Community News

Swimming pool could re-open ‘in weeks’

An announcement is expected to be made “around March 1st” on the re-opening of South Molton Swimming Pool (pictured right), from as soon as April this year.

South Molton Town Council says it has “helped facilitate a potential new operator and agreed a new lease for the land on which the pool sits”. Part of the agreement is said to include a clause that provision must be made for public swimming.

It was closed by the charity 1610 Leisure Trust on October 1st last year due to spiralling energy and running costs. The town council owns and leases the land.

The closure in 2022 came as Swim England warned that more pools could shut down if they don’t receive government help to pay rising energy costs.

South Molton’s pool was opened following a public fundraising campaign. 1610 took over from the original trustees in 2019 when they were struggling financially, but with the cost of living crisis couldn’t it keep afloat. Town clerk Andrew Coates has been working behind the scenes with organisations interested in re-opening the facility.

Van tip permits needed

If you own a private van and use the Maclins Quarry Recycling Centre in South Molton you will now need a permit.

They’re available free from Devon County Council, and are also required for other tips in North Devon. Camper vans are exempt. devon.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/vanpermit-system/

Police patrol Exmoor

Officers from Devon & Cornwall Police carried out high visibility patrols on Exmoor in February, as part of a larger operation to tackle cross border crime.

Among the arrests, one driver who failed to stop was later found with suspected stolen goods and also tested positive for ‘impaired drug driving’. He was released under investigation pending further enquiries. 36 speeding offences were also detected on the A39.

The exercise was part of a wider police initiative, with colleagues from Avon and Somerset and Crimestoppers, to address community concerns around drink and drug driving, and rural offences such as thefts of agricultural machinery and deer poaching.

bring these offenders to justice.”

If you have any crime information for the Exmoor area please contact officers via the force website: devon-cornwall.police.uk

Supt Toby Davies (pictured above, right), head of the North and West Devon Local Policing Area, said, “We are looking to arrest travelling criminals who target rural properties and businesses. We’ve had a number of local businesses broken into in our rural villages and we are working hard to

Anyone for Mixed Doubles?

Local amateur drama group, Drama@ will be performing ‘Mixed Doubles’, an entertainment on marriage, at three North Devon venues in March (see the what’s on section, page 12)

The popular band, 3 Pint Rule, will be entertaining the audience between the duologues and monologues which are all by different playwrights. Each venue will have a bar and a raffle. This year the performances are supporting two local charities, Chemo Heroes and The Pip Centre.

They will be at West Buckland village hall on March 10th, Goodleigh village hall on March 11th, and then on both March 17th and 18th the performances will be at the Assembly Rooms in South Molton.

Tickets can be bought in advance from The Amory Centre in South Molton, (01769 5755528) or reserved by phoning 01769 574453. Performances will start at 7.30pm and the price of a ticket will be £8.

Some of the cast from Drama@

South Molton Community Garden news

by Rebecca Blackman

It’s been a reasonably quiet month in terms of gardening as the weather has been so wet and cold, but there have been a few jobs going on behind the scenes.

The tool shed unfortunately suffered some vandalism recently and the doors needed to be repaired. We are in the process of applying for grants to fund a new shed which will hopefully be more secure and also allow gardeners easier access to the tools.

We harvested the last of the leeks in early February (pictured above right) and shared them out at the AGM, along with the autumn’s Crown Prince squash harvest. The remainder of the leeks and squashes

are being donated to the Food Bank and Community Fridge in South Molton.

Thank you to everyone who organised and attended the AGM, and to Karolina Andreasova for sharing some of her incredible wildlife photography.

We welcome new members! If you would like to join us, please come to the garden on Thursday afternoons at 2pm, weather permitting, or email: somocogarden@gmail.com

A story of murder and mystery

by Helen Hollick

When I moved from London to Atherington in North Devon in 2013 (in the snow!), I was already an established writer of a popular nautical adventure series, both historical fiction and non-fiction.

During lockdown I branched out into the quick read ‘cosy mystery’ genre with my Jan Christopher Murder Mysteries, which are all set in the 1970s.

Jan is a young library assistant with family connections to the police – and in the first book, A Mirror Murder, she also develops an attachment to a young Detective Constable. But will the discovery of a murder spoil their romance or strengthen it? I worked in a London library for 12 years... so I have plenty of anecdotes (although no actual murders!).

For the second book, A Mystery of Murder, Jan and her boyfriend spend Christmas in Devon, but the festivities are spoiled when human remains are found in a compost heap.

My plan for these ‘who-dun-it’ tales, is to add variety by alternating between London and Devon settings. The problem? I’ve started a trend with the titles: book three is A Mistake of Murder and four will be A Meadow Murder... suggestions to fit this pattern of titles are more than welcome!

Website: helenhollick.net

Amazon: viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

Link road night closures

Contractors will be working overnight on March 1st and 2nd, patching the existing highway and carrying out drainage work at the Borners Bridge junction of the A361.

The link road will be closed between Bish Mill Roundabout and Aller Cross roundabout from 8pm to 6am on both days, with diversions in place. There will be traffic lights on East Street in South Molton during the night time closures.

Band camp

South Molton Town Band are inviting everyone to listen to their competition rehearsal on March 7th at the Methodist Church. They’re performing Stephen Bulla’s ‘Chorale and Toccata’, ready for the West of England Brass Band contest in Torquay.

Coronation party licenses

Communities across Devon are invited to apply for a free street party licence to mark the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.

The Coronation takes place on the morning of Saturday May 6th at Westminster Abbey, and on Sunday May 7th ‘Coronation Big Lunches’ will bring communities together. A special Coronation Concert will be broadcast from Windsor Castle. You can apply via the Devon County Council website: devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/makea-request/temporary-traffic-restrictions/ special-events/street-parties