LymeOnline Digital Edition - October 2 2020

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Call for action to prevent post office closure

LYME Regis traders have urged the town council to take action over the potential closure of the post office.

The leasehold of the post office is currently up for sale and there are fears among residents and the business community that, if a buyer is not found, this “vital community asset” could close down.

This would come as a bitter blow to Lyme Regis, which has already lost all three of its banks.

REPORT, PAGE 2

Lighting up in solidarity THE Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis was among arts venues across the UK to signal a ‘red alert’ on Wednesday evening, highlighting the crisis faced by the industry due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. More than 300 venues, including London's National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall, were lit in red while performers and crew also took part in marches across the UK. The Red Alert movement and #WeMakeEvents marches aimed to raise awareness about the threat of job losses in the sector, with many saying they have slipped through the net of government support. The Marine Theatre is not expected to fully reopen until next year, as hosting events with current social distancing guidelines in place is not financially viable. You can find out more and donate to the theatre at www.marinetheatre.com/reopen-the-marine-theatre-fund/ Photo by Richard Austin

COVID’s financial strain

BOTH TOWN AND COUNTY SEE RESERVES DECIMATED BY VIRUS

BOTH Lyme Regis and Dorset councils are feeling the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 has had a hugely significant impact on local authorities this year, with facilities such as lucrative car parks closed for several months and more money having to

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk be spent to support residents and businesses.

While Lyme Regis Town Council’s financial forecast is not a bad as first feared, thanks to a busy late summer season following the easing of some restrictions, the authority is

now preparing for the possibility of a second lockdown, which could completely wipe out its reserves if it took place during spring 2021.

The town council has looked into drastic measures, such as selling its own offices and taking out a £650,000 loan.

Meanwhile, the financial impact of COVID-19 on Dorset Council is

estimated at more than £60million and, after government grants, £35million of this will have to be taken from reserves.

Dorset Council’s financial forecast will be discussed in full at a Cabinet meeting on October 6.

FULL REPORT ON LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL FINANCES - SEE PAGE 7

Lyme’s Christmas lights will go ahead

LYME Regis’ Christmas lights display will go ahead this year, but due to COVID-19 restrictions there will be no switch-on event or lantern parade.

Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee, a group of volunteers who work throughout the year to organise and raise funding for the annual festive lights display, confirmed the plans this week.

REPORT, PAGE 3

Fiver Fest to boost trade

TO promote the importance of supporting our local traders, Lyme Regis is joining more than 100 independent high streets across the UK to take part in the Totally Locally Fiver Fest in October.

REPORT, PAGE 8

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Council asked to save post office from closure LYME Regis traders have urged the town council to take action over the potential closure of the post office.

The leasehold of the post office is currently up for sale and there are fears among residents and the business community that, if a buyer is not found, this “vital community asset” could close down.

This would come as a bitter blow to Lyme Regis, which has already lost all three of its banks.

A crowdfunding campaign to raise the £35,000 asking price was recently launched by local resident and businesswoman Rikey Austin, with the idea that the post office could be run as a community project in future. However, the campaign failed to raise the money needed within the limited crowdfunding deadline so donations were refunded.

Now members of the business community have turned to the town council to ask for help.

In the public forum of last week’s virtual town council meeting, letters were read out from three local traders asking if the council could help secure the post office’s future.

Ms Austin, a former councillor who owns Alice’s Bear Shop, said: “Having seen closure of banks in recent years, the prospect of losing our post office would be a terrible blow to our town.

“For members of our community with limited internet access, those unfamiliar with the technology and those with reduced income unable to keep pace with demands for constantly newer technology to support banking apps, the post office offers an alternative to the long journey to the nearest bank branch.

“Add to that the need to access social support

payments and the simple act of posting anything bigger than a basic letter and, not only individuals, but businesses start to feel the loss.

“It’s true no one takes on a post office simply for the money but a town council supported community-run post office, a business run notfor-profit but by our community to provide a necessary service, could be a real asset.”

She asked the council to consider how it could support an effort to secure this vital asset for the community.

Keian Gillet of the Galley Cafe in Broad Street asked the council if it could consider funding a buyer to run the post office, adding: “It would be a disaster for the local community and businesses.”

Former town and district councillor George Symonds, who owns the Amusement Arcade on Marine Parade, also questioned whether the council would be taking any action.

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe, said the council would have to debate the issue before responding, but he thought this was an issue the council should offer a view on.

Town clerk John Wright added: “The issue with the post office is not a new one; it’s one of the things I was first tasked with when I first arrived about eight years ago when it was under threat of closure then.

“I think it’s important the council does determine a position, and the council also needs to be clear about what it can do and be realistic about what it can’t do; this is a commercial sale and actually we need to consider what the council’s role in the post office is as we move forward.”

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Council chairmen to remain in place LYME Regis Town Council has agreed that all committee chairmen will remain in post for the remainder of the year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The committee chairmen and vice-chairmen will remain in place until the end of the council year in May 2021, as the council is still only meeting virtually once a month, rather than holding weekly committee meetings.

The council had already agreed that the Mayor, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, and deputy mayor, Councillor Stan Williams, could remain in place until the end of the council year.

Councillor Larcombe will now also remain chairman of the Strategy & Finance and Human Resources Committees, while Councillor Graham Turner will continue as chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor John Broom will continue to lead the Town Management Committee and Councillor Kelsey Ellis will continue to front the Tourism, Community & Publicity Committee.

IT equipment needed for councillors THE town council is hoping to provide all members with common IT equipment so they can better conduct virtual meetings.

Since lockdown measures were first implemented in March, Lyme Regis Town Council has been meeting virtually via video conferencing app Zoom.

But members have had to rely on their own IT equipment to ensure they can take part in meetings.

Now the council will be looking into providing laptops for all members, as well as reintroducing official email addresses for all councillors to ensure they can carry out businesses properly from home.

The council also hopes to move to a paperless office, and increase efficiency in the way it operates.

Prices for the IT equipment and email addresses have been sought from Dorset Council.

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Town will twinkle this Christmas!

LYME Regis’ Christmas lights display will go ahead this year, but due to COVID-19 restrictions there will be no switch-on event.

Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee, a group of volunteers who work throughout the year to organise and raise funding for the annual festive lights display, confirmed the plans this week.

Lyme Regis has built up its Christmas lights display in recent years and now has some of the most impressive illuminations on the south coast.

The usual switch-on celebrations attracts hundreds to the town every year, and the Christmas lantern parade has become a favourite event for local children and families to take part in.

New committee chairman Rob James commented: “Lyme has developed a big reputation for its Christmas lights display which illuminates Broad Street and we intend to make this year’s display even better than previous years, bringing some much needed joy amid the gloom of the past few months.

“Unfortunately, with social gathering restrictions likely to be in place for some time, we will not be able to hold a switch-on event or the lantern workshop and parade, but instead we plan to hold a virtual online lantern parade for people to get involved with. Full details will be announced nearer the time.

“Due to the unprecedented circumstances, we’ve not been able to hold our usual fundraising events this year, so we are very much relying on the success of our grand raffle and our business sponsorship which will run again this year.

“We do need the support of the local community to help us raise some of the funds we need and our grand raffle is the best opportunity for people to get behind us to help ensure the town really does twinkle this year.”

There are five great prizes on offer. First prize is a week in a holiday cottage in Rosedale Abbey, Yorkshire, kindly donated by Sharon and Graeme Baxter of the Slipway shop at the Cobb, where raffle tickets are available to buy.

There are also cash prizes of £200 and £100 donated by local financial advice firm Bright Future Financial and Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium, plus a three-course meal at the Alexandra Hotel and a £100 meal voucher for the Harbour Inn. Tickets cost £1 and are available from the Christmas Lights Committee website lymechristmaslights.co.uk/raffle or from the Slipway shop by the Cobb.

Local fundraisers Joshua Denning and Andrew Hodder are also selling tickets on behalf of the committee.

Legion is looking for new secretary THE Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion is looking for a new secretary.

For the last few years the post has been filled by Chris James who is standing down to concentrate on his work as chairman of Uplyme Parish Council.

Chris served as a Brigadier in the Army responsible for all armed service dentists.

The Lyme branch usually meets on a monthly basis in the Woodmead Halls but has been meeting by video conferencing during the COVID crisis.

The branch is looking for someone who is computer-savvy and capable of producing accurate minutes of meetings with some correspondence.

All applications should be emailed to the branch chairman, Major Ian Marshall, at LymeRegis.Chairman@rbl.community Major Marshall said: “Applicants need not necessarily be a member of the Royal British Legion or someone who has served in the Armed Forces.

“We have a happy, hard working committee with the occasional social or fundraising function.”

LOCAL fundraiser Joshua Denning is helping to sell grand raffle tickets for the town’s Christmas lights display, which will go ahead this year despite the coronavirus pandemic

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NEWS ONLINE: Catch up with A round-up of the top stories from our website

Dorset Council prepares climate change action plan DORSET Council has prepared its action plan for how the local authority will help tackle climate change over the next few decades. Having declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency last year, a draft Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy was produced, presenting eight key areas for action to ensure that the council’s services and estate become carbon neutral by 2040. A costed action plan of how this will happen has now been drafted and will be considered at Cabinet on October 6.

Flamingo Pool working hard to stay afloat IN this very difficult and trying time for all, volunteers are working hard to keep Axminster’s Flamingo Pool open and, with the help and support of the town, they are confident they can achieve this goal. The swimming pool launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 as it reopened following the coronavirus lockdown, and has surpassed its target having so far raised £6,800. It also recently hosted a golf day at Lyme Regis Golf Club raising a further £1,472 (winners pictured above).

Work to start on Broad Street crossing this week WORK to create a pedestrian crossing in Broad Street, Lyme Regis, will get underway this week.

The proposed pedestrian crossing split opinion in Lyme Regis and was eventually given final approval by Dorset Council in January 2019 after months of going back and forth.

Lyme Regis Town Council first requested a pedestrian crossing in 2016 when more than 600 residents signed a petition in favour of the idea. However, concerns were later raised about its proposed location between the Pug & Puffin and Joules stores, the potential for traffic congestion and the loss of four or five onstreet parking spaces a crossing would cause.

Dorset County Council’s highways officer recommended refusal of the crossing, saying the loss of parking would adversely affect local businesses. But the county’s Regulatory Committee unexpectedly went against the recommendation, instead putting it forward for approval by Cabinet as they felt the benefits of the crossing outweighed the disadvantages.

In December 2018, Lyme Regis Town Council formally retracted its support for the crossing over parking and traffic congestion concerns, despite pleas from elderly and disabled residents who said it was needed to cross the road safely. However, Dorset Council still gave its final approval for the crossing the following month.

Work will now get underway to create a puffin crossing between the Pug & Puffin and Joules stores in Broad Street on October 5 and is expected to take three weeks.

A puffin crossing is a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights which go green again only when no more pedestrians are detected on the crossing by infrared detectors and mats.

The lights controlling pedestrians are also on the same side as the pedestrian, rather than on the opposite side as seen on a pelican crossing, as this encourages them to look in the direction of oncoming traffic.

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Lifeboat called to rescue windsurfer LYME Regis lifeboat crew were called the rescue of a windsurfer off Seaton beach last Friday afternoon. The windsurfer was in difficulty a quarter of a mile off Seaton beach. He was unable to get his sail back up and was attempting to paddle against an off shore wind. The man was south of the River Axe and was drifting out to sea when Lyme lifeboat reached his position. The crew got him on board with his windsurfing board and brought him ashore to be met by the coastguards who assisted him and his board up the beach and issued safety advice.

Friday, October 2 2020 5

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the latest from Lyme Regis

FROM LYME’S OW N COMMUNIT Y WEBSITE

Stay up to date at www.lyme-online.co.uk - 24/7 news | sport | community The arts plays an important role in Lyme life

Council offices close Lyme club contributes due to COVID rules to Rotary Global Grant LYME Regis Town Council offices have closed for a second time in line with the government’s latest COVID-19 guidance. The offices in Church Street will not be open to the public, but staff will be working from home to continue delivering council services. The councils external works’ staff will continue working as normal, as they are unable to work from home.

THE Rotary Club of Lyme Regis has contributed to the largest ever Rotary Foundation Global Grant of $1.125million, which has gone to international charity Mercy Ships. The Global Grant was led by District 1260 (Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire) and involved 341 club across the world. The Rotary Club of Lyme Regis pledged £250 towards the project.

BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder - that’s what they say about art. It’s subjective and lots of people might say ‘I’m not into art’ - but whether it’s admiring a picture on the wall, listening to the radio or binge-watching your favourite series on Netflix, the arts seeps into many of our lives one way or another.

I’ve never considered myself particularly artistic. I took A-level art mainly because the course was known for the best school trips abroad, but the entire class was more skilled than me with a paintbrush and I was often told off for spending too much time on my English or media studies coursework and not enough time on art. It all worked out in the end.

As a shy student I never really dabbled in the performing arts either. I was the silent shepherd in the back of the nativity scene and was given one brief line in a Woodroffe production of ‘Oliver Twist’.

But just because I don’t consider myself ‘arty’ doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the local arts scene and the important part in plays in our community. From painters to potters, seamtresses to sculptors, Lyme is filled to the brim with artistic shops and boutiques, workshops and galleries, of which I often peer through the window thinking ‘I wish I could do that!’.

Thankfully, most of these have been able to reopen since lockdown restrictions were eased, and the bustling Town Mill is once again hosting regular exhibitions, with the popular Julie Oldfield - resident artist at the Harbour Inn - currently displaying her latest work in the Malthouse Gallery.

But it is the performing arts sector which is still struggling through the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic, and the Marine Theatre - Lyme’s much-praised little theatre by the sea - has sadly

stood closed for six months now.

As pictured on this week’s front page, the Marine was lit in red on Wednesday evening in solidarity with arts venues across the country to raise awareness about the threat of job losses in the sector, with many saying they have slipped through the net of government support.

The Marine is now not expected to fully reopen until next year as hosting performances under the current guidelines is not financialy viable.

Many Lyme residents, myself included, will be greatly missing their regular trips to the theatre.

They say you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone, and how lucky were we - for a town of this size - to have our own theatre attracting top names and such professional productions? To lose such a gem would, I believe, be a devastating blow to the town.

The theatre has launched an online fundraising campaign to help it through the pandemic and to ensure it can eventually reopen - you can find out more and donate at www.marinetheatre.com/reopen-the-marine-theatre-fund/ And while I’m still not prepared to tread the boards anytime soon, I’m not quite as shy as I once was. As well as presenting video news bulletins on the LymeOnline website, you can now listen to my weekly updates on Lyme Bay Radio, every Friday at 5pm.

Francesca Evans,

Editor

The

Woodmead Halls YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY HALL

Shanty singers make donation to lifeboat crew A GROUP of Lyme Regis shanty singers have presented a cheque for £850 to the volunteers at the town’s lifeboat station. The donation was raised during performances by the 20-strong group, known as Harbour Voices who specialised in songs of the sea. The group was recently disbanded and reformed as the Lyme Bay Moonrakers. The Lyme Bay Moonrakers have already agreed to perform at the annual Blessing of the Boats service at Lyme Regis lifeboat station on May 9 next year.

Dance class to raise funds for Macmillan Wedding Venue | Corporate Events Clubs & Organisations | Children’s Parties Fitness Classes | Concerts & Shows

The perfect venue for every occasion!

LOCAL dance instructor Sarah Causley will be raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support this weekend with a special ‘Move It For Macmillan’ event on Saturday, October 3. The class will be held at the King George V playing field in Uplyme at 10am and is free to join, with donations welcome for Macmillan Cancer Support. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a maximum of 30 people can take part - last minute places may still be available by calling Sarah on 07788 946 427.

For further details or to get in touch, vist woodmeadhalls.co.uk

6 Friday, October 2 2020

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

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philip@lyme-online.co.uk

Will Lyme ever be the same again?

W

E report this week on how difficult COVID-19 has been for our two local authorities Lyme Regis Town Council and Dorset Council. Both are feeling the financial impact that the pandemic has wreaked on the world.

As we report on page one and seven, Lyme Regis Town Council has lost £300,000 in reduced revenues due to COVID. But it could have been worse. At one time they thought their reserves would be almost competely wiped out, but a hugely successfull end to the summer has saved the day.

Now they are estimating that they will be left with reserves of about £375,000 at the end of the financial year - “a prudent estimate”.

For most small local councils that would be seen as a result - but Lyme has more responsibilities and income streams than most town councils.

The council’s concern is that there could be another total-countryside lockdown next spring which would then write off their reserves, so they are looking at ways to reduce costs by selling off assets, seeking a loan and reducing overheads.

For Dorset Council - an amalgamation of the former district authorities in Dorset which came into being last April - the position is a good deal more serious.

The estimated financial impact of COVID on the running of Dorset Council is a mind-boggling £60million-plus and after government grants, £35million of this will have to be taken from reserves.

This is bound to have an effect on services in the county and we have already seen this happening by the closure of the Lyme Regis Tourist Information Centre, much to the chargin of the tourist industry in our town.

Other cuts that are expected will hit Lyme

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Regis and the town council may have to take on more responsibilities formerly handled by Dorset Council, which will put them under even more financial pressure.

The town council has already rejected a claim of £15,000 towards the recent harbour dredging and beach replenishment.

Both councils are still meeting by video conferencing which does not encourage effective debate and all administrative staff at the council offices are back working at home to adhere to government advice.

When COVID raised its deadly head the council gave the mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, and town clerk John Wright authority for decision making but some members have complained that they are not being kept in the picture.

It is impossible to run a council effectively in this manner and there has to be an understanding that something has to give.

All this means that Lyme Regis Town Council is not going to be able to give such generous support to local organisations. Their budget for such grants had already been reduced from £130,000 a year to £80,000 before COVID reared its head.

It does mean that some of the council’s future plans for more radical solutions to major

issues in the town, such as the lack of parking and traffic congestion, will have to be suspended for the time being whilst full concentration is given to keeping the town afloat financially.

Lyme is not the town it was a few years back.

No banks, no TIC, no cinema, no Marine Theatre for the time being, no summer festivals and possibly no post office which is currently up for sale. Not all of these have been caused

by COVID but it certainly does not help when the council is excpected to bail out every cause in town.

When it became public that the post office was up for sale, local businesswomen and former town councillor Rikey Austin, ever mindful of the increasing number of public services declining in our town, launched a crowdfunding scheme in an effort to raise enough so the PO could be operated as a community project.

They missed their target but it did ensure that her concerns were given an airing on social media.

This was followed by a number of appeals to the town council to step in and save the post office. However, the post office, as well as being an important public amenity, is also a business which prevents the council from committing public money to such a venture.

The council has agreed to discuss the matter and will hope to be able to assist where possible but it will not be with a chunk of ratepayers’ money.

I can’t imagine a town the size of Lyme with such an elderly population not having a post office, but this is not the first time the council has been asked to step in.

Post offices all over the country have been closing at an alarming rate - some in much bigger towns than Lyme - or operated within an existing business, similar to the situation at Uplyme where the shop at the petrol station doubles as a PO. The post office at Charmouth has disappeared and whilst there is still a PO in Axminster, it is not open all the time.

The situation at the PO in Lyme is just one of a number of issues that the council are having to deal with during these difficult times.

We must have faith, however, that coronavirus will one day be beaten and our town council can get to grips with some of the major issues which are concerning the resident population and to stop the oft-spoken comment: “Lyme is not the town it used to be.”

Covid has failed to dampen the spirit of sport SPORT, both as a participant and a supporter, has been a dominant factor throughout my life. In fact, my only real interest outside of the working environment.

Sad, I know.

From the time as a kid when I organised our own football league at the Anning Road playing field (I once paid a transfer fee of two shillings and sixpence for Billy White, a bargain I might add!) to managing a sports publishing company in London during which time I met many of my sporting heroes (none of which I had a great regard for), sport has provided me with enormous pleasure and lifelong friends.

The first thing I do every morning when my daily paper pops through my letterbox is turn immediately to the back sports pages.

One of my heroes was the late Ian Wooldrige, a superb sports columnist whose articles and books I devoured.

I’m at an age, of course, where I can’t participate any more, although not so long ago we did try to get a walking football team going at the Davey Fort but sadly it petered out.

As a youngster I lived for sport - football, cricket, tennis, cross country and tabletennis. I played football for West Dorset schools, cricket for Dorset Under 15s and once ran in the Southern Counties cross country championships.

At school I was quite small in height but that did not deter me from getting into the 1st X1 football at Lyme Grammar as a second former (quite rare in those days).

Being so small I was an obvious target

for the bullies at school but they seemed to leave me alone which I put down to my sporting skills.

Unfortunately, my early promise as a footballer and cricketer did not keep pace with my rate of growth and as an adult I never reached the heights that I was hoping for.

I played my first game for Lyme Regis FC at the age of 14 when we changed in the chickerun at the back of the village pub in Donyatt.

In my early training as a reporter, I had to cover sport on a Saturday afternoons so I missed a few years of playing for the Seasiders. I had a couple of seasons playing for Axminster Town alongside such greats as Tony Rockett, but I was 28 before I started playing for Lyme again.

Wasted years.

Cricket was my other great passion, both as a player and former chairman of Uplyme and a supporter of Somerset CCC during the glory years of Botham and Garner.

With my great pal John Stamp and a few other mates, we often got tickets for test matches at Lord’s and the Oval, especially when I was working in London.

One of my great days was joining my fellow Uplyme team mates for the club’s 100th anniversary game at Lord’s where we saw Mike Denham hit a century.

We had a team photo taken under Great Father Time which sits proudly on my office wall. Actually, I didn’t make the team (I was 13th man) but I didn’t miss the chance of getting changed just in case I was

needed. It was a day none of us will forget.

These days I’m proud to serve as president of Lyme Regis Football Club where we are nearing the end of a £140,000 development programme, generously supported by Lyme Regis Town Council. It’s been a challenging four years to say the least, given all the instability issues at the Davey Fort, but under chairman Howard Larcombe’s leadership the end game is in sight - and within budget!

Earlier in the year, with the coronavirus raging all around us, we feared that there would be no local sport. The thought depressed me greatly.

But the sporting community is resilient if nothing else and local sport has returned, not as we know it, but entertaining as ever.

The football season has just got going with COVID-19 regulations being observed and we have enjoyed a wonderful cricket season at the King George V playing field in Uplyme where the village team thrilled us all, culminating in topping their division - a season which will be rememberd not for the changes forced on us by a pandemic, but for Tyler Wellman scoring three consecutive centuries, a feat unknown in local cricketing circles.

The point I am trying to make here is that although COVID has almost brought this country to its knees, the sporting community refused to sit back and allow a way of life for so many to be destroyed. We are made of sterner stuff.

To paraphrase Sir Alex Ferguson “sport, blooming hell”. Well, he didn’t use the word “blooming” but you get the idea. No?

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Town council to make savings as it fears second lockdown could wipe out reserves LYME Regis Town Council – having already lost an estimated £300,000 due to the coronavirus pandemic – is considering serious money-saving measures in case of a second lockdown.

Meeting virtually last Wednesday night, councillors considered extreme measures, such as selling the council offices, to ensure its reserves would not be completely wiped out if another wave of COVID-19 was to hit next year.

Lyme Regis was once considered to be a “rich council”, with reserves of £1.4million in the bank. But the impact of the coronavirus lockdown in spring and early summer – as well as a £650,000 major project to resurface the flat roof area above SWIM, the Amusement Arcade and Antiques & Craft Centre on Marine Parade – has seen its reserves significantly reduced.

In April, as lockdown measures first took hold, the council’s reserves stood at £969,794 but by June this had dropped to £581,674. Councillors were warned that they could decrease further to just £67,000 by the end of the financial year in March 2021 but, as facilities were reopened in July, this estimate was upped to £200,000.

After a successful late summer season, the council is now expected to have at least £375,000 in reserves by the end of the financial year. But town clerk John Wright has warned that COVID-19 still poses a “significant risk”, and if a similar lockdown was to take place over the same period next year, it could almost wipe out the council’s finances.

The impact of the virus has already cost the town council an estimated £300,000 and Mr Wright said they could lose another £350,000 if the same was to happen again in 2021.

To ensure financial security, the town clerk has now set out targets to increase the council’s reserve to £800,000 by the end of March 2021, and to £1.6million by the end of March 2022, while increasing income by £100,000 and reducing expenditure by the same amount.

To achieve this, he outlined a number of measures the council could adopt in a report considered by members last week.

Options included paying back a £200,000 loan the town council took out several years ago from West Dorset District Council to develop the Marine Parade shelters, which is currently costing £37,500 a year, and then to take out a new loan of £650,000 over 20 years, which would cost £39,311 a year.

While the annual cost of paying back the loan would slightly increase, it would give the council an additional £450,000 in the bank.

Other options included selling the council’s offices at Guildhall Cottage and moving into St Michael’s Business Centre, creating and selling two additional beach huts, selling the cemetery lodge or the putting green in Lister Gardens.

To increase income, the council could rent out the Jubilee Pavilion on Marine Parade, which currently stands empty, the Lister Room above and create additional car parking at Monmouth Beach.

The town clerk also suggested that expenditure could be cut but reducing office running costs, procurement improvements, reducing professional support, and a critical review of recruitment to vacancies.

Discussion during the virtual meeting centred largely on whether the council should seek a new loan, with the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, arguing this should only be considered as a “last resort”.

He said: “If we did have another break out of

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk COVID next year and we took out a loan, we would of course then spend most of that loan and then have to worry about how we would pay it back if we were then to have another incident of COVID the following year, by which time we’d have a debt to pay and be in just the same position as we are now, with difficulty in paying it.

“Why would we reach for some of these measures until we really have to? To me, the loan is a last resort; it doesn’t have to be done early, it can be done nearer the time of need as it can be quite quickly implemented. My concern is we could be saddled with a debt and still have the same problem.”

Councillor Larcombe said the suggested £100,000 savings in expenditure was “encouraging”, adding: “We have to make that the way of doing things from now on; it’s not a one-off exercise, it’s got to be a continuous exercise of efficiency and finding those savings every single year because that’s the climate we’re going to be THE Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe entering into.”

Mr Wright said that if the council was to even- MBE, argued that the council should only consider a tually apply for a loan, it needed to show that it loan as ‘a last resort’ had taken some action to improve financial reCouncillor Larcombe replied: “It should be a silience and manage risk.

“I don’t think we can rely on other arms of the last resort; we won’t be alone in looking for a loan if it comes to that, other councils will be state to support us now,” he said.

“The government is looking at debt of two tril- looking. When that is happening, government lion pounds and we know Dorset Council is fore- will ensure there’s a way of doing it. No government is going to allow town councils to go under, casting the impact of it just cannot happen.”

COVID-19 on its own opCouncillor Cheryl Reynolds erations and has been added: “Local councils run this coming up with figures of country, every single council about £50million. runs a bit of this country. If we “I don’t think there’s have a huge, big reserve by takgoing to be a queue of peoing out a loan, do you think the ple saying ‘yes, we will government will help us by any help you’ but if they do stretch of the imagination, or help us they will want to will they help the councils that know what we have been haven’t got so much money? doing to manage this crisis Because they’re not going to be and our risks.”

The mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE running the country themHe added that Lyme selves. They don’t, do they? We Regis Town Council was “really different” to most other councils as 92 per all do that.

“If we have a lot of money in our coffers, when cent of its income came from commercial activity, rather than the council tax precept, so it felt it comes to the government having to do something about it, we’ll be the last one looked at.” the effects of situations such as COVID-19 more.

Councillor Larcombe agreed, adding: “I don’t The mayor replied: “You’ve mentioned commercial activity. If our running costs are £1.2 or believe that we will be allowed to go under, like £1.3million and our income is £1.6million, that’s any other council.”

However, the town clerk expressed concerns not very commercial; that margin is tiny. That that this was the wrong attitude for the council implies that our running costs are catching up to take. with our income and in a minute it’s almost He commented: “I don’t think the government going to be even, which is not very commercial would want to see any council willingly rely on savvy, is it?” them for funding. If an organisation is deliberCouncillor Michaela Ellis said she would “hate” ately choosing not to sort itself out when it does to see the council selling any of its assets at this have options and choices, pushing it right to the point, suggesting it would be “a silly thing to do” wire and expecting the government to come in when they could be used at a later date if neces- and support them, I think there would be a massary. sive adversary action to that.”

“It would be a last resort, in my view, to see us Councillor John Broom pointed out that the selling anything off,” she added. council’s biggest cost was its staff, adding: “We Councillor Ellis spoke in favour of buying new haven’t even looked at labour and everyone is beach huts for either sale or rental, cutting back frightened to grab the nettle and look at it beon outgoings and keeping the proposed refur- cause it’s a nasty thing to do, to have to sack peobishment of the council offices to the bare min- ple, but that’s where we should be looking, I’m imum. sorry.”

However, she disagreed with the mayor’s sugThe mayor agreed, saying that if the council gestion that they should hold off on looking into took a loan it would be “borrowing to put money loans, commenting: “We do need to look into a in the reserves to cover the costs of staff and conloan; there’s no point leaving it until the last sumables”. minute and saying ‘we want a loan’ when every“The margin is tiny, the proportion of overone else is also trying to get one.” heads in our running costs to what we get back

“

If you took away COVID we were already approaching a problem, our costs were catching up with our income.”

is closing the gap, there isn’t much left over,” he said.

“To me that says we’ve got to look at our costs, we’ve got to look at the size of our undertakings.

We’re a small town and we do grow in the summer, but the money comes in and goes out; it’s a huge amount of money for a council of this size.

“Administratively, we should be lean, very tight, we should be able to do things smarter. If we were a commercial business, that margin wouldn’t be acceptable.”

The mayor continued: “If you took COVID away, we were already approaching a problem because our costs were catching up with our income. If that £300,000 is the difference on a £1.5million budget, something’s getting pretty damn close.”

The town clerk responded: “We are actually quite commercial. If you look at the level of reserve and increase on that over the past five years, it’s actually quite significant, and that’s because of the surpluses we have generated.

“You are right as well, there has been an increase in expenditure; we have increased our income but also our expenditure. The town council spends things on projects which other councils have generally not been in a position to do and that’s where we have been spending our excess cash over the past few years.

“We will look at staffing and all the vacancies that arise in the future. It is a big line of expenditure but our percentage on staffing is not that significant compared to other councils; about 40 per cent of our expenditure is on staffing.”

Councillor Larcombe replied: “Part of the reason the reserves became £1.4million was because we were not spending the money we should have on asset maintenance. The Guildhall is having money spent on it because the windows are falling out and the like. We had money aside that could have been spent on that asset years ago.”

Councillor Broom agreed, adding: “We had this wonderful bank balance but what have we done?

We have the Guildhall Cottage falling to pieces around us and everyone wondering why, it’s because we haven’t spent anything on that building since 2007. It’s easy to keep money in the bank but we should be keeping our assets together and we haven’t been doing it.”

Councillor Stan Williams said he “could not believe” the council was in this situation, adding that it was owed “so much money it’s unbelievable”, especially from the Monmouth Beach area.

After lengthy discussions, the mayor proposed that they explore the suggested £100,000 expenditure cuts and look at further options, such as a loan, in December when they would have more accurate figures on the council’s financial forecast.

But Councillor Ellis said that waiting until December was “ridiculous” and that decisions needed to be made now.

She made a counter proposal which was eventually agreed, to look into buying additional beach huts to sell; cut back on outgoings from £50,000 to £30,000-£40,000 a month; minimise office refurbishment costs and do only necessary works; look into getting a loan in place, which may be taken out if or when needed; and instruct officers to explore all other alternatives to either save money or increase revenue for presentation to the next meeting in October.

Members also generally agreed they were not currently interested in selling the council offices.

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LymeOnline teams up Fiver Fest returns to give with Lyme Bay Radio traders a welcome boost LymeOnline has teamed up with Lyme Bay Radio to bring its local news coverage to an even wider audience.

Editor Francesca Evans will be presenting weekly news bulletins for the community radio station, which can be listened to online at www.lymebayradio.com The bulletins – a round-up of the week’s top news stories and events – will go out every Friday at 5pm, during the station’s ‘Finally Friday’ show, with the first having been broadcast last week.

It is hoped they will also include coverage of the town’s major events, although most have been either postponed or cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing rules.

Francesca commented: “We’re really delighted to be working with Lyme Bay Radio to bring LymeOnline’s already extensive coverage of the Lyme Regis, Uplyme and Charmouth area to an even wider audience.

“We already distribute 4,000 free newspapers to the local area every fortnight and our website has been attracting record numbers in recent months, with almost 38,000 visitors in August.

“In January we launched our video news bulletins, which attract hundreds of hits on our website every Friday morning, and now you can catch up with the latest news on local radio too!”

Both LymeOnline and Lyme Bay Radio are run as not-for-profit community ventures, with the radio station – launched in February this year – being managed by Lyme Regis Development Trust and manned by volunteers.

Development Trust CEO Chris Tipping said: “I think this is a great example of two social enterprises working together for the benefit of the community, and I hope it is the start of many more collaborations to support and promote Lyme Regis and its amazing people.”

TO promote the importance of supporting our local traders, Lyme Regis is joining more than 100 independent high streets across the UK to take part in the Totally Locally Fiver Fest in October.

As happened during Lyme’s first Fiver Fest in February, businesses are being asked to offer customers a special £5 deal, to encourage more shoppers to support independent traders and provide a welcome boost following the coronavirus lockdown.

The campaign is being organised locally by town councillor Belinda Bawden, who commented: “Fiver Fest is now a big part of our promotions for Lyme Regis. The independent shops and businesses are what makes our town special and unique.

“We appreciate it when our community support local traders, so these offers are to say thank you for that support, and to show just what great value our local businesses are.”

Fiver Fest is a free to join campaign, devised and run by Totally Locally, a grass-roots high street organisation that has been helping businesses to help themselves since 2010 with incredible results.

During this Fiver Fest, Totally Locally is partnering with Visa to encourage even more small business owners to sign up to this celebration of independent high streets. Together, they are also calling on consumers to divert £5 of their weekly spend to support the small businesses in their communities.

Fiver Fest is based around the now famous Totally Locally £5 message: “If every adult in Lyme Regis spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops and businesses, it would mean £700,000 per year going directly into our local economy. Which can lead to more jobs, a better high street, a stronger economy & a nicer place to live. Makes you think doesn’t it?”

Fiver Fest has been running successfully in individual towns in the UK and abroad over the past seven years, but in 2019 the team at Totally locally brought together towns across the country in on big Fiver Fest celebration.

Forty-three towns joined in and he result was phenomenal, with reports of new customers, people rediscovering shops they hadn’t been into in years and huge sales of £5 offers. Over the two consecutive Fiver Fests, the number of towns taking part has now reached more than 100.

“We know Fiver Fest isn’t going to change the world”, said Chris Sands of Totally Locally, “but small changes in spending habits can really make a difference to our high streets. Just by diverting £5 of our weekly spend to local independents we give them a fighting chance to thrive. It’s a conversation worth having!”

It is for this reason, that the fourth national Fiver Fest is taking place. This time it’s even more important than ever after how our world has changed during 2020. YouGov research has shown that 59 per cent of shoppers have used more local shops to support them during lockdown.

The first Lyme Regis businesses to sign up to the campaign include Boylos, the Town Mill, Persuasion and Puddleduck. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Belinda Bawden on 01297 443739 or belindabawden@gmail.com For further information, see www.totallylocally.org and www.fiverfest.co.uk, and check the Pride of Lyme Facebook page for regular updates on participants.

■ LymeOnline is joining the Fiver Fest campaign as part of its ongoing promotion of the ‘Shop Local’ message.

We will be running a special advertising feature to promote Fiver Fest deals on Friday, October 16 with a discount of more than 50% for local businesses taking part!

Adverts measuring 5cm deep x 6.3cm wide (similar to a business card) will be available for Fiver Fest participants to promote their special offers for just £5. Adverts this size would usually cost £12.50 so that’s a discount of more than 50%!

For full details or to book your advert, contact Francesca Evans on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk by October 14.

Print or online advertising?

Get the best of both worlds with LymeOnline

For every advert booked in our printed edition, you’ll get a free advert on our popular community website!

Call 07810 221 420 to discuss your advertising needs

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT Please book online at www.thepilotboat.co.uk or call us on 01297 443157 to ensure your table is reserved Bookings from 9am – 8.30pm

NEW Autumn Menu COMING SOON We are committed to providing a safe environment for our customers and staff

1 Bridge Street, Lyme Regis – 01297 443157 info@thepilotboat.co.uk

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Decision to create pedestrian LymeOnline Letters Send your letters to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk crossing ‘will be regretted’ Surfing hero saves man’s life GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNIT Y PAPER

■ THE decision to build the hideous pedestrian crossing in iconic Broad Street is a disaster.

The street is narrow enough for the tiny minority who say it is necessary to cross anywhere with a short wait for a gap in the traffic.

As well as the loss of valuable parking places it must have a detrimental effect on local businesses, just when they are suffering anyway.

How many pedestrian accidents have there been due to a lack of a crossing in the past 50 years?

Paying price for others’ ‘inconsiderate parking’ ■ MY car has recently suffered serious damage - a smashed windscreen, nails driven into a tyre and very serious deep scratches along the whole car’s length on both sides, which appears as if it were targeted.

I think this matter is important as it relates to myself as a disabled person parking on the public lay-by on South Avenue and on Springhill Gardens. I have no parking facility at my house on Windsor Terrace.

I think I am paying the price for the way visitors to Lyme park inconsiderately, yet even as a council tax payer the council will not give me a parking permit. The criminal damage to my car had cost over £300 so far.

Jacqueline Lloyd, Windsor Terrace, Lyme Regis

Please note, the views expressed in letters are those of the author and not necessarily of this newspaper

It will undoubtedly cause more congestion throughout the year and with its 24 hour blinking lights, destroy the view down the street beloved by artists and photographers.

Heaven knows how much it will cost when this money could be put to trying to solve Lyme's traffic problems, not increase them.

I predict that it will be regretted just like that other white elephant, the crossing at Hunter's Lodge.

Frank Allen (by email)

Cinema delay a ‘disaster’ ■ WHAT a disaster that the beautiful iconic art deco Regent Cinema is still derelict after the disastrous fire. How shameful has been this bureaucracy, red tape and foot dragging to get it reopened.

It would have been such a boon for visitors especially with families during inclement weather.

Wouldn't it have been wonderful for Lyme if the first screening of the forthcoming 'Ammonite' film had been at our cinema, albeit with COVID restrictions, with all the resultant publicity for Lyme.

I read somewhere that we were the smallest town in the country to have a full time purpose built cinema.

Whoever is responsible for this unforgivable delay should be shamed.

Nigel Fortnam (by email)

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■ MY family and I were on holiday for a few days and on the afternoon of Thursday, September 17 we were walking along the water’s edge of Charmouth, right where the river comes into the sea when, we heard shouts for help.

At first we couldn't see anyone as the waves were quite high, then we spotted a man trying to float on his back, calling for help.

At the same time a surfer heard him calling and powered towards him at great speed. My husband tried to get into the water to help but was so rocky and stony he couldn't manage it.

A lady did manage to get a bit nearer about

Abuse on seafront ■ YESTERDAY my poor husband and dog were

abused by a man walking along the seafront.

My husband was not moving fast enough for this person and was walking with a stick to aid him. I was in front of him on a mobility scooter so didn't see what happened or who had done this.

My poor little dog had her paw trodden on followed by a kick in her ribs which made her yelp.

My husband fell over along with his stick and whoever hurt them both laughed at them.

We have holidayed in Lyme Regis on lots of occasions but never come across people like this before behaving in such a cruel way. What is wrong with people that they get their entertainment in this way?

This won't put us off enjoying our breaks here as there are many more people that have been lovely to us both and our dog.

Janet Morgan (by email)

knee depth to help the surfer bring the exhausted man in, who was visibly shaken. She ended up falling over but still managed to help.

Once the man got his footing back he didnt want any fuss and was very grateful to the surfer who no doubt saved his life. And they went their separate ways.

I wanted to write a letter in the hope that the surfer would read it, to thank him for saving the man's life. He was amazing and so quick, a real hero.

Lucy Sapsford (by email)

Thank you for safe flu clinic

■ GRATEFUL thanks to all members of the Lyme Bay Medical Practice who assisted at the first ‘Flu Clinic held at Woodmead Halls on Saturday 26th September.

Staff and volunteers did an excellent job in keeping everyone as safe as possible during the course of the day and Woodmead Halls was an excellent choice to comply with social distancing.

As a volunteer myself, of course there were lessons to be learnt for future ‘flu’ days and hopefully the next one will be just as good if not better than the first.

Caroline Powley Rhode Barton, Lyme Regis

Father and son shave heads for cancer charities LYME Regis horticulturists Nigel and Ashley Ball have undergone an autumn shave to raise funds for two cancer charities close to their hearts.

The father and son both shaved their heads on Sunday to raise funds for Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support and Macmillan Cancer Support.

They also sold some of their homegrown produce outside their home in Talbot Road over the weekend to boost funds, bringing the total raised so far to £1,100.

With Nigel’s wife Karen still undergoing cancer treatment, these two charities have been a great

support help to both her and the family during a difficult 15 months.

Nigel and Ashley would like to offer a massive thank you to all those who have donated.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to Nigel and Ashley can still do so by calling Nigel on 07855 079 194 or by emailing nigelball3@btinternet.com Nigel and Ashley are pictured above following their head shave and, inset, Nigel with wife Karen who inspired the fundraising event.

Friday, October 2 2020 11

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We are pleased to be supporting Cancer Research UK over the next month, by donating 10% of our online sales to the charity.

The Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK’s BIG Breakfast, which was due to take place this month has been canceled due to the more stringent COVID-19 regulations now in place.

We had planned to supply the bacon and sausages free of charge for the event. Instead, we will now be donating 10% of any online order over £9.99 made in the Lyme Regis and Charmouth area from September 25th to October 25th to the charity.

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12 Friday, October 2 2020

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COVID won’t stop Mary Anning Rocks campaign MARY Anning Rocks, a local campaign to raise a statue and learning legacy to palaeontologist Mary Anning in Lyme Regis, is now launching its long-awaited schools engagement programme, despite disruption to schools caused by COVID-19.

Local artist Darrell Wakelam has been chosen to head up this project, described by organisers as an “incredibly important part of creating a lasting monument for Mary”.

Local schoolchildren are being invited to create artwork on how they thing Mary’s statue should look, and the finalists’ work will help to shape the final design.

Darrell said: “I am delighted to have been asked to help with this project by Mary Anning Rocks, not only is it something I am passionately supportive of but as a resident of Lyme Regis.

“I think it’s really important that the local children get a chance to have their say and take some ownership of the idea too. I’m really looking forward to see the fantastic ideas they come up with.”

Evie Swire, a local schoolgirl who kickstarted the Mary Anning Rocks campaign in April 2018, added: “I want all the local children to be involved in how Mary should look because we will be the ones who will be looking after her, so it’s important they all know they had a part in making her.”

AWARD-WINNING actress Kate Winslet as Mary Anning on the set of ‘Ammonite’ in Lyme Regis It was originally intended for Darrell to host a workshop with all the key schools in the area, but the engagement programme will be now be delivered virtually.

Darrell will select a finalist from each school and will work closely with the sculptor Denise Dutton on selecting the winners.

Denise, who was chosen from a short list of nationally renowned sculptors, will then use the children’s designs to help her produce sketches and a maquette of how Mary will look.

“I think it’s a great idea involving the children, I can’t wait to see what they come up with,” said Denise.

Anya Pearson, a trustee of the Mary Anning Rocks campaign, commented: “We are also so excited to announce the prize for the two winners from each school will be to help our patron, TV and science presenter Professor Alice Roberts, unveil the statue when it’s ready!”

If you want to help raise funds or find out more about the campaign, visit the website www.maryanningrocks.co.uk

‘Ammonite’ preview to be screened in Sidmouth A PREVIEW screening of the much-anticipated film ‘Ammonite’, based on the life of Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning, will be held at the Radway Cinema in Sidmouth next month.

The Radway will be showing a London Film Festival regional screening of ‘Ammonite’, partially filmed in Lyme Regis in March 2019, on Saturday, October 17.

Half the tickets for the one-off screening have already sold-out, with the film not expected to go on general release until November.

The local preview will come as bittersweet news to Lyme Regis residents, as many had hoped it could premiere in Mary Anning’s hometown.

Lyme’s Regent Cinema, owned by the same company as the Radway, burnt down in March 2016 and progress to see it rebuilt

has been slow.

‘Ammonite’ stars Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet as fossil hunter Mary Anning and Saoirse Ronan as geologist Charlotte Murchsion.

Directed by Francis Lee, known for the acclaimed ‘God’s Own Country’, the film explores the themes of class and same sex relationships, with the two women developing an intense bond.

It won rave reviews from film critics after being premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

The screening at the Radway Cinema will be held on Saturday, October 17 at 5.30pm.

Socially distanced seating in operation and advance booking is recommended by visiting sidmouth.scottcinemas.co.uk/film/ammonite

THIS JUST IN...

Catch up with all the top stories with LymeOnline’s video news bulletins Weekly videos with a round-up of the latest stories, plus breaking news bulletins ‘Bringing your local news to life’

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Established estate agents launch new coastal service

JULIE Gordon and Susan Rumsby are back in business together to launch Gordon & Rumsby Coastal in Lyme Regis and Charmouth

SOME people may question starting a new business during a global pandemic, but after much planning and consultation - and following a surge in demand - Colyton-based estate agents Gordon & Rumsby are launching a new venture in the Lyme Regis and Charmouth area.

The established estate agents are now launching Gordon & Rumsby Coastal, offering coastal properties with a primary focus on Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

With a proven track record in selling properties across West Dorset and East Devon over the past 12 years, the Gordon & Rumsby team have identified the need for a bespoke, coastal service offering as more exclusive, focused and tailored approach.

Gordon & Rumsby Coastal will be fronted by Charmouth-based Susan Rumsby, who will be rejoining Julie Gordon for this joint venture, after initially working with her when the estate agents launched in 2009.

The successful duo, who worked together for many years at Gordon & Rumsby, will offer clients a wealth of expertise, local knowledge and a customised service - from valuation through to completion. And with Susan fronting the project, both buyers and vendors will have one personal contact throughout the entire process.

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We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you to those who responded to our survey.

We’ve taken on board your comments and will be looking at adding extra delivery days

and of course, we’ve listened to which dishes are favourites. It’s incredibly helpful to receive this information to improve what we do. We’ll keep you updated with our actions.

This week we are starting a food stall at Bridport Market on Wednesdays. If you are out and about in the area please pop by to say hello. We will be selling ready meals to take home and also some foods for eating on the go.

Having joined forces once again for their new venture, Susan and Julie said they shared a passion for what they do, prioritising good customer service, honesty, communication and the need for a more personal service.

“We want to offer both buyers and vendors a special service with care, attention and enthusiasm,” they added.

As a result of their recent successful sales in both Lyme Regis and Charmouth, Gordon & Rumsby have genuine, discerning cash buyers looking to purchase coastal homes.

They have recognised an increased interest in the Lyme Regis area during the coronavirus pandemic, as people have become more flexible working from home and are attracted to the safety of a rural area, beautiful local scenery and good schools.

If you are thinking of selling your home in Lyme Regis or Charmouth and are looking for a professional, honest, tailor-made service to suit your requirements, call Susan Rumsby on 01297 560678 or Julie Gordon on 01297 553768 and they will be happy to provide with a valuation for your coastal home.

Gordon & Rumsby would like to reassure all vendors and buyers that they are adhering to government safety guidelines during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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Red Pepper, Walnut & Wookey Hole Cheddar Lasagne £6 Rich layered buckwheat lasagne with tomato sauce, peas & autumn beans (milk, eggs, nuts, gluten free)

Mexican Selection Box £6 Tomato & chilli, bean crush, sweetcorn & cashew melt, mango salsa, patatas Guadalajara with pimento, red wine & thyme, crispy corn chips (vegan, gluten free, nuts)

Rangoon Red Curry £5 Autumn vegetables cooked in a medium red chilli, ginger sauce with star anise, roast cashew, coconut & coriander rice (vegan, gluten free, nuts) Sausage & Mushroom Pie £6 Tierra wild mushroom sausages with a rich leek & mushroom sauce topped with all butter puff pastry (gluten, milk, soy) Roast Pumpkin, Hazelnut & Sage Risotto £6 Deep flavoured risotto with hazelnut crust (Vegan, gluten free, nuts, soy) Don’t forget to check our website for lovely wines and condiments

Tierra Falafel Box £5 Tierra falafels with red cabbage, lime & mint salad, pickled cucumber & mild chilli, hummus (vegan, gluten free, sesame) Bag of Organic Salad £2.50

Desserts Baked New York Cheesecake £3 With vanilla & lemon (milk, eggs, gluten free) Dark Chocolate & Pear Tart £3 Chocolate chip biscuit base, chocolate crema, fresh poached pear topping (gluten free, vegan, soy)

Free home deliveries made between 3pm and 6pm. Orders made after 2pm will be delivered the next day that we are open (Tuesday to Saturday) Tuesday - Saturday: Lyme Regis, Uplyme, Charmouth, Morcombelake Wednesday: Axminster, Kilmington and surrounding areas Thursday: Bridport and surrounding areas Friday: Seaton, Colyton, Rousdon and surrounding areas

Order at shop.tierrakitchen.co.uk or call 07827 224735 or 01297 445189

14 Friday, October 2 2020

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Next Candles on the Cobb moved to 2022 CANDLES on the Cobb, which was next due to take place in August 2021, has been put off for another year due to a clash of local events.

In preparing the town diary for 2021, Lyme Regis Town Council noted that there was a clash of events on the August Bank Holiday weekend, with both Candles on the Cobb and the annual Lyme Folk Weekend scheduled to take place.

As organisers of the folk festival had already entered into a number of commitments for the 2021 festival, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis, which now organises Candles on the Cobb, offered to move their event to the same weekend in 2022.

This means Lyme Folk Weekend will not be held on its usual date of the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2022. The festival was not held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Candles on the Cobb is a spectacular and unique fundraising event in which thousands of tea-light candles are used to light up the historic Cobb harbour, with members of the public sponsoring candles in memory of loved ones.

Originally established by local fundraisers Phil Street and Mike Higgs in 2000, the event was taken over by the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis in 2018, after the previous committee stood down, having raised tens of thousands of pounds over the years.

The event is held on an ad hoc basis rather than annually, but always attracts huge crowds to the town. When it was last held in 2018, it raised more than £10,000 for local organisations and the Royal British Legion, despite being hit by poor weather conditions.

Still time to have your say on Royal College of Art’s research project

THE Royal College of Art’s Lyme Regis Utopia shows the Cobb Gate area adapted with open green spaces, wider pavements and limited traffic THE Royal College of Art’s community engagement and transport planning project is continuing to invite comments about its initial findings on Lyme Regis and is interested to hear views from as many people as possible.

Lyme Regis was one of three rural communi-

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ties chosen for a prestigious research project, with the aim of aims to reimagining public spaces and transport systems in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Having listened to the views of those who have taken part in the project so far, the Royal College of Art (RCA) created a visualisation of what might be possible in the town, described as a ‘Lyme Regis Utopia’, which they hope could provide solutions for one of the town’s biggest issues – traffic congestion and lack of parking.

The ‘Lyme Regis Utopia’ shows an image of the Cobb Gate area adapted with open green spaces, wider pavements and limited traffic to create a “bustling public realm”.

In contrast, the RCA has also created a ‘Lyme Regis Dystopia’ based on people’s concerns, showing the same area of Cobb Gate with packed crowds, busy roads and no green space.

Outlining their hopes and ambitions for the community, those taking part in the project listed green, clean and inclusive spaces; more social activities including leisure and sport; better transport connections and reduced traffic in the town centre; affordable housing for young generations; not to become overly reliant on tourism; a solution to litter problems; and a greater variety of jobs.

The main issues raised were regarding traffic, congestion and parking, with Broad Street and Church Street the main areas of concern, as well as environmental issues and isolation.

The RCA is now looking at ‘Barriers to

Change’ and is asking residents to keep sharing their views so the project researchers can gain insights into where their stakeholders - which include the Transport Planning Society; Royal Town Planning Institute; Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation; National Association of Local Councils; SUSTRANS; Living Streets; the RAC Foundation and the Centre for Ageing Better - can help promote processes which enable wide community involvement in planning for the future of towns and villages.

Funding is currently being sought for continuation of the project beyond the presentation of the final findings to be released on Sustainable Transport Day on November 16.

Town councillor Belinda Bawden, who has been promoting the project locally, said: “ “Please get involved - this is a real chance to be listened to about the challenges we face and the visions we have for the future.”

There are a number of ways residents can share their view - you could choose the original survey, the ‘Barriers to Change’ survey, join Zoom meetings or email and phone to talk to the research team.

In particular, researchers would be keen to hear the views of younger people and anyone with different mobility experiences.

Those interested in getting involved should contact Belinda Bawden on 01297 443739 or email belindabawden@gmail.com, or Cheryl Reynolds on 01297 443814 or email cherylreynolds1947@gmail.com.

Town council refuses to contribute to beach works LYME Regis Town Council has refused a request for a financial contribution towards the recent harbour dredging and beach replenishment works.

Dorset Council requested that the town council make a contribution of £15,000 towards the work, which was carried out at Lyme Regis harbour and beach in the spring.

The total cost of the annual works this year was £150,000 and Dorset Council has secured a grant from the Environment Agency totalling £300,000 for five years, but they said a contribution of £15,000 from the town council would “greatly assist with the considerable costs we have incurred this year”.

Project engineer Robert Clarke added: “I hope you agree that in terms of volume, etc.

the beach is looking very healthy and has proved to be as popular as ever this year.

“It was unfortunate that the works took place during the extremely good weather we had earlier in the year. COVID-19 led us to delaying the works until such time it was deemed safe.

“Monitoring data shows that without the beach management, the sand beach will gradually decline over time so it’s imperative we carry our the annual works whenever possible.”

The request for funding came after the town council contributed £4,000 to the works in 2018. However, considering its current financial position, councillors refused the request for £15,000.

Friday, October 2 2020 15

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Go Eco Cabs start planting a Word Forest LOCAL environmental charity, The Word Forest Organisation, is thrilled to announce a corporate partnership with Go Eco Cabs, Dorset's first fully electric vehicle taxi service.

The taxi firm is donating 50p for every journey over £5 which is helping plant fast-growing trees in the tropics to tackle climate change.

Go Eco Cabs was launched in 2020; it has two electric vehicles and is run by Jay Major and Jo Walker who have a Nissan Leaf and a MG ZS electric vehicle. The partnership will see a donation from journeys over £5 by Go Eco Cabs, being made to Lyme based charity, The Word Forest Organisation, helping them get urgently needed trees in the ground in Kenya.

People who travel with Jay and Jo will be actively mitigating climate chaos twice over, once by riding in an electric vehicle and additionally by helping clean the air that blows all over the world via tree planting.

Jay explains: “We, like many families, want to do what we can to lessen our impact on the climate crisis, so we created West Dorset's first eco friendly, zero emissions, 100 per cent electric taxi company.

“We're based in Lyme Regis and serve Charmouth, Axminster, Bridport, Seaton and beyond. Our clients are locals and tourists who like to use our services to get to where they need to go, knowing they are doing their bit for the environment.”

Jo added: “We are really excited to be corporate partners with Word Forest as it is a cause we are passionate about. During the summer season, by choosing to use Go Eco Cabs, our customers are helping to plant on average one tree per day."

The Word Forest Organisation was cofounded by Lyme residents and passionate environmentalists, Tracey and Simon West. They plant trees, build schools, facilitate education and support women’s empowerment in rural Kenya, and aside from the building, they do much the same in the UK. During lockdown, they’ve shifted their focus from face-to-face fundraising and are moving to a 100 per cent digital fundraising strategy, finding new corporate partners and devising creative ways to strengthen their income and mitigate climate chaos.

Since March, they’ve been distributing vital food aid, helping more than1,500 members of tree-planting communities keep starvation at bay.

The reason they plant predominantly in the tropics is because trees there grow up to 10 times faster in Kenya than anywhere else on the planet. This makes them incredibly efficient at drawing down and locking in CO2 and other pollutants, thereby mitigating climate change and sea level rise.

According to a recent report in The Guardian,

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the National Grid is preparing itself for a boom in renewable energy projects, including at least 3GW of new wind power capacity and 1.4GW of solar generation every year from now until 2050. Alongside this there will be a widespread rollout of electric vehicles, which will effectively act as smart-charging “batteries” to help balance the electricity grid.

The Wests are strong proponents of electric cars and recently traded their six-year-old Nissan Leaf for newer model.

Simon explains: "We wanted to be early adopters of the technology so we could help it grow. Back in 2014, the charging infrastructure in the South West was almost non-existent and I did have ‘range anxiety’. We could only do about 80 miles before needing to charge up and that was drastically reduced if we encountered hills.

“We managed though and only turtled it once and our old car notched up 60,000 miles over six years. We've probably saved about £8,000 on petrol and other associated costs like car tax, insurance and servicing.

“Thankfully, there are a few more charging points around Lyme, Bridport and Axminster, but we've got a long way to go before we match places like Bristol or the outskirts of London, where abundant charging options are commonplace."

Simon continued: "Our coastal towns and villages are so vulnerable to sea level rise. There should be far more renewable energy projects countrywide but particularly here, to make the area more sustainable and our world healthier.

“In North Wales, they're decommissioning a seaside town called Fairbourne. House prices have plummeted and the council have basically washed their hands of the inevitability of it being reclaimed by the sea. What would happen if that occurred in Charmouth, West Bay or Lyme Regis?”

Tracey added: “More and more businesses are getting to grips with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and going green. Forging a partnership with an environmental charity like Word Forest is a surefire way of attracting clients to your business who care for the planet too.

“There's lots of money to be made in responsible, sustainable, ethical trading and quite frankly, it's the way all businesses should be heading. If we don't take care of our world and plant more trees, we'll end up with an even more inhospitable climate in northern latitudes.”

She concluded: “Many of the folks we’re working with in Kenya live just three degrees south of the equator, they’re quite literally on the front line of climate change and it's getting hotter all the time as desertification creeps in.

“Crops stop growing once it hits a certain temperature - how will they survive then? We have to do more to keep weather extremes and sea level rise at bay.

“We are working flat out to do all we can and we'd love to talk to more inspirational business owners like Go Eco Cabs to help them become #TreeHeroes too."

For more details, email Tracey on tracey@WordForest.org, visit the website WordForest.org or watch the documentary #TreesAreTheKey narrated by Kate Winslet.

And for a good, green lift around Dorset, Devon or Somerset, contact Jay or Jo at Go Eco Cabs on 01297 445 444 or visit go-ecocabs.com

Five steps to a plastic-free food shop CUTTING down on single-use plastic can seem like an enormous task if you try to tackle it all in one go.

Sometimes when you are trying to avoid it, it seems to be everywhere!

Where do you start?

If you are feeling overwhelmed, the most important thing is not to worry about cutting it all out at once. It’s much easier to start with some small changes and then keep going from there.

One way to do this is to tackle daily tasks one by one. As a start, here are five simple steps to plastic free food shopping: 1) Refuse single-use plastic bags in shops.

It’s a great idea to keep a set of re-usable bags to take to the shops whenever you go.

Try keeping some handy by the front door, a small one in a handbag or a few in the car so that they are always on hand. Or use Boomarang bags if they are available locally.

2) Use your local greengrocers, farm shop, market or veg box delivery scheme. These will usually be plastic free and have the added advantage of supporting local businesses.

3) Buy milk in washable, re-usable glass bottles – either the old fashioned way from the milkman, or local shops offering refill schemes like Mulberry Manor. There are quite a few of these available via vending machines – this article has a list of those available in Dorset: https://dorset.foodiefeed.co.uk/dorsets-milk-vending-machines/ 4) Use your local zero-waste shop – there are many shops now offering refill services, like The Monmouth Pantry, for many dried

food items and toiletries. It’s easy to take along your own containers and re-use these time and time again. You can choose the amount you want, which can also cut down on food waste.

5) Choose products packaged in paper, cardboard, tins or other plastic alternatives over those packaged in plastic. If your favourite brand has not switched to an alternative, write and ask them to change their packaging so that they know that is important to their consumers in making their produce choice.

Avoiding single use plastic is the best solution, but if you find that the item you need is only packaged in plastic, it is usually best to try to buy the largest size available rather then lots of small packages.

If you find that no matter how hard you have tried, you end up with a piece of unwanted plastic packaging, it is still possible to re-use or recycle most plastic items. Take them home, wash them, re-use them, find a new use for them or if that’s not possible, recycle them responsibly.

Alison Johnson Plastic Free Lyme Regis

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Dorset prepares climate change action plan DORSET Council has prepared its action plan for how the local authority will help tackle climate change over the next few decades.

Having declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency last year, a draft Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy was produced in July 2020.

This presented eight key areas for action to ensure that the council’s services and estate become carbon neutral (i.e. they save more carbon than they produce) by 2040, and across the whole Dorset Council area by 2050.

Following approval of the strategy, Cabinet members asked for a costed action plan that identifies what the council will do to hit the strategy’s targets.

In a paper set to go to Dorset Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, October 6, a report sets out the findings of this work and gives an idea of working costs to feed into the budget setting process.

The paper also recommends that both the climate change strategy and action plan are taken to public consultation at the end of October.

The draft plan contains 187 actions for how the council will tackle climate change over the next 20-30 years. About 97 of these will require additional funding, totalling in the region of £127million over that period.

Examples of actions proposed include: ● Make the most of renewable energy opportunities of all council-owned buildings; convert all buildings without gas/electricity to heat pumps or biomass, convert heating of all other buildings to hydrogen-ready hybrid heat pumps, install solar panels on every roof ● Construct or buy into large renewable energy

installation/s (solar panels or wind turbines) on council-owned land to meet demand ● Produce a supplementary planning policy to encourage renewable energy being integrated into all new buildings ● Use council buildings in trial projects to test the use of hydrogen heating ● Reduce use of fertilisers on council land by increased use of locally produced compost ● Develop plan to transition county farms to low carbon production – work with county farm tenants to encourage the adoption of more climate and ecological friendly practice ● Councillors to lobby government for additional resources and the national policy framework to support climate action in Dorset ● Establish a policy to ensure all new buildings that Dorset Council has direct influence over (as landowners, clients, or designers) are zero carbon ● Creation of suitable high ecological value areas on council land (incl. bee-friendly, wildflower, hedge and woodland planting zones) and areas for carbon sequestration and climate resilience ● Ensure access to sustainable transport is considered in planning applications ● Encourage decarbonisation of road transport through development of public electric vehicle charging network and promotion of ultra-low emission vehicles ● Where feasible, replace council vehicle fleet with electric and or hydrogen replacements Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “From the very start of this process, I said we would work hard to ensure that both our

strategy and action plan for the Climate and Ecological Emergency were ambitious, exciting and realistic.

“Now that these have been fully drafted, I’m proud to present them as a true demonstration of how seriously we are taking our responsibilities toward tackling climate change.

“There are some quick-wins within the plan that we’ll be looking to get in place as soon as possible, but there are also hugely ambitious actions – especially regarding renewable energy – that I’m excited to hear what the public think about.

“Some actions just need us to change how we do things, but others will require extra funding, changes in government legislation and close partnership working.

“I want to thank the many councillors and officers who have taken the time to help devise this strategy and plan, as well the members of the public who submitted their views and ideas earlier this year, which were incorporated into our work.

“Please read the strategy and action plan and be sure to let us know what you think when the consultation opens.”

Members of the public can watch the Cabinet meeting online on Tuesday, October 6 at 10am by downloading the Microsoft Teams app and following the link on the published agenda on the Dorset Council website.

It is expected to be a lengthy meeting with several important topics to discuss, including the council’s budget for 2021/22 which is expected to see a shortfall of £35million, and regulations regarding dogs on beaches.

Friday, October 2 2020 17

Council running car-share scheme trial LYME Regis Town Council has agreed the use of a car parking space at Woodmead Halls to run a trail for a Hybrid car-share club.

The only option to get this scheme off the ground, with a minimal cost to the town council, is to find 30 people to pay a £25 deposit to be in the car-share club.

If you or someone you know may be interested, would like more information or would like to help get the scheme up and running, contact Councillor Belinda Bawden on 01297 443739 or belindabawden@gmail.com Accommodation providers may also want to recommend a car club to their guests which could reduce parking permit costs. Similar schemes are proving very popular in other towns.

Councillor Bawden commented: “Next step, let's work towards a car-share club with electric cars and e-bikes rentals!”

Help needed on energy saving projects IS anyone interested in helping out on energy saving projects in Lyme Regis.

These could include: ● Support residents with applications to the New Green Homes Grant ● Form a group large enough to talk to a contractor for a community discount on retrofitting and energy insulation measures ● Consider a community energy generation scheme ● Work on a solar potential project Those interested should contact Belinda Bawden on 01297 443739 or email belindabawden@gmail.com

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Community centre launches £10,000 fundraising appeal PIPPINS Community Centre in Axminster is today launching a crowdfunding appeal and is urging the people of Axminster to “dig deep” to help them continue their much-admired work in the town.

Pippins is a registered charity but will soon become a Community Interest Organisation (CIO).

All proceeds generated from hiring out their rooms are reinvested back into the centre and to support a number of initiatives that serve the people Axminster and beyond.

During the COVID-19 lockdown period, they provided food support to 200 people connected to their work at Pippins, from the end of March until August. They have been extremely proud to have worked closely with Axminster Foodbank, ACER, Nourish, Exeter Food Action and FareShares South West in Bristol.

Pippins was ‘born’ as a dedicated community centre in 2016, and has come a long way since, growing its usage from just two community user groups to the 40-plus initiatives that are now based out of the centre, each doing valuable work in the community.

Here’s just a small sample of some of the initiatives Pippins house or support: ● Community Café to help combat loneliness and isolation in the community

● Nourish – a community initiative set up to pro-

vide access to nourishing food when support is needed ● Job Club – a completely free service to help local jobseekers including Citizens Advice and East Devon Benefits Service ● Together Devon - The Hub Drug & Alcohol recovery service ● Two baby and toddler groups ● Headlight Mental Health Services for young people ● Adult learning opportunities – Learn Devon mathematics and Conversational English lessons ● United Response cookery sessions - supporting people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism and mental health support needs ● Axminster Memory Café – supporting individuals with dementia, and their carers ● Axminster New Youth Club for children and teens aged 11+ ● Axminster Home Educators ● Singing Matters singing group – singing for wellbeing ● Axminster Methodist Church congregation ● The LIFE Community Christian community The crowdfunding appeal is hoping to raise

A national network of h hyperlocal news websites, now covering the Axminster & Seatton areas

THE Pippins team ready for action £10,000 by October 25 and if they raise a minimum 25 per cent of the £10,000 target (£2,500), they are hopeful that the campaign will be considered for match funding from East Devon District Council’s #crowdfunddevon project, meaning that the amount raised could be matched with additional funds from the council.

Launching the crowdfunding appeal on social media today, a spokesperson said: “We’ve been lucky to recently secure the Pippins building as our own permanent home, but as one of Axminster’s most prominent grade 11 listed Georgian buildings there’s lots to do to keep it watertight, windproof, safe and welcoming.

“Pippins is in desperate need of a full exterior and interior re-paint, with additional mending and repairs (including our many beautiful sash windows) along the way.

“Funds are needed to foot the cost of painting, scaffolding and essential works so that we can secure our building not just for the winter ahead, but for the future too, to safeguard our vital community facility for years to come.

“Our first crowdfunding campaign focusses on the exterior painting project – with potential to extend to repairs to our windows, fascias, guttering and some interior areas if we hit our target.”

You can support the crowdfunding appeal by visiting www.crowdfunder.co.uk/pippins-community-centre-needs-weather-proofing?

Charity shop targeted by thieves

CHARITY Togs in South Street, Axminster, was broken into during the early hours of Saturday morning.

Money and goods from the shop were stolen and a considerable mess was made.

The alarm was raised when the intruders were heard inside the building by a member of the public nearby.

The police were called and two suspects were apprehended. This has since resulted in one male being charged with burglary and the illicit haul being recovered in full.

The shop raises funds for Axminster Care Service, which was established more than 30 years ago.

During this time ACS has re-distributed funds raised at the shop to those in need within the community, along with supporting other charities in the town during their early stages or difficult times, to the tune of many thousands of pounds.

During the COVID-19 lockdown Axminster Care Service has facilitated the phone lines for ACER along with delivering prescriptions to those in isolation.

Axminster New Youth Club reopens

AXMINSTER New Youth Club, formed in 2014, opened again this week conforming strictly to the new COVID-19 restrictions.

The club which meets at the Pippins Community Centre on Tuesdays is open to youngsters between the ages of 11 and 16 years.

Some changes have been introduced due to the current coronavirus situation and at the moment they can cope with up to 15 children at one time. Should more wish to attend a booking service may have to be introduced.

Activities available at the club include cooking, arts and crafts, basketball, karaoke, table football, wifi, pool, football, veggie garden and wii and Xbox games.

COVID support group put on hold

A GROUP set up to provide Axminster residents with support during the coronavirus pandemic has suspended its operations.

Axminster Community Emergency Response (ACER) has suspended its voluntary work as residents try and get back to a normal way of life.

Spokesman Steve Holt said the organisation had been put into hibernation and could be resurrected should the need arise.

Since launching in March, ACER volunteers have delivered more than 1,500 prescriptions to local residents, and carried out more than 350 essential shopping trips as well as providing hundreds of food parcels.

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AXMINSTER estate agents Vicary & Co held a fundraiser on the Minster Green last week in aid of two cancer charities. Staff from Vicary & Co teamed up with the popular Community Waffle House to host a takeaway coffee morning and cake stall in aid of Axminster & Lyme Cancer Support and Macmillan Cancer Support. The Waffle House - open in West Street for its last week before moving to Trinity House in November - served takeaway teas and coffees, while the staff from Vicary & Co and volunteers from Axminster & Lyme Cancer Support sold cakes on the Minster Green.

Friday, October 2 2020 19

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The dark skies of Dorset and Devon OBSERVATIONS OF THE UNIVERSE FROM LYME REGIS

O

NE of the benefits of living in Lyme Regis and much of Dorset is that we are in a part of the country where we can often appreciate the dark skies away from the bright lights of big towns and cities.

In fact, Cranborne Chase, which straddles the Dorset border with Wiltshire, was recently designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve and became only the fourteenth such reserve in the world. At 380 square miles, it has the largest central area of darkness of any of the dark sky reserves in the UK. Here in Lyme, the expanse of empty ocean to the south and the (mainly) sympathetic street lighting cuts down on light pollution and enables us to see distant star constellations, planets and even the odd galaxy on a clear night.

I am sure this favoured position has encouraged a number of astronomers, past and present, to locate themselves in West Dorset and East Devon.

In 1884, an historic observatory was built at nearby Rousdon - just a few miles from Lyme Regis - by Sir Cuthbert Peek on his estate. For Victorian times, this was a substantial building and possessed a 6.4 inch refracting telescope.

Peek even employed a professional observer called Charles Grover who produced a notable catalogue of stars which change their brightness over time – known as variable stars. A frontier achievement in the 19th century!

Over at Salcombe Hill, near to Sidmouth, we also still have the working domes and telescopes of the Norman Lockyer Observatory, named after another Victorian astronomer.

Lockyer is jointly credited with discovering the gas helium in the Sun’s atmosphere and became the first Professor of Astronomical Physics at the Royal College of Science in Kensington.

It was also Lockyer who named the newly discovered element helium – from the greek “helios” meaning the Sun. He was duly knighted by Queen Victoria in 1897 and then retired in 1913 to establish his observatory in

SCIENCE FEATURE

by Professor Glenn Patrick

Professor Glenn Patrick is a particle physicist and science communicator who explores the quantum world of sub-atomic particles (including at the Large Hadron Collider) and now lives in Lyme Regis Salcombe Regis, which is a lasting legacy to Victorian astronomy.

Returning to Lyme Regis, when travelling down the Cobb Road, I am sure you will have noticed the oddly shaped tower in the grounds of Belmont – the imposing Georgian villa that was once the former home of John Fowles.

This polygonal tower is in fact the survivor of another astronomical observatory dating back to 1881 when the Victorian GP Dr Richard Bangay bought Belmont as a family home.

Bangay was a keen amateur astronomer and copied the standard design of the Romsey Observatory (a sort of IKEA kit of its day) complete with a revolving roof.

On open days held by The Landmark Trust, you can visit Belmont and marvel at the restoration of this iconic Victorian building by local volunteers.

Living in Dorset, the associations of novelist and poet Thomas Hardy are never far away.

What perhaps is less appreciated is his fascination with astronomy. It has been commented by a number of people that stars feature in every one of his novels and in a number of his poems.

His romantic fantasy ‘Two On A Tower’ – first published in 1882 - even explored the life of a Victorian astronomer and his lover surveying the heavens from a tower on a private estate. One wonders where he found the local inspiration for his story!

In our modern times, we now have access to telescopes, binoculars and digital cameras to observe the majesty of THE observatory tower the night sky. The at Belmont House in beautiful photographs Lyme Regis and right, frequently published on social media of the the revolving roof inCobb or Durdle Door side the tower against the background of the Milky Way is testament to our continued fascination with our connection to the Universe and what lies beyond planet Earth.

For my part though, I often find my mind returning to a rather basic question which has profound significance. Why is the night sky dark and not bright? This became known as Olber’s Paradox, named after the German astronomer Heinrich Olbers, who encapsulated this ancient question in 1826.

Olber argued that if we live in a static, infinite, homogenous universe, then every line of sight should

HUBBLE Ultra Deep Field image of 10,000 emerging galaxies. The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos - looking back 13 billion years when the Universe was only 800 million years old!

end on the surface of a star, which then would surely mean that the night sky should be bright and not dark! In the same way that we cannot see through an infinite forest of trees without seeing a wall of tree trunks, we should see a “wall of stars” if we are surrounded by an infinite number of them.

This paradox has challenged scientific minds across the centuries with numerous explanations, and even today textbooks often contain errors. A clue to the answer can be found in the deepest view of the Universe from the Hubble Space Telescope. This famous image is of a small area of space, but in terms of depth it looks back 13 billion years – only 800 million years after the Big Bang!

This small element of space is estimated to contain 10,000 galaxies. An impressive number of galaxies and hence stars, but it turns out that these cover only 1 per cent of the sky - not anywhere near enough to illuminate the whole cosmos. We have to accept that the Universe is mostly an empty void, at least optically.

Strangely, the accepted answer to Olber’s puzzle has its origins in an observation by the poet Edgar Allan Poe who supposed “the distance of the invisible background to be so immense that no ray has been able to reach us at

all”. In other words, there are simply not enough stars in the visible Universe to cover the sky.

Even if the Universe is infinitely large in extent, it is not infinitely old and has only been around since the Big Bang. When we look back in space, we also look back in time and the maximum distance we can receive light is currently about 14 billion light years. This means that the portion of the Universe that is observable to us is finite. If there are further stars beyond this limit, their light has yet to reach us.

It is like looking for ships in Lyme Bay where we can only observe the sea to the limit of the horizon.

Another important factor in the riddle is that we now know that even those stars that sit within our visual limit only live for a finite age as they burn up their nuclear fuel. Yes, new stars are being born, but at a much smaller rate than earlier ages. So, the “forest of stars” is also gradually being depleted over time.

Next time you gaze up at the tapestry of bright stars in the Dorset night sky, it is worth pausing to also wonder about those black bits – for they are what truly connect us with the cosmos and still carry many of its secrets!

20 Friday, October 2 2020

FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer

The coldest morning preparing for take-off THE press were invited to photograph the Royal Navy’s Sea Harriers going to war, leaving Yeovilton at 5am on the coldest morning I have ever experienced.

It was almost total darkness as half a dozen press reporters and photographers, as well as TV cameramen, waited for the aircraft to finish receiving final checks and refuelling before the take-off.

It was apparently -5 on the runway and it took its toll; one reporter collapsed and had to be evacuated by an on-duty ambulance crew.

The sun came up and the last aircraft was almost ready to go. It would have been a strong picture had the sun shone through the Harrier and the crew, but a low bank of cloud prevented it as the sun broke free just above the aeroplane. It was published in The Times newspaper the following day so, as a newspaper photographer, that’s whats its all about!

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ITEMS FOR SALE

CARAVAN FOR SALE

Elddis Odyssey 505 caravan on site between Beer and Colyton in East Devon - Leacroft EX24 6HY. Two owners from new in 2002, full and porch awnings, everything available to move into. Price £2,600.

01217 051483 or 07980 729 551 FRIDGE/FREEZER, Electrolux under worktop fridge and freezer, good working order, £50 07840 938 374.

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ITEMS TO SELL?

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

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Axe Valley Academy

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Friday, October 2 2020 23

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LymeOnline Sport

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

Uplyme youngsters getting ‘rough ride’ in Perry Street football UPLYME 1sts got back to winning ways with a comfortable 4-1 home win over a physical Donyatt in Perry Street Division Two – but yet again their opponents were determined to kick them off the park using any tactics necessary.

After dropping points last week Uplyme were more decisive in front of goal, with an excellent double from the sharp Alex Jones giving the Swallows a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Donyatt’s aggressive tactics affected Uplyme’s rhythm in the sec-

ond half. They conceded a penalty but it was blazed over the trees and across the cricket ground.

This was a wake-up call for Uplyme and they immediately swept upfield and Oscar Sladen smashed in a great volley to kill the game.

Niall Fifer finished off a great footballing move late in the game.

Uplyme manager Steve Gillan, concerned about the way his young team are being treated by some of the more robust sides in Perry Street football, commented after the game: “It’s a shame the term ‘It’s a man’s game’ gets trotted out by so many older men in these

leagues, those who struggle to keep up with fitter, better players and, instead, have to use sad tactics.

“Referees really need to clamp down on it in Perry Street. It’s a sad reflection of some teams in the lower leagues and it’ll deter some of our younger lads from playing if they’re not protected better.”

Thorncombe 6, Uplyme Reserves 2 Perry Street Division 3 THIS was another tough test for the young Uplyme Reserves team in the shape of an experienced Thorncombe side. With a decent ref who

golf

let the game flow, the Swallows’ second string started brightly and matched the home team before giving away a penalty when a ball struck Nate Gillan’s arm at close range.

Uplyme’s equaliser became the with the goal of the game. The ball was picked up by Ollie Alner on the half-way line, he rode a sliding tackle before racing down the right wing to deliver a pin point cross for Marcus Symonds to volley home.

Thorncombe were troubling the Uplyme defence with balls over the top to their wide players and they capitalised from one of these to score before a miss-hit cross wrongfooted Mikey Sayers to send the Swallows in 3-1 down at half-time.

Second half followed a similar pattern. Thorncombe scored direct from a corner, we conceded a fifth before Alex Pennington won and converted a penalty. Uplyme con-

ceded again late in the game concede again to finish at 6-2.

Manager Pete Blandamer said afterwards: “I thought we gave a good account of ourselves but were missing an old head at the back against canny forwards.

“We looked potent going forward and stand-outs for me were Louis Bamford and Alex Pennington.

Ethan Matthews made his debut and impressed. That ball over the top to Ollie was sublime.

“Guy Bryant, making his debut, also showed that bit of bite needed at this level. Man-of-the-match for me was Alex, his work-rate is improving by the game. Division Three is proving to be a very competitive league.

“As a side note, the ref and opposition both complimented us on how well our team played. The ref spoke to the lads afterwards and praised their good conduct.”

Prolific striker Tony Pinder returns to Axminster Town TONY Pinder, one of Axminster Town’s most prolific strikers in recent times, is returning to Tiger Way. Manager Josh Stunnell has confirmed that Pinder, who in his last season with the Tigers scored 31 goals, had returned to the club and would be in the squad for Axminster’s home match against Newton Abbot Spurs on Wednesday.

Stunnell sees Pinder’s return as the boost that his young side needs PICTURED (from the left) L to R, Marina Cave, Melissa McMahon and Jean Jolley

Strength of ladies’ section shines through THE ladies of Lyme Regis Golf Club played their 36-hole championships in a day with five prizes up for grabs, and although two names shone out the overall performances were a good reflection of the strength of the ladies section.

The strokeplay championship was won by scratch golfer Melissa McMahon who laid a solid, brilliant foundation by scoring one under par on the first 18, which included two consecutive birdies on two par 5s.

In second place was Jean Jolley with Rosie Jackman third.

Jolley went one better in the handicap competition putting together two exceptional rounds, with 36 steady holes to finish one under nett par to take top spot.

It is a credit to McMahon’s pure skill, finishing in second place, while a very accomplished second round bought Gilly Madill into third place.

The Scot Cup, awarded to the most improved score from round 10ne to round two, went to Marina Cave, The Morning Cup is the best nett a.m. round and with only two shots separating the top three, McMahon worthily took this honour on countback from Jean Jolley, with Judith Williams a point behind on 73 in third place.

The nine-hole competition was won by rising star Julie Kabia with an impressive 23 points, from Beverley Blake on 20 and Mary Moulding on 17.

The course has been in wonderful condition for the recent

run of competitions, a credit to all the green staff, and as this week is maintenance week the ladies are having a phenomenal turnout of over 60 for a nine-hole Texas Scramble involving experienced players and those new to the game, surely a good sign of things to come.

Just before maintenance week, a good turnout went for the President’s Prize stableford competition and Les Bounds, despite ‘blobbing’ the first hole, came back strongly to win with 37 points.

With four players on 36 points, countback favoured Jason Lindley who scored 19 points on the back nine, meaning Stephen Pitt finished in bronze spot with his 18.

as they face some challenging games over the next few weeks.

The Axminster boss does not think his squad is a million miles from competing well in the Premier East division but they have not been making the most of their chances in front of goal. The presence of Pinder, who left Axminster to get Western League experience with Bridport and has also played for Cullompton, could be the answer this problem.

Axminster put in a good performance at Torpoint Athletic on Saturday and although they lost 2-1, they were the better side in the last 25 minutes. Luke Finn got the Axminster goal and centre-half Owen Burn was selected as the man-of-the-match.

The Tigers face a tough challenge this coming Saturday when they welcome Ilfracombe Town to Tiger Way. The South Devon side are lying in third place in the South West Peninsular Premier East table, having won all five of their opening games.

CALLING ALL LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUBS

TONY PINDER - back at Axminster Town to score goals

If you would like your matches to be featured on the LymeOnline website and in our print version, email your reports to Philip Evans at philip@lyme-online.co.uk

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LymeOnline Sport

24 Friday, October 2 2020

September 18 2020

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NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER LEAGUE

FIRST HOME FIXTURE Saturday, October 3 Lyme Regis Reserves v Dunkeswell Rovers

football

Seasiders hit six in first game Bond and Parsons score two apiece PHILIP EVANS

philip@lyme-online.co.uk

IN their first Devon & Exeter League Premier East game of the season, Lyme Regis 1sts started very fast and could have been one up inside the opening moments as the high pressure forced Kentisbeare into a number of mistakes.

It didn’t take long for Lyme to take the lead as Danny Rendell converted a cross from the right to put the Seasiders 1-0 up after five minutes.

Joe Bond added the second five minutes later as Rendell slotted him through and he calmly rounded the keeper and side-footed home.

It looked as if Lyme were about to run riot but were caught over committed by a quick counter attack and although keeper Chris Higgs almost saved the effort from point blank range, it dribbled into he corner for 2-1.

Seconds later Lyme were caught napping again and Kentisbeare equalised from close range after the visitors failed to block a cross from the left.

This prompted a great response from Lyme who took the lead again on the half hour mark as Fred Par-

sons picked up the ball in the middle of the park and released an unstoppable drive into the top corner from 30 yards.

There was still enough time for Lyme to add two more before half time as Joe Bond grabbed his second after a great run and finish, and then Brad Rowe deservedly got in on the act scoring from close range to leave the game 5-2 at half time.

The second half started badly for Lyme who lost focus and again conceded two sloppy goals in a matter of seconds.

This had the same effect as the first half, stunning Lyme into a response and they took complete charge of the game carving out chance after chance.

It wasn’t until the 70th minute that Lyme sealed the deal when Fred Parsons cooly added his second of the game and there was no way back for Kentisbeare.

After theme the Seasiders’ manager Mark Bailey said: “Despite dominating for long periods the two spells of lost focus are a slight concern but overall we were pretty happy with the work rate and quality on show.”

Tomorrow (Saturday) Lyme travel over the Devon border to meet Beer Albion who in their first league match of the season lost 2-1 at home to Feniton.

LYME Rovers line-up for the start of a new season - back row (from the left) Dec Ellis (assistant manager), Jon Davies, Imran Chowdhury, Matt White, Toby Fowler, Robbie Fowler, Adam Clarke, Josh Daines, Dan Rendell. Front row (from the left) - Rob Larcombe (manager), Pete Peacock, Darius Pickering, Ryan Fifer, Cam Fowler and Lloyd Cleal

Rovers give away two late goals

LYME Rovers picked up their first point in Division One of the Perry Street League in a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Waytown Hounds at the Woodroffe School top pitch (writes Philip Evans).

In blustery conditions, the Rovers made full use of the wind in the first half and went in at half-time with a 2-0 lead.

But Waytown also took full advantage of the conditions after the break and fought back with two goals in the last ten minutes, the equaliser coming in the final minute. With the wind in their favour, the Rovers had the best of the first half with their first goal coming in the 37th minute after a Darius Pickering blockbuster ricocheted off the bar and Jon Davies converted the rebound.

The youngest player on the pitch, 16year-old Josh Daines looked dangerous

Last minute header gives Reserves victory WITH injuries and unavailability, Lyme Regis Reserves, playing their first game the season in Devon & Exeter League Division One East away to Exmouth Spartans, fielded a a side that hadn’t play as a unit pre-season But it made little difference as each player ran and tackled their socks off in a well matched game which resulted in a 1-0 victory for the Seasiders under the new management team of Nick Tregale and Darren Stewart, two former Lyme players.

Shane Featherstone had a header tipped over the bar in the seventh minute and he later hit the bar.

Spartans couldn’t handle the Seasiders’ pace and the passing game and did well to keep the score 0-0 at half time.

From the restart the Seasiders’ second string continued the pressure on the home defence . Spartans did hit the bar after the shot hit a Lyme player and rebounded off the woodwork..

The Lyme keeper Rob Harp was

called into action with a smart save down to his left. Two minutes after bringing on their third substitute Joel Gostling limped off with a Achilles problem.

So Lyme were reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes but they were still the better side and were rewarded when Steve Batey headed in a Matt Preece corner in the 90th minute.

Manager Nick Tregale said: “This result was well deserved, player of the match goes to all 14 players as it really was a team effort.”

going forward and slid the ball into the net from a brilliant cross from Cam Fowler only to be ruled offside by the narrowest of margins.

Waytown also had a number of chances and tested the Lyme defence, especially down the left, but failed to find the back of the net with some wayward shooting.

Seconds before the half-time whistle Rovers extended their lead when the Waytown keeper failed to clear an attack way out of his goal-line, leaving Steve Batey well placed to rifle the ball home from 20 yards out to make it 2-0.

With the wind now in their favour, the second half was dominated by Waytown and they squandered a number of good opportunities to reduce the deficit.

With the visitors enjoying more of the play, manager Rob Larcombe used the roll on-roll-off substitutes well bringing on the experienced Lee Cleal in defence and Pete Peacock up front.

Waytown were unlucky when keeper Rob Harp made a great save and the rebound was cleared off the line by Toby Fowler.

The visitors’ continual pressure paid dividends in the 80th meeting when John Legg reduced the arrears with the Rovers’ defence in tatters.

The Rovers had a good chance to hit back with a clever move down the right ending in Ryan Fifer slipping the ball inside for Steve Batey to curl the ball just over the bar.

In a late attack on the under-pressure home defenders, Waytown got the equaliser they deserved when Adam Cody-Boucher, a former Lyme payer, was rewarded for his great energy by getting the equaliser they deserved.

After topping Perry Street Decision

Three last season, the Rovers have jumped a couple of levels due to the new COVID-changes and from the first two games of the season it is clear they are in for a challenging season.But they have a squad with a good mixture of young and experienced players, as well as a good spirit,and on today’s performance I think they will hold their own.

Although the Rovers’ defence were left wanting at times, brothers Robbie and Toby Fowler gave their all at once and former first teamer Adam Clarke looked his old committed self and will be a great asset this season. Young Josh Daines is definitely one of the future.

After the game manager Rob Larcombe said: “I was pleased with our work rate but we just lacked a bit of composure at times. We definitely rode our luck and it was tough conceding two goals so late in the game. Waytown created a lot and deserved something from the game.”

Larcombe picked up Jonny Davies and Robbie Fowler in the midfield as his top performers.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Rovers are away to South Petherton Reserves.

LymeOnline is published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Unit 5, Uplyme Business Park, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS Printed by Newsquest, Weymouth

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