Teme Valley Times Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013

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Looking along Teme Street from above the Kyre Bridge IT’S some time since Worcestershire County Council announced their scheme to rework Tenbury’s main shopping area. The initial plan went out to public consultation early this year, with illustrations and a glossy leaflet to give people an idea of how the town might look after the work.

The proposals were aired at a meeting with the town’s Chamber of Trade and also at public consultation exhibitions. Responding to feedback, the Council has now put together a new set of proposals, which are significantly different.

One big change has been to increase the area

the work will cover. The area by Bowkett’s supermarket and the Round Market wasn’t included in the first scheme, but the latest plan extends the scheme to include this part of Tenbury’s shopping area.

Speaking at a presentation to Tenbury Town Council on Monday evening (December 2nd) a member of Worcestershire County Council’s staff explained that the work should take place during 2014, but the timing wasn’t yet known, as this would have to be arranged with Tesco, who are responsible for a key part of the scheme.

See page 3 for more details.

Now taking bookings over Christmas

2 ChrisTmas 2013

Teme Valley Times

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

LOCAL EVENTS & CLUBS

Advertise your local event from just ÂŁ10! Next issue due out early February - book your ad by mid-January

Cleobury Country Christmas Farmers Market 21st December 2013 9.30am to 12.30pm In and around St Mary’s Church

Mince pies, Mulled wine & Music

on offer during the morning, all the usual traders and a few extras including the chance to win a Farmers Market Hamper ...you gotta be at it to win it!

Markets are held once a month in Tenbury Dec 21st - Jan 18th - Feb 15th - Mar 15th from 9am to 2pm on the Pay and Display Car Park (off Teme Street) For more details call 07855 833602 or email twlocalproducersmarket@yahoo.co.uk

If you want to advertise, or if you have an event to promote, please book your space in our next issue as soon as possible! You can book adverts by phone, by post, or by email. We can design your advert for you and we can take photographs if required.

The Teme Valley Times is independent and locally-owned.

It is not part of a large publishing group.

Phone: 01584 781762 or 07946 270523 Over Post: PO Box 11, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8YP 9,500 copies Email: temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk Website: www.temevalleytimes.co.uk per issue* Editor & Publisher: Chris Dell Photo Editor: Lucy Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication were accurate at the time of writing, but no responsibility can be accepted for any consequences of any errors or omissions or for any changes. Always check all information before making a special trip, or before booking any accommodation or making any other commitment. It is important to remember that changes can, and do, occur from time to time, possibly without notice. The contents of this publication (words, images and adverts) are protected by copyright. If you wish to reproduce anything, you must first obtain written permission from the Publisher.

*average distribution during 2013

How to contact the Teme Valley Times

Tenbury ‘Public Realm’ works

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

The latest set of proposals for the much-discussed rework of Teme Street and Market Street see some parts of the previous plan being discarded and some new proposals being introduced.

Features that have been retained include removing the bus shelter from outside the Regal while ideas that have been dropped include the controversial plan of doing away with the traffic-lightcontrolled crossing by the Regal.

The new scheme includes special treatment of the approaches to the town. For example, motorists arriving via Teme Bridge would encounter a large raised section of red asphalt, in the area running roughly from the Bridge Hotel to the SPAR store. Within this zone the road surface would be level with the pavements, and the current red brick pavements could be replaced with Baggeridge blue pavers. A similar layout could be used in the junction area by the Crow Hotel.

A new bus shelter would be erected near the TSB cashpoint, roughly opposite the entrance to the planned Tesco store. Further into the town, Indian sandstone, rather than the originally-envisaged York stone, would be used to replace the current pavements in many areas, but the existing red bricks would be retained by the new toilets in Market Street. The plan also includes “new modern street furniture”.

About a quarter of the work roughly speaking the section

Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 3

from the Teme Bridge to the Regal - will be paid for by Tesco due to the section 278 obligations relating to their new Tenbury store.

Consequently the Council hasn’t yet been able to fix a start date for the project, as they are working with Tesco to achieve an integrated result, rather than end up with the Tesco and Council sections being handled separately, possibly at different times.

More information will be available at exhibitions in Tenbury on December 9th and 11th - see page 5 for details.

Looking along Market Street from above Travel Trail

Mistletoe Shop A mistletoe shop recently ‘popped up’ in the former Books Books Books premises on Teme Street in Tenbury Wells, with an extensive display of mistletoethemed local students’ art, mistletoe kissing sprigs, a display of bottles of Hobsons ‘Kiss Me Now’ (described as ‘a wintery stout’ - 5p from each bottle goes to the Tenbury Mistletoe Association) and with cards for sale created from the students’ mistletoe art.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Local council welcomes Malvern company ESP’s expansion move will enable the company to grow, safeguard current jobs and could bring new future jobs to the area, as the company continues to expand.

Essential Supply Products Ltd has announced the acquisition of a new 12 acre site at Blackmore, near the Three Counties Showground. The company, which manufactures and converts tissue, has been based in Malvern since its inception 23 years ago and has now outgrown its current space.

The new site currently has an office building and the development land will allow the build of a bespoke production hall and warehousing in order to consolidate existing locations and expand their successful manufacturing business. The

It is proposed the relocation will be completed by the end of 2015 and will generate new employment opportunities throughout the business.

Councillor Phil Grove, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development at Malvern Hills District Council said: “We are delighted that ESP Ltd has announced proposals to invest further in the Malvern area and cater for their on-going growth locally.

Economic prosperity is the key priority for the council and we are working hard with local businesses like ESP to ensure they can continue to grow and prosper in the district.”

Let’s Age Well Malvern Hills District Council has launched three major ageing well projects that will support older people living in the Malvern Hills district.

The council lead on securing funding from the county council, working with Key voluntary sector agencies such as Age UK and the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to ensure that new projects and services are shaped to meet the specific needs of people aged over 50 who are living in the district.

The projects will focus on identifying individuals who are isolated and then help them to access information and guidance services, aiming to increase levels of mental wellbeing and physical health for all older people living in the district.

Free Christmas parking Malvern Hills District Council will provide free parking in all of its public car parks in Malvern, Upton upon Severn and Tenbury Wells, on every Friday and Saturday leading up to Christmas, starting on Friday 29th November and ending

CHRISTMAS

F estival2013

This month, Malvern Hills District Council officially handed over Sling Lane Playing Fields and Sports Pavilion to Newtown Sports Junior Football Club following substantial enhancements to the facility which now boasts a new high quality changing facility, with sufficient storage space and kitchen facilities.

The facility will enable

Newtown Sports to grow the game of football and has also created public open space for a raft of other recreational opportunities. There’s also a new 36 space car park removing congestion from nearby residential streets with a one way system in operation to further avoid continued disruption to residents. Pitch provision will include 1 Senior and 1 junior pitch, in addition

Malvern Hills District Council were delighted to support the Malvern Festival of Innovation for its second successful year in early November 2013. It attracted over 600 attendees, 70 exhibitors, and 30 invited speakers to discuss creativity, showcase innovative products and services, and offer support to those keen to develop and commercialise new intellectual property.

The event attracted business professionals from around the region, engaged with local schools to provide over 100 students with handson experience of engineering and

T ENBURY MIST LETOE ASSO CIAT ION P R E S E N T S

MISTLETOE 2013S

EASON

22 November – 22 December Featuring Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy & John Sampson, Cat Weatherill and Katrice Horsley

Saturday 3o November www.christmasinmalvern.co.uk

t A festive dayfaou ily! m for all the

to 2 new mini soccer pitches which, following completion, will have a network of pipe drainage to minimise loss of play during periods of wet weather.

Within a challenging economic climate, the council was successful in securing 88% (£415,000) of the total project cost (£470,000) through external funding from the Football

Festival of Innovation

Great Malvern Town Centre

Christmas Light Switch On Santa’s Grotto Lantern Parade Live Music Vintage cars Arts and food Market Entertainment

“In previous years this has successfully encouraged more shoppers into the district, boosting seasonal Christmas trade which is vital to local business, as well as easing parking congestion on central streets.”

Sling Lane sports facilities handover

The projects form part of the council’s new Health & Well-being Plan which will be launched over the next few months and aims to improve the quality of life for isolated older people living in the Malvern Hills.

The GREAT

at midnight on Saturday 21st Christmas, people may be feeling the pinch. I hope the December. offer of free car parking on Councillor Bronwen Behan, Fridays and Saturdays, will Portfolio Holder for make sure that more people Environmental Control can visit the area, do some at MHDC, said: “In the shopping or just soak up current economic climate, the festive atmosphere in the especially in the run up to Malvern Hills area.”

Foundation, Sport England, Section 106 contributions and an investment by Newtown Sports. This has resulted in a significant return from the council’s £55,000 investment.

In addition, the council will save £300,000 over the next 25 years as all repairs will now be the responsibility of the club.

design, and staged a Family Show all about innovation in the materials that surround us.

The Festival builds on the heritage of innovation in and around Malvern, but more importantly helps to establish Malvern as a hub of innovation in both business and technology for the future.

Highlights this year included talks from Dr Tim Cook, the former managing director of Oxford University’s commercialisation organisation ISIS Innovation, Dr Frances Saunders the President of the Institute of Physics, and the launch of Ordinance Survey’s latest national GeoVation Challenge.

Help keep Community Transport on the road Across the Malvern Hills district a significant number of people are involved with keeping community transport on the road.

From community care schemes, to dial-a-ride, to community buses, local people rely on volunteers to get them out and about.

Some schemes are critically short of volunteers and need ‘new blood’ if they are to continue operating.

Other groups would welcome the addition of new volunteers with fresh ideas and outlooks on wellestablished services.

Volunteering with community

transport is not just about driving… although drivers are always in demand! There are many skills which are needed including passenger escort, fundraiser, coordinator, or administrator and specific roles such as secretary or treasurer.

If you would like to become a volunteer, please contact:Amanda Smith, Community Services Manager, Malvern Hills District Council t: 01684 862151 or visit: www.malvernhills.gov.uk/ community

Contact us at: www.malvernhills.gov.uk tenbury-mistletoe-festival.co.uk Malvern Hills District Council

www.malvernhills.gov.uk

/MalvernHillsUK

Visit The Regal website for tickets www.regaltenbury.co.uk or tel 01584 811442 Malvern Hills District Council

www.malvernhills.gov.uk

@MHDCcomms

Malvern Hills District Council

www.malvernhills.gov.uk

Threat to Buses

FOR EDiTORiAL OR ADVERTiSiNG, RiNG 01584 781762 OR EMAiL TEMEVALLEyTiMES@yAHOO.CO.uK

TEME VALLEy TiMES CHRiSTMAS 2013

The 291 connects Tenbury, Burford, Boraston, Newnham Bridge, Mamble, Bayton, Clows Top and Rock to Bewdley and Kidderminster. It is subsidised by Worcestershire County Council and this subsidy, thought to amount to £3.11 per passenger journey, is under threat.

The Council stated "Worcestershire County Council is proposing to save £3 million from the £3 million that is currently spent towards subsidising buses in Worcestershire" which seems a complicated way to say that the plan is to axe all the subsidies.

About 80% of Worcestershire's bus passenger journeys are operated commercially. The remaining 20% - around three million passenger journeys a year - receive a Council-funded subsidy, of from 10p to £8.24 per journey. The Council says that removing the subsidy "is likely to lead to the withdrawal of subsidised bus services."

The 500 (Burford to Leominster via Kimbolton, on Fridays) and the monthly 499 (Tenbury to Hereford, via Stoke "Abberley Lives" is a Prior) are also under threat. We understand that the 758 publication that has been Tenbury to Worcester service is not threatened. brought into being by

Abberley Lives

NSPCC Hamper

Tenbury's SPAR shop has put together a Christmas Hamper. This is being raffled and all the proceeds will go to their chosen charity, the NSPCC. Tickets are available from Tenbury SPAR and the draw is due to be made on 20th December.

Abberley WI, with a "Your Heritage" grant from the Heritage Lottery. In about 50 pages it brings together a collection of photographs and facts, looking not only look at the history of the parish, but also at the history of the WI. It tells us that "Abberley WI was founded in 1921, six years after the WI movement was first established in Britain."

Events listed include "Owen's Garage runs double-decker bus service to Kidderminster" (1930), "Martley RDC [Rural District Council] introduces twice-yearly refuse collection" (1934), "5 houses on Wynniatt's Way received electricity from a transformer" (late 1930s) and

Public Information Exercise

Winter 2013/14

Tenbury Wells Public Realm Enhancement Scheme Display at the Pump Rooms: On 9th and 11th December 2013 Between Noon and 4pm Residents and business people in the Tenbury area will have the opportunity to view town centre improvement plans at two public display events taking place at The Pump Rooms on Monday, December 9, and Wednesday, December 11.

Anyone interested in viewing the final designs for the enhancement work can do so between noon and 4pm on both days.

Worcestershire County Council officers will be present to answer any questions people might have.

Find out more online: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/tenburyexhibition

"Houses on the Common still supplied with water from public pumps, a standpipe and wells" (1939). How times change!

Some national events are also listed, such as "Tetley's made the first teabag" (1952) and "The first BBC TV programme is broadcast" (1936).

Copies of "Abberley Lives" are available from Pam Morgan telephone 01299 896656.

FOOD

The

HALL

NOW TAKING CHRISTMAS ORDERS FOR LOCAL FREE-RANGE TURKEYS, GEESE, DUCKS, BEEF, PORK AND LAMB, ENGLISH GAMMON JOINTS, A WIDE RANGE OF CHEESES AND MUCH MORE!

The Food Hall, Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8AA 01584 810071

5

6 ChrisTmas 2013

Teme Valley Times

Mistletoe Day! THE

Tenbury’s Mistletoe season reached its peak on Mistletoe Festival Day, Saturday November 30th. To keep up with all the activities you would have needed a clear list and military planning, as two dance troupes were performing at various locations and two bands of wandering Young Poets were reciting their own mistletoe poems around the town. Meanwhile the Mistletoe Queen, Holly Prince, their attendants and Jack Frost made a fine spectacle as they travelled up and down Teme Street in their costumes.

The Regal was open, with short ‘free to watch’ screenings, morning and afternoon, of the winning films from the Mistletoe Reels project, in which students created a short silent film based on a mistletoe story.

Add in Saint Michael’s International School Choir singing outside the Pump Rooms, Tenbury High School musicians performing outside the Regal and a range of other activities, and there was enough happening to maintain interest throughout the day.

Many of the shops and businesses in Tenbury decked themselves out with mistletoe - for example, the opticians had a huge head outline, with glasses made from mistletoe sprigs. Watching, hopefully approvingly, over the proceedings was Tenbury’s former ‘Mistletoe Man’ Stan Yapp - not personally of course, but courtesy of a large portrait in the Library window!

This really was a whole day of activity and mistletoe was well and truly celebrated!

The following morning, the Druids performed a ceremony on the Burgage, which ended with mistletoe being thrown into the River Teme.

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

BOOT Christmas & New Year Dining

Christmas Menu available from Monday 25th November 2013 Sunday 5th January 2014 (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day). Bookings only.

Christmas Menu 1 Starters

u Carrot & coriander soup, home-made bread (V) u Pork & chicken liver terrine, spiced peach &

u Trio of fish – Seabass, tiger prawns & salmon,

u Leek & red onion tart, tomato & olive salad, basil

ratatouille, spinach, parsley potatoes & Nantaise butter sauce u Spinach & Ludlow blue cheese samosa, wild mushroom sauce & sweet potato chips (V)

u Smoked mackerel salad, artichoke, horseradish

Desserts

apricot chutney, granary toast dressing (V) cream

Main Courses

u Christmas pudding with brandy sauce u Vanilla cream profiteroles, poached pear, chocolate sauce & toasted almonds

u Roast Shropshire turkey, chipolata & bacon roll, sage & onion stuffing, seasonal vegetables & roasted potatoes u Slow-cooked Woofferton beef steak in red wine, mushrooms & baby onions sauce, spring onion mash & green beans

u Sticky ginger pudding, toffee sauce, vanilla ice cream

u 2 local cheeses, biscuits & homemade chutney 3 Courses £19.95 Coffee & mince pies £1.95

Christmas Menu 2 - available at £29.95 - ask for details New Year’s Eve - 5 course menu £39.95 - ask for details

Orleton, Ludlow, SY8 4HN Tel: 01568 780228 www.thebootinnorleton.co.uk

Lots of interesting gift ideas at Burford Nurseries

see our advert on pages 20/21

Ashley’s Bakery

Our Portuguese Santa Claus welcomes you to Casa Portuguesa.

A shop ‘with a difference’.

Many lovely items, reasonably priced.

of Cleobury Mortimer expands its business

Fresh Bread l Cream Cakes l Pork Pies l Quiche l Savouries l

SHOPS ALSO IN TENBURYWELLS AND NOW BEWDLEY

Mike Jones Professional Painter and Decorator Also available:

Bread orders taken Central Bakery@CleoburyMortimer + Trade Enquiries welcome 01299 271283

Gutters Cleared Plastering General House Maintenance Phone: 07951 839175 or 01885 483119

FOR EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING, RING 01584 781762 OR EMAIL TEMEVALLEYTIMES@YAHOO.CO.UK

TEME VALLEY TIMES

7

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

8 CHRISTMAS 2013 TEME VALLEY TIMES

What about our Fire Engines? appliance each side the bridge. This would be impossible if there was only one appliance.

Savings?

Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority has produced a 'Community Risk Management Plan' ('CRMP'). This looks at making cuts to the Fire and Rescue Service in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Authority says cuts have to be made because of financial pressures.

Ten Fire Engines to go?

The plan to axe almost a quarter of the fire engines in Herefordshire and Worcestershire has been greeted with a mixture of horror and incredulity. Currently 43 engines are based in the two counties; the proposal is to do away with ten of these, including, for example one at Tenbury Wells, one at Bromyard and one at Worcester.

The CRMP says that neighbouring stations would be able to provide back-up for each other, but if engines are also cut from neighbouring stations, the availability of a back-up engine could not be guaranteed.

Four Fire Stations to close?

Four fire stations could close: Bewdley, Kingsland, Broadway and Whitchurch, near Ross on Wye. These stations provide cover for extensive largely-rural areas. For example, if Kingsland Fire Station closes, it could take twice as long for the appliance to reach not just Kingsland, but also places such as Mortimer's Cross.

The Authority says that the budget for 201314 is £32.5 million and they say that the 'projected available resources' figure (in effect, the 'income') for 2016-17 is £30.6 million, so it looks like the books would balance if expenditure was cut by £1.9 million. This would seem to be more than covered by the savings the Authority has already found - they say that "about £2 million worth of further savings that can be made away from frontline services (mostly through further internal efficiencies and management reductions)".

The Fire Authority's perspective that savings of £4.7 million are needed appears to be Many appliances are needed at major incidents based on a comparison with an alternative scenario, in which the budget would have Slower Response? been increased to £35.3 million in 2016-17.

Taking Tenbury as an example, the CRMP states that if a second fire engine is needed at a building fire, in 90% of cases this second engine currently arrives within five minutes of the first engine. If Tenbury's second engine was axed, the CRMP says that only 20% of these fires would receive a second engine within five minutes; even worse, the prediction is that after 10 minutes, only 30% of building fires would have received a second engine.

Firefighters to go?

Tenbury Ultimately it's firefighters, not fire engines, who put out fires. You can have the best equipment in the world, but if you don't have firefighters to operate it, what's the point? To again take Tenbury as an example, there are 13 firefighters at Tenbury. The CRMP suggests 'removing' seven of these posts, cutting the station to just six firefighters. It takes six to fully crew one of Tenbury's engines, so with only six 'on call' it would often be impossible to turn out a full crew. Even worse, the minimum crew is four, so if only three Bromyard were available, the fire engine would have to stay at the station.

Bewdley and Broadway currently have one engine each, but 13 firefighters each, so it's puzzling that the Authority would aim to cut Tenbury to just six.

Bad weather?

Road Traffic Accidents make up a significant part of the Service's workload and collisions are a risk when roads are icy. If a fire engine has to come from a distant station during bad weather, there will be an even longer Leominster delay.

Kingsland

Bewdley

Flooding?

The CRMP says "we expect to see an increasing tendency towards more extreme weather, with more periods of flood, storm and drought. Many parts of the Authority’s area are vulnerable to the risk of flooding and flooding has become more frequent." Fire engines are very important during flooding, and when roads are flooded it could take much longer for a second engine to arrive from afar. There have been times when Tenbury's Teme Bridge has been closed and the Fire Service has been able to station one

New fire station for Worcester

Severance Costs?

The CRMP comments on how much money could be saved by cutting back on firefighters, fire engines, or fire stations. However, dispensing with a large number of firefighters would involve significant severance payments; the CRMP does not appear to detail these costs.

Fires going up!

In recent years the Service has been called out to an increasing number of fires. According to the CRMP, call-outs to fires rose from 2433 in 2009-10, to 2510 in 2010-11, to 2849 in 2011-12 (the most recent year we have data for). An increase of 17% in two years cannot be ignored. This raises serious questions about whether now is a good time to cut back the Fire Service.

New Fire Station?

We understand that the Authority recently signed a contract for a new five-bay fire station in Worcester. Some may find it surprising that this commitment has been made at a time when there is talk of cutting Worcester back from three appliances to two, and when money is so tight that there is talk of 'removing' most of Tenbury's firefighters, and one of the engines, in order to save £38,800 a year.

Focussed Savings The CRMP shows that the biggest savings can be made by reducing the number of full-time firefighters, rather than by 'removing' retained firefighters. For example, removing one fire engine and its staff from Worcester would save about £752,000, whereas removing one engine and most of the firefighters from Tenbury would only save about £38,800.

Major Incidents Large fires involve lots of appliances and plenty of firefighters. If Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority do not have ample resources of their own for major incidents they may have to buy-in services from neighbouring areas such as the West Midlands. Costs that would be incurred do not appear to be included in the CRMP.

Time to Think?

It would be a big step to close four fire stations, axe almost a quarter of the fire engines, and make many highly-skilled firefighters redundant. The Authority say they can make savings of around £2 million without harming frontline services.

Provided this can be done promptly, all the fire engines and all the fire stations could be kept for at least another year, during which time pressure could be brought to bear on central government to increase this area's grant to the national average - a change that should provide more than enough funding to keep our local services at their current level for the foreseeable future.

Great Witley Art Group

FoR EdiToRiaL oR adVERTiSinG, RinG 01584 781762 oR EmaiL TEmEVaLLEyTimES@yaHoo.co.uk

Great Witley Art Group held their annual exhibition on Saturday 23rd November, in the Village Hall at Great Witley. As well as the art sale, some members were demonstrating during the day - for example, Gillian Talbot, a Botanical Artist (Society of Floral Painters Silver Gilt, RHS 2009) was working on a coloured pencil study of a hydrangea, which was quite beautiful. Many reasonably-priced originals were available, both framed and unframed, and you could come away with a lovely picture for a modest price, such as a bright and sizeable watercolour for just £7 (unframed).

The group meets on Wednesday afternoons in Great Witley Village Hall and they told us that in June or July they paint outdoors. Help and guidance is provided by Janice Rowlatt, a qualified artist who specialises in watercolours and is also President of the group.

For more information on the group contact Lyn Emery (Secretary) on 01866 812582 or email lyndaemery34@btinternet.com

TEmE VaLLEy TimES cHRiSTmaS 2013

9

Balloon Decor Party Products Christmas Cards Tel: (01584) 819705 13 Teme St, Tenbury Wells

www.specialoccasions2u.co.uk

Re-Upholstery & Repair Service Est 1986 Domestic Furniture Repaired and Upholstered to a high standard using Quality Fabrics For Advice & Details contact:

Nicholas Mather

Tel: 01584 881 227

Ryelands, Menithwood, Worcs, WR6 6UG

TENBURY NEWS

Newspapers, Magazines, Stationery, Local Books, Maps, Cards, Wrapping Paper, Sweets, Drinks, Toys, Batteries, Lottery, Photocopying (Colour and B&W), Laminating, Fax Service.

23 Teme St, Tenbury Wells

01584 810230

P H I L G I BBS ’ S

Lots of Christmas Gif t ideas in our large showroom!

CLOCKHOUSE Call in and order your locally-sourced Christmas Poultry, Lamb, Beef, Pork!

Come and see some ideas for Foodie Christmas gifts.

Lamings Fresh Bread Daily Locally-made Fruit Pies & Cakes Own cooked Ham, Beef, Pork, Turkey & Chicken Home-made Sausages & Burgers Home-cured Bacon English & Continental Cheeses Tipsy Gins, Robinsons Cider, Hobsons Beers, Wines & Spirits

All Occasions Catered For TALTREES CENTRE, WORCESTER ROAD, TENBURY WELLS, WR15 8JA

01584 781361 www.taltreesstoves.com Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sundays & Bank Holidays 10am-12.45pm, 2.10pm-4.30pm

Market St, Tenbury Wells. 01584 811011

Burford Christmas Trees 10 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

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The weekend of November 30th/December 1st saw a very festive display, entitled ‘A Festival of Trees’, at St Mary’s Church, Burford.

About 16 trees were provided and decorated by local businesses and organisations. There were large trees, small trees, white trees, green trees and the decorations were very imaginative, including a stethoscope on the Tenbury Hospital tree. Orchard Valley Foods’ tree smelt good enough to eat - it was decorated with ‘hundreds & thousands’ and biscuits!

Selly Flooring decorated theirs with circles cut from flooring, while Salvaged used salvaged and recycled materials like hessian, hedge cuttings and even a fence post to create the decorations. Colly Brook had a very finely furnished tree and Nomark made their mark with their tree greeting you at the lychgate. Alpha Aggregates had made some very smart fun truck decorations with Alpha on the side and Burford Primary school’s tree was dripping with stocking, snowflake and star decorations made by the children.

Visitors to the church were encouraged to vote for their favourite tree by placing a donation in the appropriate box. Refreshments were served in the Rectory.

Tenbury Wells

Leominster

Christmas Eve New Year’s Eve Christmas Day Boxing Day New Year’s Day

Bishops Castle

7am - 10pm 10am - 2pm 9am - 9pm

Ludlow Christmas Eve New Year’s Eve

7am - 10pm

Christmas Day

Closed

Boxing Day New Year’s Day

9am - 9pm

Christmas Eve, Boxing Day New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day 7am - 7pm Christmas Day

Closed

FOR eDITORIAl OR ADVeRTISINg, RINg 01584 781762 OR eMAIl TeMeVAlleyTIMeS@yAHOO.CO.UK

Blanket Testing

Library Works TeMe VAlley TIMeS CHRISTMAS 2013

A joint initiative between Age UK Malvern & District and Hereford and Worcester Fire Service saw dozens of electric blankets being tested at the Pump Rooms in Tenbury Wells on 21st November. About half of the blankets tested were found to be defective, and replacements were offered free-ofcharge on a one per household basis.

Defective electric blankets can be a serious safety issue and Age UK told us that damaged electric blankets cause more than 5‚000 house fires a year and people aged 65 or more are at greatest risk‚ with six times the national average of fatal injuries. This was a very useful free service to local residents which really could save lives.

The photo shows how a blanket is tested, with (left to right) Keith Parry from Worcestershire TeleCare, Kate Ross from Worcestershire Association of Carers, Ken Moore from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service - and Sue Stokes who brought the blanket in for testing.

Cakes for Lights On November 2nd, Tenbury Chamber of Trade ran a cake stall next to Tenbury News in the centre of Tenbury Wells, to help raise money for the Christmas Lights, so members of the public were encouraged to buy a cake and "Help Light up Tenbury!"

There was plenty of choice, ranging from large meringues, to fruit cake, Victoria sponge, fruit bread and if you didn't want to buy a cake you could try to win one by guessing the weight of a Christmas cake without picking it up.

On 22nd November the lights were switched on. They brighten up the town during these dark Winter months, and help get people into the mood for Christmas!

11

Building work has brought about the closure of Tenbury's Library from Tuesday, December 3rd to Saturday, December 7th (inclusive). Planned changes include a smaller desk, new cupboards and a rework of the extension that was added to the back of the library a few years ago, to create a more flexible office and meeting room space for the Citizens Advice Bureau and other community organisations.

During the closure there will be no access to library services.

However, the Tenbury Wells Customer Service Centre, which is normally based in the library, will be in the Pump Rooms, offering a limited service from 9.30am to 5pm on 3rd, 5th & 6th December. It is anticipated that library users will be able to return books to the Customer Service Centre in the Pump Rooms during the closure, should the need arise.

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For a confidential, no obligation chat regarding your needs please call or email SUSAN 01299 270675 / 07969 673092 LIZ 01299 271623 / 07826 929222

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May the Sun always shine in your world, in 2014 and beyond.

Tel: 01584 811866 www.SunRG.co.uk

Poppies and Remembrance 12 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

November is when we remember those who have fallen in conflicts. Services are held, wreathes are laid, and poppies are worn. This year Tenbury benefited from a pop-up Poppy Shop, in Books Books Books former premises, in addition to the familiar Poppy Sellers on the street.

The shop sold various poppy items, such as pin badges, plus wildlife art and presentation baskets of toiletries. It also served as a base for the street collectors. There was a display with Roy Winton’s Book ‘For Sovereign and Country’ and someone had been busy baking little cakes to sell - some with the RBL logo on the top!

We spoke to Sue Perry, who had been helping in the Poppy Shop, in late November and she told us that they had already raised £8,500, and that “We have a few more church donations to come, so I am hoping it will be £9,000.” She asked us to pass on her thanks to everyone in Tenbury for their support.

Seen in Tenbury’s Poppy Shop

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Poppy seller in Tenbury Wells

Stuck for a Christmas Gift?

Do you want to feel safe at home during this winter, but worry about accidents or getting the right help when needed?

Ask about a telecare alarm from Worcestershire TeleCare, which is a discreet easy to use personal alarm that uses your existing telephone line to connect to our Monitoring & Response Centre based in Malvern, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Winter is a dangerous time for people, because falls in the home or garden can result in hypothermia if they are not found quickly, resulting in admission to hospital.

Mrs S of Tenbury Wells wrote: ‘To know that when pressing the RED button there is immediate attention, is very comforting.’

Mrs W of Worcester wrote: ‘The service I have received from Worcestershire TeleCare has been fantastic. Within seconds someone answers. They have always sounded calm, friendly and polite but also it makes me feel they really do care about you. Very many thanks to Everyone.’

Worcestershire TeleCare is a non-profit making organisation and part of The Community Housing Group.

For more information, visit www.worcstelecare.org or call 0845 130 1469 to arrange a FREE demonstration in your own home.

Clee Hill Stores 23 High St Clee Hill SY8 3LZ 01584 890581

FoR eDIToRIAL oR ADVeRTISInG, RInG 01584 781762 oR eMAIL TeMeVALLeyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

TeMe VALLey TIMeS CHRISTMAS 2013

Demolition of the buildings on the former cattle market site in Tenbury is likely to start in early 2014, and Tenbury's Tesco is expected to open towards the end of 2014.

In Bromyard, we understand that the planning application for a Tesco store on the site of the former Royal Mail depot off Tenbury Road has been submitted and that the planning authority's decision can be expected in early 2014.

Tesco's proposed Bromyard Superstore (see illustration) has been greeted both positively and negatively, as was their Tenbury scheme. Reported comments about the Bromyard plan have ranged from "excellent" to "disastrous".

Compared to the Tenbury development, the Bromyard store suffers from being outside the town itself, which will presumably reduce the likelihood of so-called "linked" shopping trips, where people do some of their shopping in the town and some of it at Tesco.

Like the Tenbury scheme, the Bromyard plan includes a relatively modest car park, with less than 100 spaces being available to shoppers.

Tesco Update

Lindridge Narnia

A 'Narnia Experience Day' took place on November 30th, at St Lawrence's Church, Lindridge, when local actors put on four performances. The church was variously transformed into a forest as well as into Mr and Mrs Beaver's house, the White Queen's palace, and Aslan's battle camp. The adjacent school hall was used as a cafe/children's activity centre, with the theme of 'Winter Wonderland'.

The lamp-post scene where Lucy and Mr Tumnus first met will remain in the church throughout Advent and Christmas, and Rector Louise Grace "extends a warm welcome to children and the young at heart to step into the festive scene". There will be a Christingle service on December 7th at 3pm, preceded by Christmas Crafts in the hall at 1pm, and Carols around the Crib on December 21st at 10.15am."

Parking

13

Tired of carrying heavy shopping?

Tired of parking problems and queues?

Is the cost of petrol making your shopping more expensive?

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MOBILE FAMILY GROCERS and we will arrange a time and date to suit you. We carry a wide variety of goods with the emphasis on fresh local produce where possible. Fruit, veg, fresh-baked cakes and bread, groceries and provisions and lots lots more. We aim to bring good and cheerful service to your door.

Our prices are competitive and delivery is free.

THE PET SHOP

Traders at Tenbury's Round Market have told us that business has dropped substantially since parking enforcement arrived in Tenbury.

On Teme Street the result has been more positive - none of the shopkeepers we spoke to said there had been a major loss of trade, with the most commonly expressed opinion being that the new regime hasn't made any significant difference to their takings.

However, the increased availability of parking spaces on Teme Street is useful for motorists who just want to pop into a few shops for some shopping, perhaps on their way home from work.

Initiatives to boost trade in Tenbury have included free parking in the pay-and-display car park on Fridays and Saturdays in the run up to Christmas, but judging from the parking situation in Tenbury on Mistletoe Day, this hasn't been promoted strongly enough: the free car park by the swimming pool was packed, as was its access road, but the "pay-and-display" car park was half empty, suggesting that motorists simply weren't aware of the free parking offer.

Various other towns, including Bewdley and Ludlow, have introduced free parking initiatives, so if you're thinking of doing your Christmas shopping by car, you might want to check what schemes are in place, so you can plan your trip accordingly!

For all your pet needs including most small animal pet foods, chews, health/fitness products, cages, toys, etc. Cold water fish.

Market St Tenbury Wells 01584 811982

NBURY TEEst. 1991 BAR RS BE 45 Teme St Tenbury Wells (next to The Regal)

Tel: 07974 390194 www.tenburybarbers.co.uk

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Hairdressing, Beauty and Barber 20 years' experience

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Christmas Offers - BOOKING NOW! Spray Tan & Hair Up - get both for just £30 Perms and Highlights - 10% Discount Shelac Manicure & Pedicure - 10% Discount

To Book call Kate or Michelle

www.andrewjelleyopticians.co.uk

18 Teme Street Tenbury Wells WR15 8BA

01584 811445

01584 819402 or 0800 2922283 54 Teme Street Tenbury Wells WR15 8AA

14 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

Orleton Post Office & Stores "Your local store for almost everything"

BRIMFIELD WI

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Brimfield WI held a Craft and Social Event in Brimfield Village Hall on Saturday 2nd November. Everyone was welcome and admission was free. Local crafts were on display and for sale and this was a lovely opportunity to purchase distinctive gifts, whether you had one pound to spare or several. It also provided an opportunity to chat with the craftspeople and learn more about their crafts and their inspiration. Whether it was the exquisite knitted and embroidered metal jewellery from Karen van Hoff, or the woolly hats, bears, bunnies or bags, there was plenty of choice.

And you could even have lunch while you were there, with a large steaming bowl of soups and a bread roll for £1.50!

01568 780263

Bowkett’s Supermarket Market Square, Tenbury Wells Worchestershire, WR15 8BL Tel: 01584 810351 email: info@bowketts.co.uk

www.bowketts.co.uk Orders now being taken for Christmas meats and poultry

South Shropshire Roofing www.southshropshireroofing.co.uk RE-ROOFING SPECIALISTS

★ SLATING ★ STONE TILING ★ SHINGLES ★ ★ TILING ★ LEADWORK ★ REROOFING PROPERTIES DOWN THE TEME VALLEY FROM FELINDRE TO WORCESTER

FOR OVER 35 YEARS

Tel: 01547 530434 Fax: 01547 530751 Mob: 07968 232709 email: southshropshireroofing@gmail.com

Order your Christmas Turkey by Saturday 14th December and it will cost you £1/kg LESS (excludes Bronze).

We also have a wide range of Christmas Fayre including Bowkett’s Homemade Sausages, Sausage Rolls, delicious home-made festive Pork Pies, a selection of British and Continental Cheeses for your cheese board, and not forgetting the pigs in blankets (we’ll do them for you).

Available in-store everything you would need for your Christmas Table.

View our leaflet on www.bowketts.co.uk for Christmas deals.

Place your order with one of our butchers at the counter or telephone 01584 810351 and our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Quilters Show

For eDiToriAL or ADverTising, ring 01584 781762 or emAiL TemevALLeyTimes@yAhoo.Co.uk

Teme vALLey Times ChrisTmAs 2013

15

CP C P ELECTRICAL E LE EC CT R I C CT CA A L SERVICES SER RV VIC CE ES ES NO NO JOB JOB TOO TO T OO O O SMALL SM S MALL M ALL

To coincide with The Mistletoe Season in Tenbury Wells, the local quilters group set up their Christmas exhibition upstairs in Tenbury library. We visited on a Thursday afternoon in November and we were met with a feast of festive colour. Members of this informal group were also there, demonstrating quilting and other sewing techniques.

A date for your diary is June 2014 when the group will be displaying the results of a fun Fijian challenge in Tenbury Library. 'A Fijian Festival of Colour' will see each member of the group given the same selection of Fijian fabrics - and free rein as to what they create. During this exhibition, members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite piece, and help select the "Peoples' Choice"!

COLIN CO C OLIN PENTECOST P EENTEC NT TEEC COS OST OS ST 01588 015 0 58 88 660844 88 6 660 66 6608 60 08 84 844 8 44 44 07717 07 0 7717 767708 77 7 76 677 770 708 08 cpentecost34@aol.com cp c cpe pe p e nttecost34 teco e c o sst3 st34 tt34 34 @ @a a ao o l .c co c om o m

~ A proper pub with real food ~ THE

GOOD PUB OF THE DECADE

PUB

Tel. 01299 896677

GUIDE

Daily ard blackbonu! e m

Usually at least 5 real ales • Ciders including Robinsons Perry • Bar Snacks • Separate Dining Room Parties for up to 30 Home-made Food - Local Produce Sunday Lunch £9.50 - Tue-Sat Lunch Specials £6.50 - Sandwiches £4.50

CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES

Monday 23rd Dec: 5-11 (food 6-9) Christmas Eve: 12-3 & 5-11 (food 12-2) Christmas Day: 12-2 (no food) Boxing Day: 12-5 (food 12-3) Dec 27th-30th: normal hours New Year's Eve: 12-3 and from 5pm (food 12-2) New Year's Day: open from 12 noon (food 12-3)

MERRY CHRISTMAS + HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

John and Trudy Greaves welcome you to

The Bell at Pensax, Abberley, Worcs. WR6 6AE On the B4202 between Clows Top and Abberley.

Christmas Celebrations At Ludlow Food Centre

Festiv estive Fun F un Day Saturday December ember 7tth 9:00am until 5.30pm

Christmas Gifts & Hampers now available!

Bromfield, Ludlow Ludlow,, Shropshire SY8 2JR

Santa Claus t t Reindeer Christmas Producers Marquee Mulled Wine & Mince Pies Festive Cafe Menu t t Festive BBQ t Music Cooking Demonstrations t Food Tastings t t Christmas Carols Competitions t t Face Painter Christmas Food Workshops o ...and fun for all the family family. y..

Don’t miss Santa and his reindeer!

01584 856 000

www www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk .ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk

16 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Not just Lights........

Christmas Trees in stock now see our advert on pages 20/21

Christmas Lights really do lift the spirits during the dark months of winter and in most towns people work hard to provide a great variety of displays. Combined with the efforts of local shopkeepers, many of whom make great efforts to produce colourful, enticing window displays, shopping during the festive season can be quite a special experience. So next time you are window shopping, enjoy the hard work that goes into a good display and let the lights shine on!

Firewood

Hatton Machinery & Tools

Paul Harding Tree Services

Teme Court, Teme St, Tenbury Wells.

Seasoned logs Barn dried Ready to burn Free local delivery 01584 890993 07970878224

We don’t sell cheap bikes - but we do sell bikes cheap!

01584 811600

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

.. but CHRISTMAS Lights!!

Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 17

Monday: ‘mobiling’ Tue, Thur, Fri: - 9am - 5pm Wed: closed Sat: 9am - 2pm Est. Over 50 years

OFFERS - With Level 2 Apprentice Blowdry or Set Manicure

£7.50* Or *£18.50 * if £13.00* booked together!

Perms £22.50 (Includes cut & finish)

Full Head of Foils - Very short hair £20, To Shoulder £48 / Below Shoulder £62 (All include finish)

Call in or telephone to book your appointment with Lois MOBILE HAIRDRESSING SERVICE OFFERED ON MONDAYS, AND DUE TO HIGH DEMAND THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS ARE SOMETIMES AVAILABLE. PLEASE CALL AND ENQUIRE.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR CLIENTS!

The Village Stores Clifton upon Teme Groceries - News - Lottery Off-licence - Mobile Top-Ups

01886 812303

Car and Van Hire We offer competitive car and van hire prices for a day, a week, a month or even longer. We also do special weekend rates.

Our range of vehicles includes Ford Fiesta, Mazda 5 (7-seater), and Peugeot Boxer van.

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01568 612337

email info@bengrymotors.co.uk

www.bengrymotors.co.uk

18 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

Abberley

Abberley Christmas Fayre was held in the village hall on Saturday afternoon, November 9th. By 3pm it was packed, with people browsing or buying and with youngsters waiting to see Santa in his grotto - a vibrant event with lots of opportunities to buy or win some early Christmas presents! Fruit and vegetables were on sale; the silent auction offered golf, a hamper, Worcester Warriors tickets, and more - and the tombola was busy all afternoon, with over a hundred prizes.

There were lots of cakes, books, toys and household items, and a choice of raffles. One room was set aside for refreshments, with cake and tea all afternoon so you could take a break and rest your legs! Add in local hampers, bargain Christmas cards and wrapping paper plus local crafts and it was a very enjoyable afternoon of fundraising for Abberley churches.

Clows Top

The Christmas Fayre in the Victory Hall at Clows Top on November 9th raised over £800 for Pensax and Stockton churches.

It was busy with shoppers as soon as the doors opened but even in the afternoon there was still plenty of choice for presents, from very smart waistcoats for youngsters to knitted goods, chiffon scarves, jams, soaps, handmade tree decorations, and, of course, the obligatory food hamper being raffled in the Grand Draw! The Grand Draw winners came from Clows Top, Menith Wood, Oldwood, Stockton on Teme, Barnt Green and Stourport, showing that this event drew people from near and far.

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Mamble The Village Hall was comfortably full shortly after the 2.30pm start time and this Christmas Bazaar had much on offer, including some lovely Tombola prizes and three delicious looking hampers to win in the Hamper draw. The Mamble Christmas Scrabble involved much head-scratching as winning words were attempted, with prizes for the highest scoring word from a hand of 7 letters.

You could buy a ‘Mamble Up Close’ 2014 Calender, or Mamble Christmas cards, or guess the weight of the Christmas cake.

Henry’s sweetie tree sold out of bags early on, and the Christmas Draw was busy selling tickets to be drawn later in the day. With tea and cake on offer you could enjoy a bit of fun and come away with a bargain or even a surprise win!

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

Tenbury Hospital

Tenbury Hospital’s Christmas Fayre, held on November 2nd in Tenbury’s iconic Pump Rooms, raised funds for the Patients’ Comfort Fund. A steady stream of people came and bought books, cakes and tried their luck in the raffle which had some impressive hampers as prizes, while the Tombola gave many a surprise win.

Little Hereford Tenbury St Mary’s Held in the Village Hall on November 24th, this was the event for book enthusiasts as one side-room was laid out with tables groaning under the weight of secondhand books, and with more boxes under the tables! In the main hall you could enter a raffle or try the Tombola with its plethora of prizes. One end of the main hall had a table filled with cakes, decorated buns, Christmas shaped shortbreads and mince pies festive purchases that might not last until Christmas!

The weather was bright and sunny for St Mary’s Christmas Fayre on Saturday November 23rd, encouraging many to come out and attend. There were lots of prizes to be won with two tombolas! Many left with their arms full of goodies or with a couple of nice Christmas gifts. The book stall did a good trade at four for £1. Rev Claire Lording entered into to the spirit of things with her Santa Claus earmuffs! The ladies had been busy baking; tomato and garlic savoury bread rolls at 30p each looked particularly tempting. Soup and fruit pie lunches were served, so you could stay till the afternoon without going hungry. You could pick up a copy of St Mary’s annual quiz for £2 and puzzle over it all Christmas and New Year - the closing date for entries is the end of January 2014!

Hanley A warm welcome awaited people who made the trip to Hanley Village Hall on Saturday November 23rd for Hanley Market’s Christmas Fayre. The hall was packed with stalls selling everything from steak and ale pies to home-made chocolates. The friendly atmosphere encouraged thorough browsing and many stayed for lunch, with mugs of warming and filling soups on offer.

There were many choices for that unusual gift, without having to travel miles to a big city! Rubber stamps, Danish mobiles, chocolate covered walnuts, ‘real’ Turkish delight, plum puddings, mincemeat, Christmas Body Shop collections, table decorations, cards, bags, quiches, lavender soap, ‘Charley Harper’ 2014 calenders, jewellery, scarves, mini Christmas cakes, home-made pickles and Christmas chutney were all on offer!

Carole who organised it told us “We are delighted to have made £270 on Saturday. With donations from customers and profits from the Friday morning market that gives us a total of £1000 plus!

We only managed £500 last year so have doubled our money, all will be donated to The West Midland Air Ambulance.”

Remaining Hanley Friday Markets this year are on December 6th and 13th, from 10am to 12 noon.

Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 19

20 DECEMBER 2013

Teme Valley Times

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Quality Plants and so much more!

3 packs for £5

(priced at £1.99 to £3.99 per pack):

STUCK FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT? CHRISTMAS TREES Nordmann “non-drop” Fir LET US HELP - LOTS OF IDEAS IN STOCK NOW COME AND SEE also Tree Stands

Stoneware - plenty of characters to choose from! Statues - add a touch of elegance to the garden

Merry Christmas and a Happy N Ludlow Road, Burford, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8HF

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

Teme Valley Times

NOVEMBER 2013 21

Quality Plants and so much more!

High Quality Resin Models Farm animals, cats, dogs, hares, penguins and many more!

Garden Pots - Huge Selection

Buy One Get One Free - until Xmas

Wooden Boxes

CAFE CLOSED FOR WINTER Large indoor Cyclamen

Planted up Pots

Christmas Wreaths

New Year to all our customers! www.burfordnurseries.co.uk

All items subject to availability

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

22 CHRISTMAS 2013 TEME VALLEY TIMES

Farmers Markets and Local Producers Markets This year has seen a huge upsurge in the number of Farmers and Local Producers Markets in and around the Teme Valley. This growth may have been catalysed by the horse-burger scandal, which made people reflect on the long and complex supply chain that is often involved in mass-produced 'factory' food.

A Farmers Market offers a complete contrast. Typically you buy direct from a small-volume producer, who may have personally reared the pigs that went into the sausages you can buy - what a contrast to international supply lines!

Farmers Markets have been held for a good many years at locations such as Ludlow and Knightwick, but 2013 has seen markets come on-stream at Cleobury Mortimer, Tenbury Wells, Abberley, CliftonUpon-Teme, Martley and Shrawley. These new markets have helped bring food within easy reach of more people, providing convenience as well as an assurance of the food's provenance.

Buying from local producers also means you're doing your bit to support the economic well-being of your local community, and sometimes there will even be an opportunity to try before you buy.

It's also ideal if there are any questions you want to ask about the products. You may also find products you are unlikely to find in a supermarket - ranging from weird and wonderful jams and chutneys and a huge range of home-made cakes, through to a great variety of craft items and even something as down-to-earth as a load of logs!

Shrawley

Cleobury

Reindeer at Burford!

Santa Claus and his reindeer visited Burford House Gardens on December 1st. This popular event saw many people queuing for the opportunity to climb aboard Santa's sleigh, many of them warmed by the mulled wine and roast chestnuts that were on offer. The League of Friends of Tenbury Hospital collected donations and the Teme Valley Band played in the afternoon. The house itself was decked out with Christmas decorations, adding to the festive feel.

For editorial or advertising, ring 01584 781762 or email temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk

teme valley times christmas 2013

23

Farmers Markets and Local Producers Markets Clifton

Abberley

Design

We wish all our customers a very Happy Christmas!

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Gift Vouchers for that perfect gift: £5, £10, £20

Christmas Opening Times Sat 21st Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 5pm Mon 23rd Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 7pm Tues 24th Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 3pm 25th - 29th Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED Mon 30th Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 6pm Tues 31st Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 4pm 1st & 2nd Jan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED Fri 3rd Jan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 7pm Sat 4th Jan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 5pm

67 Teme St, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8AE.

01584 810657 www.soapoperahairdesign.co.uk soapoperahairandbeauty@hotmail.co.uk

24 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

If you wanted to organise a Medieval Christmas Fayre you’d be hard-pressed to find a more appropriate setting than Ludlow Castle. Over the weekend of 23rd/24th November people could “step back in time” and soak up the atmosphere, surrounded by characters in period dress and with plenty of straw underfoot!

The stall-holders made a real effort to look the part and there was a really friendly feel to event, with people simply being there to have a good time. There was so much going on that if you wanted to see and do everything, you’d not only need a weekend ticket, you’d also have to be careful not to dawdle!

Just to mention a little of what was on offer, there were giants, knights in armour, archers, hurdy-gurdys, songs, puppetry, story-telling and tales from The Yarnsmith of Norwich, have-a-go archery, wines, beers ciders, mead, bread and stalls a-plenty. You could even have professional tuition to achieve, in a relatively short time, a convincing sword fight, by joining in one of the Sword workshops. A full list would be almost endless.

On the Saturday an electrical problem in Ludlow meant that the power was off for some time, which was obviously a great disappointment to many, though some might have appreciated the even more authentic atmosphere, as the lights went out and new-fangled electrical devices stopped working! All-in-all this was a terrific event - one that could well be worth putting in next year’s diary.

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Ludlow Medieval

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

Christmas Fayre

Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 25

To advertise in the

Teme Valley Times either email temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk or telephone 01584 781762 Over 9,500 copies per issue (2013 average).

The entire paper, including all the adverts, can be read online at www.temevalleytimes.co.uk We can design your advert for you, if you wish.

Next issue due out early February 2014, adverts should be booked by mid-January, but sooner is always better!

Advertise your business from just ÂŁ20 per issue - or even less with a series booking!

26 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

Tenbury Autumn Show Tenbury Agricultural Society’s Autumn Show reminds us that the Teme Valley is still a fruitful and productive area, despite the farming changes in recent decades. On Friday 25th October, hops, apples, pears, ciders and more were all on show at Penlu in Burford.

Other classes included fodder beet, forage maize, hay, straw, silage, oats, wheat, barley and beans, with the youngsters not being left out, with junior classes for scarecrows and pumpkins. Not forgetting that warming class ‘Spirit from the hedgerow’ - surely a favourite with the judges!

A very aromatic event with the smell of hops permeating the hall and produce was auctioned off at the end of the show, so you could come away with a prize-winning tray of apples!

Proceeds were shared equally between Tenbury & District Hospital League of Friends, the Air Ambulance and the Autumn Show.

There were too many awards for us to be able to list them all, but Frank P Matthews won the ‘3 heaviest apples’ class with a combined weight of 1.76kg - and other winners included S J Powell & Son, Newnham Farms Ltd, S J Adams & Sons, Cadmore Valley Fruit, D J Morris, and Harriet Hawkins for her Hallowe’en Pumpkin.

Sing-a-long with Bill!

Hon-da

fourth day of Christmas, Bill Davies sold to me 4 Brand New Tyres 3 litres of Oil 2 Heated Grips and maybe a new Honda A.T.V

A Very Happy Christmas to all our customers!

Quality Used ATV’s

12 month warranty Honda 250TE ‘09 . . . . £2,250 Honda 350TE ‘06 . . . . £2,000 Honda 420TE ‘07 . . . . £2,500 Honda 420TE ‘10 . . . . £3,250 Honda 420FM ‘09 . . . . £3,500 Honda 500FM ‘10 . . . . £3,850 Honda Auto ‘12 . . . . £5,950 Honda Auto ‘10 . . . . £5,150 All prices exclude VAT Also new & used sheep snackers and trailers .

Other ATV’s available, stock changing daily .

07860 729631 Kids Quads icing 01568 613104 Seervlmets H 01568 750474 billdavieshonda@aol.co.uk www.billdaviesatv.co.uk

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Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 27

Holly and Mistletoe Sale

The Teme Valley has been famous for its holly and mistletoe for decades and each year the media head for Tenbury Wells to report on the town’s holly and mistletoe auctions. These have been run for a number of years by local auctioneer Nick Champion. There are three sales altogether, all held at the Tenbury Wells Business Park, off Bromyard Road - the last being on December 10th.

The first sale of 2013, illustrated here, was held on Tuesday November 26th. Nick Champion reported a good quality entry of holly, mistletoe and wreaths. He commented “Only 750 lots of holly and mistletoe were forward and the good quality berried and variegated holly met a strong trade as did the best mistletoe. 2,944 wreaths were on offer and met a good trade throughout.”

Happy Christmas to all our customers and we wish you all a wonderful 2014

Orders for Free Range TURKEYS now being taken, along with chipolatas, pigs in blankets, all the trimmings - not forgetting your gammons & chutneys!

01584 781586 07891 362668 Twitter@keysellsfarm on B4204 at Upper Rochford

nick champion auctioneer . valuer . land & estate agent

Final Tenbury holly sale Tuesday, 10Th december Holly WreatHs - 10am Holly & mistletoe - 11am CHristmas trees - 1pm delivery saturday, sunday & monday only from 8am (see Website for details) sale siTe bromyard road business Park Tenbury Wells, Wr15 8Fa

Burford l Tenbury Wells Worcs l WR15 8HS

doWnload buyer registration & auCtion Conditions Terms: cash on sale day Tenbury sheeP sale saTurday, 14Th december chrisTmas shoW & sale oF sTore lambs & cull eWes caTalogue available online

Tel: 01584 810555 www.nickchampion.co.uk

T: 01584 811831 info@nomark.co.uk

www.nomark.co.uk

As Winter approaches don’t forget we do snow ploughs and salt spreaders!!

Keep warm on your quad this winter with Handlebar Muffs and Heated Grips!... They make great Christmas presents

Make feeding Sheep and Cattle easier with the Logic Feeder

24 hour emergency care provided by our own veterinary surgeons Bewdley: Bridgnorth: (24hr Hospital) Cleobury Mortimer: Much Wenlock:

01299 409157 01746 763998 01299 271967 01952 726007

Other branches include: Kinlet, Highley, Donnington Wood, Madeley & Broseley Equine (Aston Munslow): 01584 841080 Farm Animals 01746 713911 - 01299 271537

www.severnedgevets.co.uk

Sales of New and used ATVs

All sizes of Quad tyres at competitive prices!!!

Ask about a demo of this machine and see the advantages over a wheel-driven feeder!!

www.nomark.co.uk Sales of new and used ATVs l Excellent parts back-up for all Yamaha ATVs and for most other makes l Comprehensive range of attachments to make your quad bike a real workhorse l Full workshop service and repair facilities l

THE

TROLL

Charity Promise Auction Tenbury YFC Bonfire Bash Raises £3500 Christmas 2013

News from The Bridge Hotel, Stanford Bridge, Worcs. WR6 6RU Tel: 01886 812771 Visit our Website - www.stanfordbridgepub.co.uk

The annual Charity Promise auction in aid of the County Air Ambulance Trust took place on Saturday, 16th November at the Bridge at Stanford Bridge. Patrons of the pub are asked (badgered!?) into donating a lot for auction, from pickled onions to plane rides, and all the lots are sold on the night to the highest bidder with all the money going straight to charity.

'Every year I am astounded by the immense generosity of everyone involved in the auction which of course supports an essential rural service - I personally enjoy playing at auctioneer

A great fun night was had by all - highlights of the evening included the top bid, £400 for a day’s shooting (donated by Tom Spilsbury), £100 for the mystery shoebox (you will have to ask Gorgeous George what was in it…) and £65 for a lift home from the Bridge bought by Ben Sparey – who has to be one of only two dozen people within walking distance of the pub!

Christmas Quiz

Boxing Day

Wednesday, 18th December 8.30pm

Thursday, 26th December

Our monthly pub quiz with a Christmas theme!

Teams of 4 or less, £1 per person entry.

The kitchen is open 12-4pm on Boxing Day if you want to get out of the house and stretch your legs a bit...there is also lots of football on in the bottom bar if that's your kind of thing!

Sunday, 22nd December – 7pm All are welcome to come along to this festive celebration led by our lovely local Vicar Rob Barlow (if you can play an instrument as well as sing even better!) We will be starting around 7pm with mince pies and nibbles for everyone joining in.

The Bridge - The Best Pub in Stanford Bridge!

on the night, but it also makes me incredibly proud to be part of such a great local community here in the Teme Valley' said licensee Tim Lawson.

What's On this Christmas at the Bridge at Stanford Christmas Carols

Like our facebook page

FREE

Christmas Pool Competition Sunday, 29th December Singles pool knockout, £5 per person entry with guaranteed £50 cash prize for first and £25 for the runner-up. Be in the pub before the 6.30pm start to register your entry.

Candlelit Christmas Eve

New Year’s Eve Fancy Dress Party

Tuesday, 24th December

Tuesday, 31st December

Always a special night - we light the entire pub with candles on Christmas Eve as we all have a beer or two with friends in anticipation of the big day. The kitchen is closed in the evening on Christmas Eve, but we do pop out a free bufffet later on if you fancy a nibble!

Prizes of fizz for best dressed Male, Female and Couple on New Years Eve - no particular theme this year so go wild peeps! The kitchen is closed in the evening on New Years Eve but we will be supplying a free buffet later on. Please note that the New Years' Eve Party is strictly over 18 only after 9pm (unless accompanied by a parent).

Christmas Day Wednesday, 25th December

New Year’s Day

Get your Christmas jumper on and come and join us for a pint whilst someone gets the lunch ready! Open 11-2.30pm with mince pies and mulled wine readily available...

Wednesday, 1st of January The pub is open all day on New Years' Day, with the kitchen open 12-4pm. There is also a cracking day of sport in the downstairs bar to watch with that pint of orange juice and lemonade!

The Bridge - The Best Pub in Stanford Bridge

Photography by Nigel Harniman The Tenbury YFC Bonfire Bash was held on Friday, 8th November on a lovely clear and crisp evening after a week of torrential rain had us all worried for a bit! The event was well attended by locals, families and young farmers alike and a live band in the marquee at the pub kept the party going after the fire died down.

especially all round ‘good egg’ Ed Churchill for giving permission for the YFC to use the field in the first place as well as Ben and Greta Sparey for kindly allowing extra parking at Mill Farm. Tenbury YFC did a great job of organising the fire and the fireworks, with various vehicles employed to navigate a very damp field!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the event

The Bonfire Bash is turning into a great annual community event, so bring on next year!

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Griffiths!

We would like to congratulate our good friends Mr and Mrs Griffiths on their recent marriage. ‘Big Ron’ and ‘Little Han’ tied the knot in a lovely ceremony at Stoke Bliss church on Saturday, 23rd November before a cracking wedding reception at Wigley Orchard Caravan Park. It was a really, really special day notable for a great cake, great speeches, great singing and great company and we are sure that everyone that knows them wishes the happy couple all the very best in their future together – we love you guys! xxx

Book Now for Christmas!

We are now taking bookings for our Christmas Menu, which is available both lunchtimes and evenings throughout December until Christmas Eve. We can cater for groups up to twenty in a cosy and relaxed pub environment, ideal for work parties or family gettogethers for people who appreciate good food, great beer and friendly service.

For the menu, bookings or any more information please email timbridgeatstanford@gmail.com or call the Bridge on 01886 812 771.

All televised Premier league matches shown over the festive period on both Sky Sports and BT Sport.

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Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 29

Jaguar XJ If you’re thinking about a large luxury car, it’ll be no surprise if you think about a Jaguar. And if you’re opting for “large” and “luxury”, you might decide to go the whole hog and plump for an XJ, rather than settle for Jaguar’s undeniably impressive, but comparatively modest alternative, the XF. Jaguar have said that the “XJ redefines what a luxury car should be. It’s a dramatic combination of beauty, luxury and power. It provides agility and delivers a refreshingly dynamic driving experience. For the passenger, the cabin is built for stretching out and relaxing. No car looks, or feels, like XJ.” This may sound like mere hyperbole, but in some ways it’s not that far off the mark.

Beauty is inevitably, at least in part, in the eye of the beholder, but there can be no denying the XJ attracts a lot of attention. You’d be right to expect luxury, given the entry-level model’s near-£57,000 list price, but it was awarded the ‘Best Luxury Car’ title by Telegraph readers. Agility may sound a little unlikely, given the car’s dimensions and weight, but in fact the XJ offers more control than its size might suggest, so if you do investigate its capabilities, you’ll find it stays in shape surprisingly well.

It’s an impressive mix: there’s lots of space, there’s plenty of urge from under the bonnet (even the least powerful model can top 150mph) and there’s the ability to drift lazily down motorways, or good main roads, for hours - without disturbing the equanimity of the passengers.

There are currently three engines to choose from: one diesel (a 275bhp, 3-litre V6) and two petrols (340bhp 3-litre V6 and 510bhp V8 - both supercharged). All come with eightspeed automatic gearboxes. The V8 is only available in long wheelbase form, the others are available in both ‘long’ and ‘standard’ versions - the difference being about five inches.

We drove a standard wheelbase model, with the 340bhp engine, the high-end ‘Portfolio’ trim level, plus a number of optional extras, bringing the list price at the time we drove it to about £78,000. The overall specification was so extensive that it would be unrealistic to try to list every feature.

Its V6 petrol engine has more than enough performance for most people, as the 5.7 second 0-60mph time would suggest. It also offers really relaxed cruising. Despite it being an automatic, you can use the paddles to slot into top (8th) at an indicated 60mph if you wish and the result is really relaxed and

splendidly quiet cruising. In the old days they used to say the loudest thing in a Rolls Royce was the clock - there were times in this Jaguar when we found the climate control was louder than the engine.

Neat touches include the powered adjustment of the steering wheel position, using a small joystick.

The brakes were both light and

powerful, so a short period of acclimatisation might be needed, depending on what you’ve been driving previously.

The adaptive cruise control worked well - on the motorway you can dial in your chosen cruising speed and if the car in front slows down, the XJ automatically slows, then speeds up again if the car in front accelerates or moves out of your lane.

The hill start worked faultlessly. Jaguar Land Rover have the best hill start we have tried.

Whether it’s in an XJ or a Range Rover, it still sets the standard, holding the car on the hill, but releasing smoothly and seamlessly

when you try to set off. The reversing camera was also excellent, with lines on the screen showing you where you would end up if you reversed; the lines move if you turn the steering wheel.

Of course, with every car there is a price to pay. In the case of the XJ it’s around £57,000 to £100,000, depending on which model you go for and which extras you specify. Fuel consumption depends on the engine you select: the V6 petrol model we drove averaged about 26mpg, topping 28mpg on a good run, but the diesel can be a lot more economical, with the potential to return over 40mpg.

2014 model

Vauxhall Meriva

30 CHRISTMAS 2013 TEME VALLEy TIMES

The Meriva is Vauxhall's entry in the compact MPV (multi purpose vehicle) market. The current model replaced the previous, smaller, version a few years ago. It has one particularly unusual feature - the rear doors are hinged at the back, not the front. Rear-hinged doors were common decades ago, but they are rare nowadays; Vauxhall describe them as "Flexdoors". As well as making it easier to get in or out, they complement the Meriva's MPV functionality because they can be more convenient when loading or unloading large items, particularly as the doors open so wide.

The choice of engines in the Meriva includes diesel, petrol and turbopetrol and there's a good choice of trim levels. We drove a "Tech Line 1.4i", with a non-turbo 100bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine. It was pleasantly well-equipped, with alloy wheels, electric mirrors, electric windows allround, and cruise control. The on-the-road list price is a competitive £13,995, but optional extras (metallic paint and sat nav) took 'our' car's price up to £15,375.

The engine did all you should expect, given its power and capacity.

However, the performance is stacked towards the top part of the rev

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range, so you need to be above 3,000rpm sometimes even 5,000rpm - if you want to make 'rapid' progress, or if you want to power up hills. Together with the high overall gearing, this means that you can end up spending a lot of time in the lower gears. If you require more urge at lower revs you'd probably prefer the turbocharged petrol or one of the diesels.

One impressive feature was the suspension.

This delivered a comfortable ride, and even crossing quite significant bumps while cornering hardly disturbed the Meriva's equanimity. It also coped well when heavily loaded, and the luggage capacity was good, not just because of the size of the boot, but also because of neat features such as the stowage spaces under the front seats. It also had good headroom and legroom, front and rear, and it was easy to get in and out, with the seats at a very convenient height.

The engine was quiet enough but wind noise and tyre noise could be intrusive at higher speeds. Neither was a problem on short runs or at lower speeds, so the significance of this depends on the sort of driving you do. Looking at fuel economy, we averaged about 33mpg overall. This covered a mixture of conditions, from stop-start in town, to relaxed cruising in the countryside. The official 'combined' figure is 47.1mpg, hinting at what might be possible.

Changes for the 2014 model, due in Vauxhall dealerships in January, include a new grille, new headlamps and a 136bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine replacing the current 1.7 CDTi, offering better economy and more performance. The 1.4-litre petrol engines will continue: the 100bhp model we tried, plus turbocharged 120bhp and 140bhp versions.

Overall the Meriva is a very practical car. It provides a lot of space at an affordable price, it offers a comfortable ride and it comes with Vauxhall's Lifetime Warranty, which covers first owners for as long as they own the car, up to a limit of 100,000 miles.

FOR EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING, RING 01584 781762 OR EMAIL TEMEVALLEYTIMES@YAHOO.CO.UK

Racing Civic Tourer!

Civic Tourer from £20,265

Honda has announced prices for the new Civic Tourer, which is due to reach dealerships in February 2014. The range is available with a choice of two engines and four trim levels.

Prices will start at £20,265 on-the-road for the entry-level 142bhp 1.8 i-VTEC S model, and run up to £27,460 for the 120bhp 1.6 i-DTEC EX Plus. Like the existing Civic Hatchback, the Tourer will be built in Britain, at Honda's Swindon factory.

TEME VALLEY TIMES CHRISTMAS 2013

Honda Yuasa Racing will be back in the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with the same championship-winning team and driver lineup, but with a new car. Next March will see the debut of the new Civic Tourer race car the only estate on the BTCC grid - with drivers Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden in the hunt for yet more titles. The team have their sights set on a clean sweep of titles after Civics secured the teams’ and manufacturers’ crowns for the fourth year in a row.

Gordon Shedden said: “It might be a Tourer, but it’s still a Civic, the car that has won every championship in BTCC for the last three

seasons. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of next season, and to seeing what the Tourer can do on race day.”

Matt Neal added: “Although we’re racing a new model, the inherent advantages of the Civic hatchback from the past two years remain so there’s no reason why this car can’t be a winner straight out of the box!”

Phil Crossman, Managing Director, Honda (UK) concluded: “By racing the new Tourer after several years with the Civic hatchback we can really showcase our growing range and demonstrate that the versatility and practicality of a Tourer doesn’t compromise dynamic performance.”

New Civic Type-R

The new Civic Type-R, due to be launched in 2015, will be the first model in Europe to have one of Honda’s all-new VTEC TURBO engines from Honda’s 'Earth Dreams Technology' range.

This 2 litre, direct injection, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine is expected to develop over 280bhp. Speaking during recent testing at the Nurburgring, Honda’s WTCC driver Gabriele Tarquini said “The car and the characteristics of the car were fantastic. I was really impressed by the power and the torque of the engine but also by the set-up.”

Lightning. They say it doesn’t

strike

twice.

So when you see an of fer this good on the CR-V, don’t wait.

Act. Because quick as a flash, it’ll be gone.

CR-V 2.0 S £249 a month 0% APR Representative

STARTIN HONDA Bromyard Road, Worcester, Worcestershire WR2 5YJ Call 01905 469060 or visit www.startin-honda.co.uk

Fuel consumption figures for the CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC S 2WD in mpg (l/100km): Urban 31.7 (8.9), Extra Urban 45.6 (6.2), Combined 39.2 (7.2). CO2 emissions: 168g/km.

Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

Model shown: CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC S 2WD in Polished Metal Metallic at £22,005 On The Road. Terms and Conditions: New retail CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC S 2WD registered between 1 October 2013 to 31 December 2013. Subject to model and colour availability.

Offers applicable at participating dealers and are at the promoter’s absolute discretion. Honda Aspirations (PCP): £249 per month example shown based on CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC S 2WD in metallic paint at £22,005 total cash price (and total amount payable) with 37 months 0% APR Representative (interest rate per annum 0% fi xed) with £4,885.76 (22%) deposit, Guaranteed Future Value/Optional Final Payment of £8,155.19, annual mileage of 10,000 and excess mileage charge: 6p per mile.

You do not have to pay the Final Payment if you return the car at the end of the agreement and you have paid all other amounts due, the vehicle is in good condition and has been serviced in accordance with the Honda service book and the maximum annual mileage has not been exceeded. Indemnities may be required in certain circumstances. Finance is only available to persons aged 18 or over, subject to status. All figures are correct at time of publication but may be subject to change. Credit provided by Honda Finance Europe Plc. 470 London Road, Slough, Berkshire SL3 8QY. Servicing: Five years’ servicing or 62,500 miles, whichever comes first, for £499 including VAT and includes a maximum of fi ve manufacturers’ scheduled services.

31

Subaru BRZ

32 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

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SKODA YETI

12 62 YETI 2.0 TDI S, red, 3,500 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,600 11 11 YETI 1.2 TSI E, grey, 22,000 miles, alloy wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . £11,450

OCTAVIA

07 07 OCTAVIA 2.0 TDI 4x4 ESTATE, silver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,995 06 06 OCTAVIA 1.9 TDI Estate Ambiente, red, 75,000 miles, a/con . . . . . £5,995

FABIA

For years some people have complained that ‘cars all look the same these days’, then a car like Subaru’s BRZ comes along. Surely this is one of the best styling jobs of recent years - a real eye-catcher that draws glances wherever it goes.

Although this is an entirely new kind of Subaru, with rear wheel drive rather than four-wheel drive, the car retains Subaru’s signature flat-four ‘boxer’ engine. Previously Subaru have used a turbocharger for their sporty models, such as the WRX and STI, but the BRZ has no such assistance. Despite this, it manages to deliver 200bhp from its two-litre engine, enough for a 140mph top speed, or 130mph with automatic transmission.

It looks good in pictures and it looks just as striking in the flesh, and from a wide range of angles - you don’t have to stand in exactly the right place to appreciate the car’s styling! Many sporty-looking cars are awkward when it comes to everyday practicalities like getting in and out, or carrying luggage, but the BRZ is surprisingly good, provided you view it as a 2+2 (or even a 2 + shopping) rather than as a full four-seater, due to the restricted leg room in the back.

You might expect a car that looks this special to cost the proverbial million dollars, but the BRZ’s price is pleasantly down-to-earth, with the range starting at just under £25,000; even the most expensive model, the Lux Auto, costs under £28,000.

Clearly this isn’t the sort of car you buy if you’re looking for the lowest possible running costs, but we were able to return 36mpg when cruising across mid-Wales, while on local journeys, such as some start-stop trips in the Tenbury to Ludlow area we saw 33mpg, surprisingly good, given the 200bhp petrol engine.

Comfort is sometimes sacrificed in this type of car and with the BRZ it’s partly a matter of opinion. The suspension is firm, but at the same time it isn’t harsh, so if you’re looking for a car with a sporty feel you’d be hardpressed to do much better. The seats were actually quite comfortable, but their heavily-contoured design means they won’t be a perfect fit for everyone.

The driving experience is perhaps even more important than the looks and this is where the BRZ really scores. The accurate steering offers plenty of feedback and the car is at its best when driven sportily, but not actually seriously

10 60 FABIA 1.2 TSI AUTO ESTATE, grey, 15,000 miles, air con, alloys. . £9,150 11 11 FABIA 1.6 CRD SE ESTATE, white, 40,000 miles, air con, alloys . . £8,495 10 60 FABIA 1.6 TDI ELEGANCE, gold, 20,000 miles, air con, alloys . . . . £7,995 10 60 FABIA 1.6 TDI S ESTATE, blue, 49,000 miles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,450 09 09 FABIA 1.4 TDI ESTATE LEVEL 2, green, 50,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . £6,995 10 10 FABIA 1.2 S ESTATE, grey, 18,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,450 10 60 FABIA 1.2 S, grey, 30,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,450 08 08 FABIA 1.4 TDI ESTATE LEVEL 2, silver, 72,000 miles, a/con. . . . . . £6,250 09 59 FABIA 1.2 S, blue, 30,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,995 07 57 FABIA 1.2, beige, 40,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,995 05 55 FABIA 1.9 TDI ELEGANCE, blue, 40,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,750 05 05 FABIA 1.4 16v AUTOMATIC, gold, 40,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,450 06 56 FABIA 1.2 AMBIENTE, silver, 81,000 miles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £2,995

OTHERS

09 09 VW TRANSPORTER 1.9 TDI, white, 33,000 miles . . . . . . . . .£9,950 + VAT 10 10 VW CADDY 1.9 TDI MAXI VAN, white, 73,000 miles . . . . . . .£6,995 + VAT 09 59 VW CADDY 1.9 TDI VAN, white, 73,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,995 + VAT 09 59 VW CADDY 1.9 SDI VAN, blue, 90,000 miles, a/con. . . . . . . .£4,500 + VAT 05 55 SEAT ALTEA 1.9 TDI, black, 90,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,995

OVERTON SERVICE STATION HEREFORD ROAD, LUDLOW.

hard, which is just about right for real use on a real road.

If you have the road to yourself the car feels really good and it’s sure to bring a smile to the enthusiast’s face, not least because of its excellent balance. It’s also easy to cover the ground quite quickly, as the car’s handling makes it easy to maintain a good cruising speed.

If you meet other traffic, the engine’s power curve means you need to work quite hard to overtake effectively.

The maximum power output (200bhp) is respectable enough, but it’s stacked towards the top end of the rev range, so you need to work at it to get the best from the car - but perhaps this is what sports-minded drivers are looking for. It can be quite an intense experience, not just because the steering needs a fair bit of effort when you press on, but also because the engine is quite vocal when revved hard.

Overall we thought the BRZ was great fun, a fantastic looker, surprisingly affordable and more practical than we expected, with plenty of luggage space for a weekend away. The only aspect that seemed to fall short was the original-fitment tyres - the BRZ out-handled them so comprehensively that we wouldn’t even wait for them to wear out before we replaced them with something grippier. After which we’d have an even bigger smile!

Tel. 01584 872584

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Land & Estate Agents Chartered Surveyors Auctioneers

LET Worcestershire - Knighton-on-Teme RENT £1,350 pcmx

LET Worcestershire - Tenbury Wells RENT £1,350 pcmx

teme valley times christmas 2013

01299 896 968 www.gherbertbanks.co.uk

LET Worcestershire - Grimley RENT £1,300 pcmx

RENTAL PROPERTIES REQUIRED The past month has been busy with lettings and we require further rental properties to meet demand.

Landlords please call Richard Banks to arrange a free market appraisal.

Let only or fully managed service with competitive fees.

LET Worcestershire - Frith Common RENT £1,250 pcmx

LET AGREED Worcestershire - Stoke Bliss

LET Worcestershire - Hallow

LET Worcestershire - Eardiston, Tenbury Wells RENT £1,000 pcmx

£975 pcmx

LET Worcestershire - Far Forest RENT £900 pcmx

LET AGREED Worcestershire - Ombersley RENT £900 pcmx

RENT £800 pcmx

LET Worcestershire - Abberley RENT £750 pcmx

LET Worcestershire - Dunley

ghb@gherbertbanks.co.uk www.gherbertbanks.co.uk

RENT £600 pcmx

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34 CHRISTMAS 2013 TEME VALLEY TIMES

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A SELECTION OF SELECTION O F PROPERTIES PROPERTIES SOLD SOLD IN IN 2013!

2013!

YOU THINKING INKING OF OF IIF FY OU ARE TH MOVING N 2014 2014 M OVING IIN CALL US FOR OR A C ALL U SF NO OBLIGATION N OO BLIGATION MARKET APPRAISAL PRAISAL FREE MARKE T AP ON N O 01584 811999 01584 811999 OR OR EMAIL AT: EMAIL AT: tenbury@mccartneys.co.uk tenbury@mccartneys.co.uk

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MCCARTNEYS ARE PLEASED PLEASED TO TO REPORT REPORT MCCARTNEYS A CONTINUING CONTINUING DEMAND DEMAND FOR FOR RENTAL RENT TAL AL PROPERTIES PROPERTIES

LET

PROPERT Y IF IF YOU YOU HAVE HAVE A VACANT VA VACANT PROPERTY YOU NEED TO TO BE BE TALKING TALKING T YOU TO US. OU S. WE HAVE TENANTS TENANTS WAITING WAITING T HAVE TO MOVE NOW! OM OVE N OW! MCCARTNEYS OFFER MCCARTNEYS OFFER BOTH BOTH A TENANT TENANT FIND FIND AND D FULLY FULL LY Y MANAGED MANAGED SERVICE SERVICE ALONG ALONG WITH WITH COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE RATES RA ATE TES TO TO ARRANGE ARRANGE A FREE NO NO OBLIGATION OBLIGATION APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENT PLEASE PLEASE CONTACT CONTACT 01584 01584 811999 811999 OR OR EMAIL EMAIL ttenbury@mccartneys.co.uk enbury@mccartneys.co.uk

Upper Sapey

LET Hanley Childe

LET Eastham

LET Hatfield

LET Burford

35

36 CHRISTMAS 2013

Teme Valley Times

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

FoR edIToRIAl oR AdveRTISIng, RIng 01584 781762 oR eMAIl TeMevAlleyTIMeS@yAHoo.Co.uk

Teme Valley Times

CHRISTMAS 2013 37

ORGANISING AN EVENT? REMEMBER TO TELL US!

38 CHRISTMAS 2013 TEME VALLEY TIMES

Nick

Champion

T: 01584 810555 W: www.nickchampion.co.uk E: enquiries@nickchampion.co.uk

FNAEA, FNAVA

16 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8BA

Auctioneer, Valuer, Land & Estate Agent

BORASTON, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £599,999

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £335,000

A superbly presented character country residence with land ideal for equestrian use and also with the potential for a self contained annexe (subject to planning).

Offering a kitchen, three/four reception rooms, a conservatory, four double bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms, a detached double garage and workshop with store rooms above, large gardens, paddocks and stabling, and a woodland/wildlife haven.

EPC Rating D.

An impressive and individual split level bungalow in a private setting within walking distance of the town centre.

Offering a kitchen with walk-in larder, a gallery dining room, spacious lounge, two double bedrooms, a third bedroom, study, a deluxe shower room, extensive level gardens, a double garage with carport and a garden work room.

EPC Rating D.

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £327,500

HANLEY BROADHEATH, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £300,000

A beautifully presented country cottage set within large gardens and enjoying exceptional views across the Teme Valley.

Offering a kitchen, breakfast room, three reception rooms, a conservatory, three double bedrooms, a bathroom, cellar, extensive gardens, a detached garage and parking.

EPC Rating D.

An improved quality bungalow ideal for further extending with large gardens in an attractive semi-rural setting.

Offering an open plan kitchen/living room, three bedrooms, two bath/shower rooms, a utility room, a garage, parking and a level garden.

EPC Rating E. VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - PART STAMP DUTY PAID

MENITH WOOD, WORCESTER - GUIDE PRICE £299,950

OLDWOOD, TENBURY WELLS - FIXED PRICE £269,950

An attractive dormer bungalow in a convenient rural hamlet location.

Offering a kitchen with a range cooker, a spacious living room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a detached garage/office/workshop, a low maintenance garden and parking on a gravel driveway.

EPC Rating D. VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - CHANTRY SCHOOL CATCHMENT

A well-presented and deceptively spacious bungalow set within large gardens and close to Oldwood Common.

Offering a modern kitchen/breakfast room, open plan sitting/dining area, three double bedrooms, a contemporary bathroom, extensive gardens, a garage & parking.

EPC Rating D.

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £199,950

BRIMFIELD, LUDLOW - GUIDE PRICE £185,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £125,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £79,500 +

An individual bungalow set on a generous corner plot within easy walking distance of the town centre.

Offering a kitchen, spacious living room, three bedrooms, a bathroom, garden, garage and parking.

EPC Rating G.

A character cottage for improvement with a potential building plot within the large gardens.

Offering a kitchen, two reception rooms, three bedrooms, a bathroom, level gardens and parking.

EPC Rating F.

Grade II Listed Offices (B1) in a prime position on the main shopping street.

Originally a townhouse converted to commercial and extending over three floors (approx 1150 sq ft).

Ideal for residential conversion (subject to planning).

EPC Rating E.

A selection of one/two bedroom warden assisted retirement bungalows available in a popular development within walking distance of the town centre.

Bungalows with garages currently available.

EPC Rating C.

FIND US AT: www.nickchampion.co.uk

For editorial or advertising, ring 01584 781762 or email temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk

teme valley times christmas 2013

Nick

Champion

T: 01584 810555 W: www.nickchampion.co.uk E: enquiries@nickchampion.co.uk

FNAEA, FNAVA

16 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8BA

Auctioneer, Valuer, Land & Estate Agent

SOLD

BOCKLETON - OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £695,000

BOCKLETON - GUIDE PRICE £695,000

BORASTON - GUIDE PRICE £330,000

FRITH COMMON - GUIDE PRICE £325,000

A substantial period farmhouse and historic farm buildings with consent for three residential conversions set amidst glorious countryside.

About 2.5 acres.

EPC Rating F.

A superbly situated small farmstead for restoration.

Lot 1 - Cottage, Farm Buildings & Pasture Land, about 5.75 acres - £495,000.

Lot 2 (optional) - Pasture Lane & Woodland, about 25.67 acres - £200,000.

An individual country bungalow with superb gardens and a wild flower meadow - about 2.97 acres.

Offering a kitchen, two reception rooms, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a utility room, large gardens, a meadow, a detached garage and parking.

EPC Rating E. BEST & FINAL OFFERS BY 12 NOON ON FRIDAY, 26TH JULY

A delightful country cottage enjoying panoramic views across the Teme Valley.

Offering a kitchen/breakfast room, three reception rooms, three double bedrooms, a bathroom, wet room, extensive gardens, a garage and parking.

EPC Rating E.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

LEYSTERS - GUIDE PRICE £299,950

KNIGHTON-ON-TEME - GUIDE PRICE £295,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £275,000

BURFORD - GUIDE PRICE £254,950

A charming and historic farmhouse with a wealth of character.

Offering a rustic kitchen, four reception rooms, three/four bedrooms, two bath/shower rooms, traditional barns, a courtyard garden and parking.

EPC Rating E.

A generously proportioned barn conversion in a peaceful rural location with glorious views offering a kitchen, utility room, two reception rooms, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, workshop/garaging and a south facing garden.

EPC Rating F.

A detached bungalow in a peaceful setting within easy walking distance of the town centre.

Offering a kitchen/breakfast room, dining area, sitting room, three bedrooms, two bath/shower rooms, a large garden and a double garage.

EPC Rating D.

A spacious and well-presented family house on a quality development within easy walking distance of a primary school and the town centre.

Offering a kitchen, two reception rooms, a conservatory, a utility room, a master bedroom with en-suite, three further bedrooms, a family bathroom, attractive gardens, an integral garage and parking.

EPC Rating D.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

HANLEY BROADHEATH - GUIDE PRICE £235,000

MENITH WOOD - GUIDE PRICE £185,000

EASTHAM - GUIDE PRICE £159,950

HEREFORD ROAD, WEOBLEY - GUIDE PRICE £139,950

A spacious bungalow situated in a popular rural village location.

Offering a kitchen/diner, living room, conservatory, three bedrooms, a bathroom, a large garden, a garage and parking.

EPC Rating D.

A semi-detached house in a peaceful rural hamlet.

Offering a kitchen, living room, three bedrooms, a bathroom, enclosed gardens & off road parking.

EPC Rating F.

A spacious family village house on a large corner plot with scope for extending.

Offering a kitchen/breakfast room, living/dining room, three bedrooms, a bathroom, a large garden and private driveway.

EPC Rating F.

A spacious cottage close to the heart of the picturesque village.

Offering a kitchen/diner, living room, three bedrooms, a bathroom, a courtyard garden & parking.

EPC Rating E. TI O

SOLD

OR F D SOL 000 , £126

NORTON, PRESTEIGNE - OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £120,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £100,000

KYRE - P.O.A.

BURFORD - P.O.A.

A spacious three bedroom detached village bungalow in a popular development in need of complete refurbishment.

BEST AND FINAL OFFERS NO LATER THAN 12 NOON ON FRIDAY, 14TH DECEMBER 2012.

A residential and business (A1) investment property occupying a prime town centre site.

Shop EPC Rating D - Flat EPC Rating D FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION ON THURSDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER 2013 AT 6PM AT THE SALWEY ARMS, WOOFFERTON, LUDLOW, SY8 4AL

A productive arable/pasture field with road frontage about 8.053 acres (3.259 hectares).

FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION ON THURSDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER AT 6PM AT THE SALWEY ARMS, WOOFFERTON, LUDLOW, SY8 4AL

A static home/log cabin set in gardens of about 0.229 acre with potentially permanent residential rights (subject to planning permission).

FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION ON THURSDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER 2013 AT 6PM AT THE SALWEY ARMS, WOOFFERTON, LUDLOW, SY8 4AL

FIND US AT: www.nickchampion.co.uk

OR F D SOL 000 , £100

AU C

TI O AU C

TI O AU C

N

SOLD

N

SOLD

N

SOLD

OR F D SOL 000 , 5 5 £

39

Shopping Emporium Everything for the Home & Garden Come and visit our wonderful collections of fine furnishings, innovative toys and children’s clothes, bespoke sofas and chairs, curtains and fabrics and our fascinating reclamation yard and Garden Centre - all within the beautiful and famous Burford House, Gardens and grounds.

Free for all to visit, shop and enjoy.

G

S TOY

Why not stop & relax at our licensed Café-Bar?

CU

Something for everyone - great gifts and presents, inspiring ideas for the home and garden.

Free entry to beautiful gardens and a fun play area for the kids.

Come and feed the ducks!

Easy to find !

Burford House & Gardens, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8HQ Tel 01584 811976 Garden Centre & Café Bar 01584 810777

& CLOTHES

MATION RECLA YA RD

Lunches, snacks, beverages, cakes, wines and beers

Great for the Family

C E N T RE DEN R A

RICS & FAB S AIN RT

INTERIORS & AC CES S

E FURNITURE K PO S BE

OR IES