked together on the three boats during the 40week course. Most of the students came to the academy in the hope to retrain for a career in the marine sector; an industry that has seen rapid growth and expansion in the UK over the last few years. Emily, a former fundraising manager, describes her time at the Boat Building Academy: “I first came to the academy as part of a week-long short course in 2016, I enjoyed my time there so much that I knew it was the place for me. “So, I joined the 40-week boat building course with the aim of retraining as a boat builder, now I have secured a job at one of the country’s leading boatyards.” For further information about the Boat Building Academy, visit www.boatbuildingacademy.com
Lyme Regis boat builder Gail McGarva leads the procession of boats to the harbour. Pictured above, the Lyme Bay Moonrakers entertain inside the academy boathouse and, below, celebrations on board the new vessels
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ARTS | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS
B Sharp planning exciting community performance
Tom Jones’ guitarist to play in Lyme
LOCAL music charity B Sharp is putting together an exciting community musical performance, called ‘Songs of Here; Songs of Now’, as part of Lyme Regis Fossil Festival. B Sharp is looking for young people aged 14 to 25 to take part in this musical showcase on Sunday, May 1 on Lyme Regis seafront. They would like to invite all young people who are interested in playing or making music, or writing or performing lyrics or poetry to get involved. The young people will join an eight-week course to create original solo and group material, exploring and celebrating the local area, for the performance. B Sharp director Ruth Cohen commented: “Thanks to support from Dorset Community Foundation, we are able to provide a fantastic opportunity for young people to focus on writing music about their own lives, and experiences and how they see the world around them – and for them to have opportunities to express their ideas by performing their work as part of the ‘Songs of Here; Songs of Now’ performance.” If you are interested in the course, visit www.bridport-arts.com/whats-on, or pop into Bridport TIC or call 01308 424901, or contact Ruth Cohen, CEO and artistic director, on ruthcohen@bsharp.org.uk
JOHN Smith was born in Essex, raised on the Devon seaside, but has the honey-on-gravel voice of an American blues singer. He has spent the last 15 years touring internationally, and has amassed over 40 million streams on Spotify. As a session musician, he has played guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas and Tom Jones. Now he is coming to the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Friday, March 25. Smith has been described by The Guardian as the “son of a triumvirate of early-1970s folkies that included Nick Drake and John Martyn”. Martyn was, in fact, a big fan of Smith's and offered him considerable encouragement, and numerous support slots, early in his career. Folk giant Davy Graham also took him on tour as support, as did John Renbourn, who has described him as “the future of folk
music”. Smith’s sixth studio album, ‘The Fray’, was written and recorded in a universally difficult 2020. It is a work of great vulnerability, honesty, and stubborn optimism in the fact of tough circumstances. Smith sings: ‘Holding onto hope, I don’t need a decent reason, Yes and though it disappears sometimes, It returns with every season’. Smith co-produced ‘The Fray’ with long-time friend and producer Sam Lakeman. They recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio, with pianist Jason Rebello (Sting, John Mayer), bass player Ben Nicholls (Seth Lakeman, Nadine Shah), Drummer Jay Sikora (Paolo Nutini) and Jessica Staveley-Taylor of The Staves. His show at the Marine Theatre on March 25 started at 8pm with doors opening at 7pm. Tickets are now available from £16 at www.marinetheatre.com
African and Latin American sounds at Marine Theatre’s Jazz in the Bar
THE BIG BREAKFAST IS BACK!
in aid of
Saturday April 2nd, 8am ‐ 1pm Woodmead Halls, Lyme Regis Full English Breakfast of orange juice, tea/coffee, bacon, sausage, hash brown, fried egg, tomato, baked beans, and toast with marmalade ‐ £7 Or bacon and sausage sandwiches ‐ £4 To order takeaways/deliveries, call 07796 951 991
PIANIST Philip Clouts and double bassist Ron Phelan will play melodic jazz with different flavours of African and Latin American music at the next Jazz in the Bar session at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis. Philip Clouts was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and lived in London from an early age. He was a founder member of worldbeat jazz band Zubop, with whom he composed music and played the piano, touring internationally and releasing five CDs. Performances included Ronnie Scott’s, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, and the Womad and Glastonbury Festivals. Acclaim in the press has included The Observer describing their music as “optimistic, unpretentious and hugely accomplished”. Philip has released a trio CD of his compositions entitled ‘Direction South’, which was described in Jazz UK as “an enormously enjoyable set of accessible but distinctive originals. Like the compositions, Clouts’ solos are thoughtful and persuasively structured”. More recently, the Philip Clouts Quartet has been a major focus of his composing and playing. The first quartet album ‘Sennen Cove’ garnered many enthusiastic reviews and was praised in Musician magazine for “consummate musicianship”. The second album, ‘The Hour of Pearl’, was also very well received, with Jazzwise magazine celebrating its “pulsating groove-orientated music…distinctive… spiritual and soul jazz… strongly melodic themes”. The Guardian praised the “precise ebullience and relaxed funkiness” of the latest album ‘Umoya,’ which is titled from the Zulu word for ‘life force’. Ron Phelan studied bass in Dublin before moving to the UK. He has worked with some of the best musicians and performers in the country
touring both nationally and internationally in projects ranging from jazz ensembles to large scale theatrical productions. He currently lives in the South West of England where he divides his time between performing and composing. The duo setting provides an ideal opportunity for these performers to present their work in an intimate context. The music will cover a wide variety of moods, and in addition to Clouts’ original compositions the programme will feature some pieces from the jazz repertoire. Jazz in the Bar will be held in the upstairs bar at the Marine Theatre on Sunday, April 3 with doors opening at 7pm for an 8pm start. Tickets cost £10 in advance or £12 on the door, available from marinetheatre.com
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ARTS | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS
What’s on Friday, March 18
The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9am - 1pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi. Matt Chorley: ‘Who is in Charge Here?’, Marine Theatre, 7pm the award-winning Times columnist and Times Radio presenter is back with an hilarious new show exploring who really calls the shots. Is the Prime Minister actually in charge, or at the mercy of the opposition, backbenchers, lobbyists, the media, spin doctors, his wife, or the Queen? Doors open 7pm for 8pm start, tickets from £22.50 available from marinetheatre.com
Cantamus choir to perform in Uplyme Church for Lent WEST Dorset chamber choir Cantamus will give a concert of beautiful music for Lent and spring at Uplyme Parish Church in early April. Under the baton of Peter Nardone, the choir will perform their programme ‘Darkness into Light’, which includes a range of beautiful seasonal music, both sacred and secular. The first half reflects the Lenten mood, with two movements of Palestrina’s Missa Gabriel Archangelus, two motets by Brahms, the haunting ‘Versa est in luctum’ by Lobo and ‘Too much I once lamented’ by Tomkins. The second half has a more playful, springlike feel, and includes madrigals ‘Now is the month of Maying’ (Morley), ‘Though Amaryllis dance in green’ (Byrd) and ‘No! No! Nigella’ (Pearsall), a new work by Peter Nardone, ‘Where grows the tree of love?’ and a fun arrangement of ‘Dashing away with the
smoothing iron’ by John Rutter. The concert is at 7.30pm on Saturday, April 2 at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Uplyme. Tickets are £12 on the door and refreshments will be available. The concert series also includes performances at St Mary’s Church in South Street, Bridport (7pm on Saturday, March 19, £10 on the door), and St Mary’s Church in Cerne Abbas (7pm on Saturday March 26, £10 on the door). Cantamus was founded in 2012 and performs the very best sacred and secular choral music to audiences across West Dorset, East Devon and South Somerset. More information, including the full Advent programme, is available online at www.cantamus-dorset.org or the choir’s Facebook page ‘Cantamus – Dorset’.
Dartmoor Paul to relaunch horticultural society’s programme of face-to-face talks UPLYME & Lyme Regis Horticultural Society is resuming in-person talks from Wednesday, March 23 Uplyme Village Hall. The first speaker will be Paul Rendell, known as ‘Dartmoor Paul’, and his topic is ‘Nature in the Garden’. In this talk, Paul explores the wild animals, birds and creatures to be found in the garden; some easy, others well hidden. He will look at how you can encourage the ‘good guys’ in your garden and his books will also be on sale. Paul has been a Dartmoor guide for over 20 years and is a wildlife expert. He originally trained as a chef and later a gardener, becoming head gardener at Devonport Dock-
yard. In 2011 he started working for the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust leading walks and undertaking conservation work. As well as being a Dartmoor National Park guide for over 21 years, Paul is now a member of the Moorland Guides. Society members will also be able to collect their free plug plant to grow on for the Summer Flower and Produce Fair at this event. This year, the plant is Argyranthemum, or marguerite, a daisy like flower with attractive feathery foliage. Doors open at 7pm for refreshments and the talk will begin at 7.30pm. Entry is free for society members and £3 for guests.
Saturday, March 19
Bake Sale for Ukraine Marine Parade Shelters, 10am The 1st Lym Valley Scouts host a bake sale in aid of the humanitarian appeal for Ukraine. Lyme Regis Comedy Club Marine Theatre, 7pm Sean McLoughlin, who previous supported Ricky Gervais, headlines this month’s comedy club, also featuring Andy White, Riordhan DJ and resident compere Tom Glover. Tickets from £12 available at marinetheatre.com Live Music Night The Nag’s Head, 9pm Weekly live music nights, every Saturday at The Nag’s Head.
Wednesday, March 23
Talk: Nature in the Garden Uplyme Village Hall, 7pm Uplyme & Lyme Regis Horticultural Society host this talk by Paul Rendell, known as ‘Dartmoor Paul’. He will talk about the wildlife in your garden and how to encourage it. Doors open at 7pm for refreshments with the talk at 7.30pm. Entry is free for members and £3 for guests.
Thursday, March 24
The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9am - 1pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morn-
Send your diary dates to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk Visit: www.lyme-online.co.uk/events
ing, affordable food and drink, free wifi. Theatre: ‘After Birth’ Marine Theatre, 6.30pm Winner of the North Wall Oxford’s Propeller Award, this dark new comedy is rooted in the recovery stories of women after giving birth. Imaginatively staged, with elements of stand-up comedy, a dynamic sound design and original music, ‘After Birth’ is a story of recovery and hope. Tickets from £12 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.
Marine Theatre, 2.30pm This regular free entry event is the Marine’s dedicated time to promote quality live music—our post-roast music session. Enjoy local drinks and the best musicians. If you’d like to play, just turn up!
Friday, March 25
The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9am - 1pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi. 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.
The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9am - 1pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi. Live Music: John Smith Marine Theatre, 7pm Known for his intimate songwriting, his honey-on-gravel voice and pioneering guitar playing, John has spent the last 15 years touring internationally and has amassed over 40 million streams on Spotify. As a session musician he has played guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas and Tom Jones. Tickets from £16 available at marinetheatre.com
Saturday, March 26
Live Music: Guilty Pleasure Lyme Regis Football Club, 8pm Harvey Causley and Tom Stroud of Guilty Pleasure bring their upbeat pop hits to Lyme Regis Football Club all welcome, bar open with special offers. Live Music Night The Nag’s Head, 9pm Weekly live music nights, every Saturday at The Nag’s Head.
Sunday, March 27
The Sunday Sessions
Wednesday, March 30
LRTC Extraordinary Full Council (local grants), Guildhall, 7pm The public are welcome to attend all Lyme Regis Town Council meetings and speak for up to three minutes of matters relating to the agenda during the public forum. For agenda see https://www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/council-meetings
Thursday, March 31
Friday, April 1
The Old School House Cafe The Hub, 9am - 1pm Community café open at The Hub in Church Street every Thursday and Friday morning, affordable food and drink, free wifi. Young Creatives Big Gig Marine Theatre, 6pm This showcase is entirely performed, produced and managed by local young performers, producers and technical stage managers aged 16-25 who have taken part in the Young Creatives programme at the Marine Theatre. Come and enjoy the music of local bands Reddle, Ro’s Band and B Sharp’s HouseBand. Tickets from £3 available at www.marinetheatre.com
What’s On listings are free for non-profit, charity or voluntary organisation events. Send your event listings to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
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LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL Town council to consider how it can best support Ukrainian people THE council will next week consider how it can support the Ukraine crisis. We have been inspired by the efforts of the local community and want to think about how we can help and show our solidarity as an organisation. Last week we were pleased to be able to provide vehicles and staff to help with loading and transporting boxes of supplies to be taken out to the Polish border with Ukraine by a convoy of local people. And the lights in the Langmoor and Lister Gardens will be turning blue and yellow, the colour of the Ukrainian flag, to express our solidarity. But we want to do more and can do more. We will be considering a financial donation to a charity operating overseas, most likely to be the Disasters Emergency Committee or the British Red Cross, and whether to fly the Ukrainian flag from our buildings. The council can also show its support by holding vigils or moments of silence at its meetings and signing up to the statement from the political leadership of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). The statement ‘strongly condemns the multiple attacks and violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine’ and ‘firmly opposes the dismemberment of a free and democratic state in Europe’. We can also use our website and social media to express our support, as well as signpost to information on charities and aid agencies, and make our buildings, vehicles and staff available to help with aid efforts. We’re also anticipating some Lyme Regis residents may house Ukrainian refugees so we will consider how we can support them while they are here.
Lyme Regis Town Council staff help to collect donations for Ukraine
Mayor helps to launch new junior parkrun
THE mayor has helped to launch a new youth running event in Lyme Regis, which has also benefited from town council funding. Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE was the guest of honour at the inaugural Cobb Gate Junior Parkrun this month, a free two-kilometre run, jog or walk along the seafront. The mayor was invited to send the runners on their way because the town council was one of the event’s major funders, having awarded a grant of £1,000 to the group to help get it started. Junior Parkrun is a free, weekly event for four to 14-year-olds
No election for town council vacancy A TOWN council election will not be held next month as planned as no candidates put themselves forward for the councillor seat. Dorset Council notified us that there were no nominations for the vacancy, which arose following the death of Cllr Stan Williams in February. Another notice of election inviting nominations will now be issued on April 7 and we hope this time it will attract at least one candidate. If no candidates come forward again, it will continue to be advertised until someone does, so we could find ourselves advertising the vacancy over and over again until it is filled. As an election has already been called, the town council is not allowed to co-opt a member instead. If anyone is thinking about becoming a councillor but isn’t quite sure what it involves, we would encourage you to speak to any existing member or an officer to find out more. Serving as a town councillor means you can
help make a difference to local people and services, giving residents a voice on the decisions the council makes. There are just over two years left in this council term so it’s a good opportunity to get a taster of what it’s like to be a councillor before deciding if you want to commit to a full term. So, what is actually involved in being a town councillor? Councillors put aside, on average, three hours a week for council work, but it is entirely up to the individual how much time is dedicated to the role. The job involves attending meetings and events, engaging with residents, speaking on behalf of the council to other bodies, and representing the council at civic functions. If you’d like more information, contact details for all members and officers are available at www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/aboutus
which involves two laps of the sea wall, starting and ending below the Marine Theatre. The mayor said it was an honour to be at the very first event and told the 30 participants to enjoy themselves and do their best. Cllr Larcombe encouraged all the youngsters and clapped each and every one of them across the finish line. For more information about the event, visit the website www.parkrun.org.uk/cobbgatejuniors/ or email cobbgatejuniors@parkrun.com
■ THE final 12 beach huts have been replaced on the seafront with the new pitchroof style. We started the phased replacement of our 36 flat roof beach huts in 2019 and the last 12 were due to be replaced in 2020. However, due to COVID, we put all nonessential projects on hold so the final phase has been completed this year. As in previous years, we are selling the old huts for £50 each. They will go on sale at 10am on Wednesday, March 23 and can be purchased by calling the council office on 01297 445175. The huts are currently in Woodmead car park and once purchased, they must be removed by Friday, April 8.
■ WORK is finally underway to replace the historic seafront railings. Following several months of delays at the foundry, the project started last week and is progressing well. Around 220 metres of railings and 98 posts are being replaced and they are intended to replicate the design that was there previously. We have tried to keep disruption to a mini-
mum but there has inevitably been some noise, some restrictions on parking and pedestrian movements, and debris created, which we hope has all been kept to a manageable level. The project is on schedule to be completed before Easter and we’d like to thank everyone for their patience and co-operation while the works are taking place.
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NEWS FROM AXMINSTER | SEATON | COLYTON | BEER
Axminster Chamber of Commerce relaunched
EACH month, Plastic Free Axminster will be bringing you a recycling tip or a simple swap to help you reduce dependence on single-use plastic or other information you may find interesting. So let's start with taking a look at the recycling of aluminium cans. Did you know, for instance, that it takes 95 per cent less energy to recycle aluminium cans than it does to make new ones? Aluminium can be recycled numerous times without loss of quality, thus also saving tonnes of CO2 emissions. How sad is it then to find out that around 80 million cans are sent to landfill in the UK each year. More frustrating still to find cans kicking around our towns and villages, which have been tossed out of cars, dropped in hedges, ditches and on pavements. So it is really important that if you are away from home that you take the can home to recycle it later. If you see a can along your daily walk, why not keep a paper bag in your shopping bag, pick up the can, carry it home and recycle it, knowing that it will back on the shelf as a new can within 60 days? Plastic Free Axminster will be hosting its next community litter pick on Saturday, March 19 meeting at 9.15am near the Axminster Tools shop on Trafalgar Way (weather permitting).
AXMINSTER Chamber of Commerce has been re-launched with a pledge that businesses are ready to play their part in the town’s revival. After several years in a dormant state, the Chamber has now re-emerged under the chairmanship of Jane Rockett of Axminster Printing and working side-by-side with the retailers campaigning group Totally Locally Axminster. “Axminster has had a difficult time over recent years, with job losses in the carpet industry, shop closures and then the pandemic,” said Jane. “But there is now a lot of potential for it to move forward again and it is important that the business community throws its weight behind that.” “Totally Locally Axminster has demonstrated what can be achieved and we want to achieve the same momentum amongst all the other sectors that make up the business community. "There are encouraging signs of action from each of our local authorities – if we now all work together, Axminster will be a better place to trade, work and live.” The Chamber returns with a new website www.axminster.biz and with it a new business directory for the town where traders of all types will be able to promote themselves free of charge. The website also provides a link to a survey
COMING BACK IN SPRING 2022
designed to ensure that businesses feedback their ideas to the Chamber’s management committee. Key elements of the Chamber’s activities will include: ● Promoting the town and businesses of all types ● Signposting and where necessary setting up training and skills opportunities ● Representing businesses in key local issues ● Creating networking opportunities ● Ensuring awareness of grants opportunities Totally Locally Axminster has now formally become a part of the Chamber and will continue to run ‘shop local’ campaigns. It is also aiming to bring its popular picnic benches back to the Minster Green this summer while also introducing colourful street banners telling the story of Axminster. The banners are due to appear in time for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, and the plan is for them to be extended in future years. Working in partnership with local authorities and other community groups is seen as
fundamental to the Chamber’s future. “There are some very important initiatives on the horizon that can regenerate and revitalise Axminster,” said Jane. “The support and involvement of the business community can make a big difference in making things happen. “We very much hope businesses will feel that they want to join the new Chamber and play their part in helping to create a more vibrant town. "If businesses in the town pull together we all get stronger.”
New River Cottage Kitchen to open after closure of town centre restaurant THE popular River Cottage Kitchen in Axminster town centre has now closed doors, but there are plans for a new outlet at River Cottage HQ on the outskirts of the town. The town centre restaurant closed doors earlier this month and has now been emptied. First opened 13 years ago fronted by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, the restaurant was a great draw for visitors to Axminster. River Cottage has now confirmed a reason for the closure, but says it will be opening a new kitchen and store at its headquarters at Park Farm off Trinity Hull Road. A statement from River Cottage said: "Our new kitchen and store will be opening in April at River Cottage HQ. "We are sad to be leaving Axminster after 13 happy years of feeding you in the heart of the town.
"But we are also very excited to be opening our new kitchen and store at River Cottage HQ, where we can bring you even closer to the heart of our world, and the beautiful farm where we grow so much of the produce we love to cook. "Our new venue will be a casual space to drop by for breakfast, lunch, drinks, tea and snacks, and incredible views, seven days a week, as well as a store where you can buy all our River Cottage products and books. "Our Axminster town centre venue has now closed, but please come and find us just a few miles away when we open at the new location in April. Take a walk around the farm and garden, and discover the beating heart of River Cottage. "The exact date for the opening hasn't been confirmed yet, but keep an eye on our website for more details.”
Historic Cherry Fayre to return this summer THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DORSET’S MOST POPULAR RESORT
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AXMINSTER will once again host its historic Cherry Fayre this summer, including the ancient tradition of the Raising of the Glove on Thursday, June 23. Organised by the Light Up Axminster Committee, events will then continue throughout the week until Friday, July 1, finishing with Axminster’s Big Dinner. The Big Dinner will start in the late afternoon and run until 9pm, with a food market, workshops and activities, a fun fair and lots of music and entertainment. Based in Trinity Square and on the Church
Green, organisers hope it will be a wonderful chance for the community to come together and share good food and company. They are looking for anyone that would like to have a stall at the food market, run foodbased workshops or games, provide live music or those that would just like to get involved. Anyone that would like to get involved with the week should email cindy@lightupaxminster.co.uk Full details of other events are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.
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NEWS FROM AXMINSTER | SEATON | COLYTON | BEER
Return of Seaton Grizzly race deemed a huge success ALMOST 2,000 runners and their supporters descended on Seaton earlier this month for the return of the Grizzly race. Having been called off in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Grizzly returned for its 34th year, organised by Axe Valley Runners. The 20-mile race is one of the biggest and toughest in Europe, taking in steep hill climbs, muddy bogs and a stretch along Seaton's pebble beach. Events got underway on Saturday with the Grizfest races for children, including the Junior Grizzly. The main event was held on Sunday morning, with five-time Olympian and local Devon athlete, Jo Pavey, officially starting the Grizzly and ninemile cub race at the same time on Seaton Esplanade. David Green from Rugby & Northampton AC came first in the 20-mile Grizzly, completing the challenging course in two hours, 18 minutes and 30 seconds. He was followed by Jamie Stephenson (02:20:05) from Mile High Running Club and Hugh Chatfield (02:21:30). First home from the host club Axe Valley Runners was Matthew Clist (02:30:03) and first placed female runner was Molly Browne (02:42:40) from Birmingham Running Athletics Triathlon, who was 19th overall. Tom Perry from Exeter Harriers won the ninemile cub run in one hour and 49 seconds – eight minutes ahead of second placed Edward Andrews (01:08:36). Richard Hardy (01:09:33) from Axe Valley Runners was third and the first female runner home was Catie O'Donoghue (01:11:19) from Bristol & West AC, who placed fifth overall. A spokesperson from Axe Valley Runners said: "With no race due to the pandemic last year, the worry of the impending effect of COVID-19 in 2020, high winds in 2019 and the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018, it was high time for some perfect weather conditions, and this is precisely what the weather gods granted on Sunday.
"Five-time Olympian and European champion, Jo Pavey got the races underway after a moment’s applause to ‘paws for thought’ and remember all those who had lost their lives since the last Grizzly was held in 2020 and, in particular five-times winner of the Grizzly between 1996 and 2003, South West Road Runner, Mike Feighan who passed away following an accident last year. "All the way along the course, the runners were cheered on by hundreds of spectators and kept safe by the wonderful marshals from local community groups. "Over the years, the Grizzly has raised thousands of pounds for local, national and international charities and good causes with donations of more than £457,000. "Huge thanks go to our sponsors East Devon Sports Therapy Centre who again provided postrace massage raising more than £250 for charity and Lyme Bay Winery who generously donated a miniature rum to all finishers. "Special Grizzly beer to help the runners for the last kick to home was offered on Beer Head by David Sadler. "Finally, a huge thank you to the landowners who allow hundreds of runners to traipse across their land, once a year, and to all the support groups whose services behind the scenes are vital to any event of this size going ahead." Full results can be found on the website www.axevalleyrunners.org.uk
Double win for Seaton Tramway at the Devon Tourism Awards THE heritage attraction Seaton Tramway has won silver in two categories at the Devon Tourism Awards presentation which celebrated excellence across the industry. The Tramway won the awards for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism and Large Visitor Attraction of the Year. The team learnt of their success via a Zoom presentation during the awards ceremony today (Thursday) alongside other competing attractions and businesses from around Devon, whilst in the midst of ‘Disability in the Workplace’ training on site. The Tramway has developed and expanded its offer greatly over the past few years, investing in new infrastructure, staff training and new events and experiences focused towards being inclusive and accessible. With its trams being wheelchair accessible as early as 1988, accessibility has been a large part of the East Devon charity’s ethos. That attitude has continued through with new halts and infrastructure being created with accessibility in mind. The heritage attraction has also trained staff for Mental Health, Disability, Dementia and Deaf Awareness and in 2021 became a Disability Confident Employer. The Tramway is also part of the Nationally recognises Sunflower Campaign. As all businesses experienced throughout the pandemic, Seaton Tramway had to face major
changes in the way it operates but rose to the challenge to see one its best years by the end of 2021. The three-mile route, which has been home to the Tramway since 1970, will see two new stops added to the journey in 2022, allowing access to its Riverside Halt and access to over 4km of walking trails via its new Seaton Wetlands Halt where passengers will be able to board and alight to the neighbouring Nature Reserves. Marketing manager Josh Castree said: “After being in business for over 50 years, it is good to know we continue to move forward on the right tracks and be recognised for the hard work we all do as a team at Seaton Tramway. "It’s important to us that we join our friends and businesses around Devon to be able to lead the way. From winning the Welcome Accolade for Customer Service to these Devon Awards, it truly shows the hard work from everyone who works for Seaton Tramway." Trams depart every 20 minutes daily between Seaton and Colyton, with open top doubledeckers to enclosed Saloons there is a way to travel the beautiful Axe Valley, whatever the weather! Visit tram.co.uk to book your day out. Other local winners in the Devon Tourism Awards included Andrewshayes Holiday Park, near Axminster, which won gold in the Holiday Park of the Year category, and Higher Wiscombe, near Colyton, which won gold in Self Catering Accommodation of the Year.
The 2022 Grizzly Race gets underway. Top left, runners make their way along the pebble beach. Below left, David Green crosses the finishing line alongside cub runners, and below right, the Junior Grizzly starts
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FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin
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Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer
■ IN 2013 I was privileged to be asked by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to photograph a huge event – the releasing back onto the Somerset Levels a dozen or so common cranes, the first to return to the levels in 400 years. Having to dress with a grey tent over my head in order to resemble a mother crane made it very awkward looking through the camera lens and a black mesh face guard. Watching the birds being released ,I realised that it was the first time they had flown and obviously it will be the first time they landed – and yes there were a few dodgy touch downs but nothing serious. The cranes are doing well with numbers increasing year on year. Money well spent.
You can view all of award-winning photographer Richard Austin’s previous ‘Flashbacks’ columns online at lyme-online.co.uk/blogs
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local services BUILDERS
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Office: 01308 427428 Mobile: 07956 205733/ 07904 245877
Clinics at Lyme Regis and Bridport www.lymebayearclinic.co.uk or email: admin@lymebayearclinic.co.uk John Collins GN, ON, MHN, BSC Over 35 years of nursing experience
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classifiedsandjobs ITEMS FOR SALE COMPOST BIN, square three-tier thermo recycle compost bin, 150cm high x 50cm square, £40 01297 678602
Fairfield House are now recruiting for the following positions:
Night Carer – 24 hours a week Day Carer – 36 hours a week Various twilight shifts Receptionist/Admin (maternity cover)
LIFEJACKETS, two Crewsaver adult air foam lifejackets, unused, £45 each - 01297 560251.
Lyme Regis Town Council
Administrative and Community Engagement Assistants Part-time, 3 days a week, Specific days to be negotiated Salary, £19,264 - £20,444 The council is seeking to appoint two administrative and community engagement assistants to join the team. The successful applicants will provide administrative support to the council, members and staff, act as a first point of contact to the public, and help engage with the community on matters of local and strategic importance. If you are organised, confident, motivated, like working with people and genuinely want to deliver an excellent service to the town’s members, residents, visitors and the various organisations we work with, we want to hear from you. For further information and an application pack, contact: Adrianne Mullins, Lyme Regis Town Council, Guildhall Cottage, Church Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3BS Tel: 01297 445175, email: admin@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk Download an application pack from www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/job- vacancies Closing date for applications is midday on Monday 11 April Interviews will be held on Wednesday 13 April
GOLF TROLLEY, lightweight, folding with removeable wheels, card and pencil holder, adjustable for height, clean and in very good condition, £20 - 01297 443170. HEADBOARD, pine, for single bed, £35 - 01297 443930. BEDSIDE CABINET, Lloyd Loom, £25 01297 443930. PETROL MOWER, Mountfield SP425, 135cc Honda engine, runs well, £45 - 01297 443930. DINNER SERVICE and tea service, Worcestershire Evesham ware, various extras, reasonable offers welcome 01297 446055. DRESS RAIL, Dunelm, £5 - 01297 445788. MASLIN PRESERVING PAN, stanless steel, very good condition, originally cost £40, selling for £10 - 01297 445788.
Monday-Friday, 9am-2pm (flexible hours) Computer and office skills essential Competitive rates of pay depending on experience, friendly place to work For a Job Description/Application Form please contact us on 01297 443513 or email: admin@fairfieldhouse.co.uk
SEASONAL BEACH ASSISTANT Up to 5 evenings per week including weekends (4.30pm-9.00pm) For the period mid July- early Sept 2022 (exact dates to be confirmed) We require an enthusiastic, organised individual to support the full time beach staff with an evening service of bin emptying, litter picking, car park patrols and generally advising the public.
OLD STAMP ALBUM, Argentina-Yogoslavia, £190 - 07527 538 863.
Job description and application form can be downloaded from the website www.charmouthparishcouncil.gov.uk and should be returned by email or post by Friday 25th March 2022.
EMULSION PAINT, two and a half litres in skye blue and ice pink, £10 each - 01297 443930.
clerk@charmouthparishcouncil.gov.uk Charmouth Parish Council, The Elms, St Andrews Drive, Charmouth, DT6 6LN
Fantastic opportunities are coming up at The Oyster & Fish House in Lyme Regis, working closely with renowned chef and restaurateur Mark Hix We like to think of our team as a family. We have a long-standing team and seasonal team members that return year after year. We are currently looking for all positions front and back of house as we enter the spring/summer season. This is an amazing opportunity to work with an experienced and friendly team, with plenty to learn along the way. If you have good initiative, strong people skills, and are ready to work in a busy-fast paced restaurant serving the best of local seasonal produce, get in touch. Full and part-time positions are available. Serving locally caught fish and seafood, seasonal cocktails and Dorset oysters, the menu changes daily depending on the fishermen’s catch. With our new outdoor deck you can expect to serve around 200 covers a day in the summer season. It’s busy, it’s fun, and there is plenty of room for developing your role within the business if you are looking for a career in hospitality. If you have a passion for food, drink and hospitality and looking for your next role, then The Oyster & Fish House could be for you. Front of House positions
manager@theoysterandfishhouse.co.uk Restaurant Manager Supervisor
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Apply online: theoysterandfishhouse.co.uk/careers @theoysterandfishhouse The Oyster & Fish House, Cobb Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3JP T: 01297 446910 E: reservations@theoysterandfishhouse.co.uk
Are you a talented, dedicated, passionate cook? We are a Championship Golf Course overlooking Lyme Bay and looking for a people‐focused chef/cook to be an integral part of our team in providing a varied menu for members and visitors alike. In conjunc"on with the General Manager and Head Chef, you will be providing meals for our regular Golfer’s Menu, using the highest‐quality, locally‐supplied ingredients, as well as devising and delivering a#rac"ve menus for one‐off events throughout the year. Addi"onal benefits for working at Lyme Regis Golf Club include: Free membership of the club including golf Free parking No split shi%s Minimal late evenings (only for events) Please send your CV to admin@lymeregisgolfclub.co.uk or call to speak to Alan Feltham on 01297 442963
Friday, March 18 2022 23
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Farewell to the nicest man in sport
S
PORTS journalism is a rough old game, very competitive and peopled by hard drinkers with questionable morals.
I ought to know - I was one of them! But there was one exception John Lukins, the long-serving sports editor of the Western Gazette, who died last week, aged 81. Simply, John was the nicest, kindest colleague you could wish to meet. Always ready to help aspiring young journos like me and commanding respect from all who came in contact with him. He was one of life’s gentleman reporters. John spearheaded the sports coverage for the Yeovil-based Western Gazette when it was one of the biggest and most respected weekly newspapers in the country. He was also in charge of the sports content in Pulman’s Weekly News when it was the Bible in South Somerset and West Dorset.
sailing
By PHILIP EVANS In Axminster, people used to queue outside the newsagents shop on a Monday afternoon waiting to get their copy of Pulman’s to read John’s coverage of Saturday’s local football, written under the pseudonym of “Clubman”. In those days Pulman’s was a paid-for newspaper, selling about 14,000 copies a week. John’s superb coverage of the local football scene, especially the Perry Street League, was probably responsible for selling most of those copies. I was a reporter covering the Axminster and Lyme Regis areas for Pulman’s in the early 1970s. When I joined the company I gingerly asked John why the paper’s cricket coverage was not as good as football. With the paper printed on a Monday at Yeovil, John explained to me it was difficult collating the weekend cricket scores, adding: “But if you think you can do better, why not come up to the office early on a Mon-
John Lukins pictured at Yeovil Town with Howard Larcombe, chairman of Lyme Regis Football Club and a former sports journalist day morning and help me write it?” He wasn’t at all offended by this young upstart being so bold. So for the next two years I had to get up at 5am every Monday in the summer to go to the Yeovil office to write the cricket reports. John will be best known for his coverage of Yeovil Town for the Western Gazette and the Sunday Independent and he was so respected by all and sundry, players and managers
alike, that they named the press box after him when he retired. John was a great supporter of grassroots football and as a Merriott boy always retained his interest in the Perry Street League, having at one time played in goal for his home village. His passing will be mourned by hundreds of ex-players who were able to follow their teams exploits through John’s fair and accurate reporting.
football
Charmouth have eyes on the Tabberer Cup IN wind, boggy conditions Charmouth started their Toomy Tabberer Cup match against Chard United Reserves with a bare 11 players, kicking up the hill into the wind.
The opening 30 minutes saw the teams settle into the game and the conditions, but Charmouth made the first break through on 35 minutes with Jack Farrant assisting Brooklyn Wilkins with a great shot curled into the
top right corner for his first goal for Charmouth. Chard quickly responded and drew level just six minutes later with a header from the sixyard box to make it 1-1. Unfortunately, a few minutes later a speculative punt from the half-way line saw the Charmouth keeper slip as he back-peddled and could do nothing but watch as the ball find the back of the net as Chard went 2-1 up nefore half-time.
skittles
Three teams vying for top spot THREE teams are no vying for the top spot in the Lyme Regis Skittles League, all on ten points - Flyers, Hopes Wrecked and Roadrunners. Results (March 12): Pin Pals 326,Clueless 369 (from the previous week); Marksmen 354, Alleytwits 306; Anthill Mob 335, Flyers 360; Roadrunners bt Clueless (game given); Hopes Wicked 345, Pin Pals 291; Rousdon Rebels 358, Wootton Wobblers 311; Skittso’s 345, British Legion 364; Hot Gossips 295,President’s Men 289. High Scores: Fred Parsons 80, Alan Churchill 70, Martin Down 69.
P Flyers 6 Hopes Wrecked 6 Road Runers 6 British Legion 6 Marksmen 6 Anthill Mob 6 President’s Men 6 Rousdon Rebels 6 Alleytwits 6 Clueless 6 Hot Gossips 6 Skittso’s 6 Pin Palls 6 Wootton Wobblers6
W 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
L 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5
Pts 10 10 10 8 8 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 2 2
Charmouth came out for the second half looking to take advantage of the downhill slope but it was Chard who scored in the 47th minute. Charmouth could have dropped their heads but kept pushing. Chard had the better of the game for the next 20 minutes, making several subs but the 11 men of Charmouth were far from finished. In the 66th minute Brin Seward set up Jack Farrant to make it 3-2 ant his sparked Charmouth into life as three minutes later Adzy Whitehouse put Brin Seward away to level the scores at 3-3. This was quickly followed with Charmouth taking a 4-3 lead when Seward returned the favour, providing the assist for Whitehouse to slot the ball hom. Charmouth thought the game was done but Chard broke through the back-line in the 78th minute to draw level again at 4-4. But Charmouth kept pressing and were rewarded in the 87th minute when Brin Seward set up John Vaughan to grab the late winner. A great cup game with plenty of goals in tricky conditions but a great effort from the 11 players of Charmouth. Man-of-the match award went to Haydn Lewis for a great performance out on the wing. Charmouth now face Shepton Beaucham Reserves at home tomorrow ( Saturday) in the quarter finals (kick-off 2.15 pm).
Tom Rawlings is presented with the Youth Cup
Youth to the fore in the Bambury Chaser LYME Regis Sailing Club youth member Tom Rawlings had only one wish for his 14th birthday – another training day at Weymouth Academy, on the water in his International Laser Class Association (ICLA) dinghy. Tom booked in with race coach Jon Emmet who mentored him from his rib. Blustery conditions were ideal for developing Tom’s skills. Currently one of the keenest youth sailors at Lyme who have trained throughout the winter, Tom was awarded one of two academy ILCAs sponsored by Chris Turner, managing director of Ovington Boats. Chris has now awarded two further dinghies to the club youth section as he has been encouraged with the progress made last year, with coaching by Jerry Rook and Graham Cook. The young sailors took part in the Banbury Chaser in Sutton Bingham on Saturday. The Banbury Chaser is a long-established annual competition between the Lyme Regis and Sutton Bingham clubs, sailed on the lake and on the sea. Last weekend saw a turnout of seven youth members from Lyme, (four sailing ILCAs and three crewing with adults), out of the nineboat entry, supported by their families. Unfamiliar waters and courses, strong shifty winds and three races in a mixed handicap fleet, might have tested resolve, but all achieved commendable results. Youngest crew was Isla Parsons, in her Mirror dinghy, helmed by her father Tim, who ended up fourth overall. Tom Rawlings gave the adults keen competition, winning the third race and was third overall . Ferdy Leyshon sailed his own ILCA for the first time well to hold mid-fleet placings, and Elliot Sammons and Josh Connelly in theirs improved with experience through the day. Youth members helped the Lyme club to win the Banbury Chaser, Youth Cup and Dorset Triangle.
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March 18 2022
football
Valiant Seasiders blown away in East Devon Cup LYME Regis first team kissed goodbye to their last chance of silverware in this most difficult of seasons, losing 2-1 to Devon and Exeter Premier leaders Lapford in the East Devon Senior Cup.
A near gale-forced cross-wind ruined any chance of open, flowing football with every ball in the air being swept out of play. It was the most difficult conditions the Seasiders have experienced for some time and they struggled to keep the ball on the ground, especially in the first half when they played down the Lapford slope. The conditions made life very difficult for keeper Chris Higgs but he rose to the occasion and brought off a number of saves to keep Lyme in the game. Attacks on the home goal were few and far between and balls over the top were mostly blown out of the ground giving striker Joe Bond little opportunity to test the Lapford keeper. The Premier champions got their goal in the 22nd minute – a header from a corner – but Lyme never really created any chances in the first half. It was well into the second half before Lyme tested the home keeper and Lapford increased their score against the run of play. Lyme pulled one back in the 80th minute when Bond slammed home a Fred Parsons’ cross from close range as Lyme discovered their passing
FEATURED GAME By PHILIP EVANS game and put the Lapford defence under pressure.There was no disgrace in losing 2-1 to the league leaders, a side who have only dropped four points all season, two of those in an earlier draw against Lyme. A big, robust side who give little away at the back, they are almost certain to retain the Premier title this season. They have ambitions to join the Devon League but one wonders whether their sloping pitch will meet the ground criteria stipulated by the league. It was not an afternoon littered with exceptional personal performances but for Lyme the man-ofthe-match award had to go to centre-back Rikki Sargent whose speed snuffed out numerous raids by the Lapford front line. Keeper Chris Higgs can also take credit for using his experience to good use in keeping Lapford at bay. Squad: Chris Higgs; Robbie Fellingham, Kingsley Wellman, Rikki Sargent, Cam Fowler; Mark Bailey, Callum Garrett, Fred Parsons, Ben Turner; Harvey Brimicombe, Joe Bond. Subs: Gary Knight, Sam Pollard-Jones, Dan Randall.
Lyme keeper Chris Higgs who used his experience to good effect in handling the difficult conditions at Lapford
Uplyme pushing for promotion UPLYME 1sts travelled to Bickleigh on Saturday determined to put last week's poor showing to one side and get back to winning ways.
Bickleigh are a young team who have played together all the way through the youth set-up, so they knew how to play together in a compact, efficient style. The large, heavy pitch was a challenge and cut up badly during the game, but both sides committed to playing some good football in the wider areas. Late into the first half, Bickleigh took the lead when the striker took the ball around stand-in keeper Alex Jones.
Uplyme had some chances through the pace of new signing Joe Urquhart, but went into half-time trailing 1-0. After a good team talk, Uplyme came out determined to get back into the game. As much as Uplyme pressed, they were thwarted by the goalkeeper plus some baffling refereeing decisions. With 20 minutes to go, substitutions were made and it had the desired effect, with Sam Foster hitting a speculative drive that the goalkeeper inexplicably threw into his own goal. It was all Uplyme and they went looking for the winner, which came through sub Olli Alner, who scooped the ball into the
box from way out wide and watched as it curled into the back of the net from an improbable angle. Bickleigh threw everything forwards on the last five minutes, including punches, but Uplyme came out deserved winners. Connor Tate. 18, shone at the back and make-shift keeper Jones deserves praise for his important saves after being disappointed with the Bickleigh goal. This victory strengthened the Swallows’ third-place position in Devon and Exeter Division Six, five points behind second place Exeter University but with three games in hand. Promotion is very much in their grasp.
Friday, March 18 2022 24
AT THE DAVEY FORT THIS SATURDAY
Lyme Regis 1st v Kentisbeare Kick-off 3pm weekend football
A must win for Seasiders HOPES that Lyme Regis first team can finish in a top four position in the Devon and Exeter Premier division rests on their chances of taking all three points against Kentisbeare at the Davey Fort tomorrow (Saturday). Lyme lost to third placed Kentisbeare 4-3 earlier in the season in a game in which they should have won, having taken the lead. They cannot afford any more slip-ups tomorrow. Kentisbeare moved above Beer Albion in the Premier table with a 2-0 win over Colyton last Saturday. The Seasiders sit behind Beer, whose game last weekend was called off, in fifth place but trailing by nine points with a game in hand. They have two games in hand on Kentisbeare so three points are essential as they bid to finish in the top four. Beer travel to neighbours Sidmouth Town, who have won only two games out of 20, and they are unlikely to drop points at Manstone. This will put extra pressure on Lyme to continue their recent good form in the league. Lyme Reserves were without a fixture last Saturday and they have another free afternoon tomorrow. The Ressies sit in fifth place in Division Three and have another seven games to play this season. Uplyme 1sts strengthened their position in third place in Division Six with a 2-1 away win over Bickleigh. Tomorrow the Swallows are at home to division leaders St Thomas Social Club. Charmouth have a fine record in the Tommy Tabberer Cup and moved into the next round with a 5-4 win at Chard United Reserves. Tomorrow the Robins have another Tommy Tabberer Cup match, this time at home to Shepton Beauchamp Reserves to win a place in the semifinals. Kick-off is at 2.15pm.
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